Faith Learned, Faith Lived: Take Attendance and See, Jesus is Present

Many teachers can relate to having two or three students who are disruptive and making life difficult. It can be every five minutes that a teacher has to say, "Mr. Jones, please get back in your seat." Or "Ms. Smith, please stop talking and pay attention."

These constant types of disruption are upsetting for the teacher and cause one to feel inadequate. After all, the teacher has prepared great lessons for the day and within ten minutes may feel frustrated and angry. It is wearing on one's patience, and the teacher goes home feeling like a failure. This is not what a teacher signs up for when deciding to become a teacher. The motivation has been to love these children and make a difference in lives. The feeling, however, is different, and many a teacher feels overwhelmed, unloved and discouraged.

How does one face a challenge like that? What can be done? Who can provide the support that is needed? There are many people such as the principal, mentor teacher, community members, academic advisor and pastoral administrator. The teacher is not alone, although he or she may feel alone.

I was thinking about classroom experiences that drag teachers down and thought about a passage of Matthew, Chapter 25: 31 – 40. This is the story of the last judgment. Jesus says that when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and prisoners, we are doing it for him. I would like to suggest that you take this chapter and apply it to teaching.

Think about your students—and in particular the few who make you feel incompetent. Take the gospel and change it slightly. Consider Jesus saying:

" I was anxious, nervous, suffering from a learning disability, unable to read, and not respected. When you loved and accepted the troubled student, you did it for me. You made me feel I was a welcomed and a valuable person."

Every day that you walk into the classroom, notice the presence of Jesus in your students. If you do this, you will make a difference and you will see that your primary support is Jesus himself. The vocation of being a teacher is an invitation to connect your experiences to the gospel and grow in faith in Christ.