Teachers Impact Lives With Lessons

Often the unexpected has a greater impact on us than the expected. One of my favorite teachers knew this well.

The first day of my 8th grade year was unforgettable because our teacher did the outrageous. We had all heard what a strict disciplinarian he was from other students. So we walked in pretty apprehensive to begin with. He stood at the front of the room going over the rules. Then he grabbed a thick, social studies text book off the shelf and started walking around the room. His voice got louder and angrier as he came near each of us. The textbooks were expensive he said and then he began ripping this expensive textbook apart. Trust me, we got his message! Each student took such great care of their book that year.

Another teacher I know was having trouble with her kids treating each other horribly. She felt like her kids needed a graphic lesson on how they were hurting each other and their learning community. Monday morning, she walked into her classroom with a wonderful, white cake. It looked delicious. As her students sat in their desks licking their lips, she began to tell them how disappointed she was that they were so unkind to each other. She brought the cake to illustrate to them what their class could be like. It could be so nice. Then she got out a bucket of mud and told them with their hurtful words what they were doing was destroying their class family. She began splatting mud onto that pure, white cake. Their mouths were open as they watched their gentle teacher destroying a perfect cake. When the cake was an uneatable, ugly mess, she told them that she cared too much for each of them to let them continue hurting each other. Ms. Teeter told them they needed to start fresh that day with everyone watching the words they said. That each of them needed to be cautious to treat each other with kindness.

Then she pulled out another perfect white cake and served it to her students. Telling each of them to enjoy the cake. She told them she was confident they would treat each other better.

Sometimes we need to step out of the box to make a point. These teachers got successful results from unusual actions. I wonder sometimes if I don't need a kick in the butt or knock in the head to wake up and see what I am doing that thoughtlessly impacts others. Another good reason to have people in our lives who can be honest with us when we get off track.

In Him,

Joyful
2-22-2010