Just a teacher

I once heard a lady answering a question as to what she was. She framed an answer in a stifled voice as if what she were about to disclose would be a crime punishable by death. “ I’m just a teacher, “ she said.

JUST A TEACHER??!!! Never have three words cut me so deep! You mean a person of lowly status? One who belongs to the lowest spectrum of the professional world? A person who doesn’t count among the highly- acclaimed degree holders? JUST A TEACHER? I beg to disagree.

Don’t you know that teaching comes from the heart of God?
The Garden of Eden as Genesis 2: 15 recounts was God’s first open-air classroom on earth with Adam, and later, Eve as the first students. Unfortunately, as we all know, they failed miserably in their first lesson on “ WHAT NOT TO EAT”. They learned their lesson well, all right, but they learned it the hard way.

Jesus and His disciples performed miracles but after and behind each miracle was a lesson taught, a guiding principle for life and beyond. Jesus, undoubtedly, is the Greatest Teacher for all seasons, of all time.

I don’t discount the big and worthy contributions of other professionals. Their God-given calling has somehow eased the burdens that otherwise would have been shouldered solely by the world with nary a let up.

Physicians treat people, engineers build roads and bridges, architects design houses, lawyers defend clients. I can mention a lot more, but the question is, besides the home, who else moulds lives to make them better citizens – better physicians, engineers, architects, lawyers, accountants, nurses, and other host of professionals? The answer, without a doubt, is the bent, dog-tired, lowly, unrecognized, underpaid teacher.
One of the most overworked of God’s creations is the humble teacher. At night, she spends the hours making lesson plans, checking test papers, preparing devices, reading books and other supplementary notes. The early dawn usually sees her preparing herself for school. At school, the teacher suddenly becomes a guidance counsellor, a guard, a parent, a nurse, a friend and a thousand and one other back- breaking activities.

And yet, behind these travails in a teacher’s life is the joy in seeing a student striving to overcome the difficulties of school life. There is keen pleasure in the knowledge that the teacher is part of the student’s learning process; that growth comes through the teacher’s moulding hands and loving heart. What a delight to see these students in later years as they reach their potentials and become professionals.

The real measure of a teacher’s productivity is not the number of medals she has, not the sterling record of her transcript, not even the school she graduated from.

Her effectiveness as a teacher lies in the varied reactions of the students. Do they always look forward to meeting the teacher? Are they inspired to study? Does enthusiasm permeates every fiber of their being as they do research and home works? Do the students find the teacher and the lessons worth their time and effort? In short, Sir/ Ma’am, have you

BROUGHT OUT THE BEST IN YOUR STUDENTS?
Be proud you are a teacher. NOT JUST A TEACHER! From your dedicated effort come out leaders, doctors, lawyers, nurses, accountants, businessmen, employees, writers, authors, and the rest of the reading world.

I’m proud I’m a teacher and prouder still to declare that I belong to a noble profession. At the end of the day, after a back-breaking job, I am compensated with the thought that I have done something to make a student’s life better, that I have given my best to ease someone’s pain, that I have taught values that count far beyond this world can offer.
I thank God for giving me a teacher’s heart. Thanks, too, to my former students. You taught me lessons not found in the books: LOVE, PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING, SYMPATHY, TOLERANCE, DISCIPLINE, FRIENDSHIP, and more.

I take delight in knowing that you, my students, are constantly striving to reach the dream that God has put into your hearts. You have truly done me proud and have given me more than enough reason to celebrate Teacher’s Day. I value each one of you. Thank you for coming into my life.

THIS IS THE GOOD LIFE- that a teacher can touch a soul for Jesus and for eternity.