In Part 1 of this series, the importance of teacher mentorship was discussed. In this second series installment, I elaborate on the roles of modeling and motivation, as well as our ultimate goal to follow in the footsteps of the master teacher.
The Teacher as a Role Model
Educators are important models of values and character development for their students. In her book Education, Ellen White writes, “Character building is the most important work ever entrusted to human beings, and never was its diligent study so important as now.” As they try to develop their students’ characters, educators must model the virtues and values that they wish to teach. Students learn by observing and are quick to discern where the teacher’s life and actions do not match what they advocate by speech.
The teacher must also model the joy of learning. Some students view learning as a tedious process that is forced on them by their parents and society. A wise and understanding teacher will model good learning procedures and processes by highlighting the never-ending continuum of learning. Through facial expressions, body language, and spoken word, the teacher can testify to the joy that learning brings. If the students see their teacher as a fellow learner who gets excited by new discoveries, they will also come to see learning as a joyful quest for self-actualization.
The Teacher as a Motivator
A teacher must also motivate their students to learn. In order for a student to be motivated in the classroom, he or she must understand the benefits to accomplishing a certain learning task. The competent teacher will help their students find the inner fulfillment that learning brings.
In this area, the teacher must point the student to God as the master designer. The student should understand that God has created him or her in His image, with the capacity to think and reason. They should also know that God has done everything in His power to come into a saving relationship with them through Christ.
With this understanding, the student will want to learn—not only for the temporal educational benefits but also for the satisfaction of reaching their full potential and bringing joy to the heart of their Creator. This is a powerful motivation for self-betterment, and it is a sacred privilege for every teacher to play a part in this form of spiritual motivation.
The Perfect Teacher
Christ, who is our ultimate example of the perfect teacher, spent three years with his disciples in close community. They faced troubles, obstacles, and hardships together. His relationship with each one was personal and strong. It was because of their great love for their master that the disciples sought to grasp truths that were beyond their reasoning abilities. Though uneducated, they became some of the best writers and speakers that have ever lived, all due to the close relationship they had with the master teacher.
May we all model, mentor, and motivate every student within our sphere of influence, because we know that God expects nothing less of us as educators and teachers.
Author
Eileen Ghali
Eileen is a lecturer in the Education Department at Middle East University (MEU) located in Beirut, Lebanon. She writes poetry and is dedicated to her students.