Prayerful Teaching when Speaking Out is Difficult

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.

Acts 18:9 (NIV)

Prayer and Meditation

So many times I am surrounded by vicious talk.  Often it is colleagues or teachers engaging in mean-spirited, even malicious gossip about students, parents, or each other.  Sometimes it is students participating in cruel and heartless rants causing others to cry or question their self-worth.  It is so easy to ignore these words and feel I am doing my part by not participating in the verbal harangues, but I know this is not enough.  Bestow upon me the courage and faith you gave Paul so that I may break my silence and not be afraid to speak even when I am uncomfortable and afraid.

The Actions of Prayerful Teaching

• Set an example for students and staff.  Do not let negative words cross your lips.   Listening to vicious talk is not a passive action, it is a participatory action. 

• When breaking your silence, remain emotionally disengaged.  Be assertive while staying calm and respectful.  Speak only of the incident at hand.  Make your point as short as possible—never more than 60 seconds.

• Stop the malicious behavior as soon as it begins.  Don’t hear it out and then respond.

• Build confidence in your students.  Teach them how to respond to gossip and bullying.  It is not enough to tell them to intervene.  They need specific strategies.  Modeling intervention strategies is necessary.  Follow up with more modeling.  Modeling must continue the entire school year.  Another necessary step in order for the modeled strategies to be effective, is that students practice and act out the strategies under adult supervision.

• Discuss mean-spirited talk in class. Define it. Why does it occur?  What kind of person promotes it?  Create a class code of conduct concerning gossip and verbal bullying. Work in groups to create posters which can be posted throughout the school. 

Challenge of the Week

Prepare to break your silence.  Think of an “attack with words” you will most likely encounter this week.  Plan how you will respond and what you will say in response.  Sometimes it helps to practice in front of a mirror or practice with a partner.  This does not mean you will memorize a speech, only that you will be more prepared and more confident in your response.

God Bless and Prayerful Teaching,

Elizabeth A. Wink

prayerfulteaching@gmail.com

Prayerful Teaching is Blessing Others

The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

                                                                        Proverbs 11:25 (MSG)

You bless me daily with special gifts of your divine love.  In turn, help me to confer blessings onto others, particularly those I meet in my daily life.  Let me never take the words, “bless,” or “blessings,” for granted or carelessly banter these words about as ordinary and impersonal.  When I offer someone a blessing, may I follow through with actions of hope and love. 

The Actions of Prayerful Teaching

• Bless your students with kind words and expressions of gratitude.  Your words may be the only expression of caring and love they receive that day.  Think of times in your life when one kind word made a huge difference in your attitude and outlook on life.

• Bless your students by silently praying for them during classroom discussions.  When giving “think time” to a student or a class, ask God to bestow a particular blessing over them e.g. “Bless ______ so that she might______,” Bless my students so they can______.”  Pray in secret and expect to see changes manifest themselves.

• Bless your students by writing a short, personal note praising them for a gift they have shared with the class.  The note need be only two or three sentences long.  If one or two notes a week are written, eventually everyone will receive a personal note from you.  Nothing is too small.   Did a student who has trouble with math get a problem correct on the board?   Catch acts of kindness, no matter how small they may seem to an outsider.  Did a child who finds it hard to share, lend another child a pencil or piece of paper?  Blessing notes can be extended to staff members.  It is easier if a small stash of stationary is kept in your desk.  If possible, mail the note to the student's home.  All children love mail, but this mail can initiate family dinner discussions.

• Bless your students by inviting them to have lunch with you.  If you already have lunch duty, tell your students how much you enjoy having lunch with them or having the opportunity to talk with them during their lunch.

• Ask God to bless you and your family and to continue to give you the strength to carry on His work as teacher.  .

Challenge of the Week

As you wash your hands or brush your teeth, use this “empty” time to say a prayer of blessing over those you love.  

God Bless those who love me

And those who love those who love me.

God bless those who I love

And those who love those who I love

God bless all my students and all those who love my students.

God Bless and Prayerful Teaching,

Elizabeth A. Wink

prayerfulteaching@gmail.com

Prayerful Teaching is Growing Student Spirituality

May the Lord make your love increase 

and overflow for each other

and for everyone else,

 just as ours does for you.    

            1 Thessalonians 3:12

Prayer and Meditation

Just as Paul petitioned God that the Thessalonians grow spiritually, I pray that in this world of temptations and difficult choices, my students obtain the grace to grow in spiritual strength. Just as Paul petitioned God that he receive the ability to minister to the spiritual needs of the Thessalonians, I ask that I receive the ability and wisdom to minister to the spiritual needs of my students.

The Actions of Prayerful Teaching  (The actions below take into consideration the many teachers who teach in public schools and are hindered by the fact they cannot outright teach religious beliefs and sometimes even moral standards.)

• Take advantage of the literature that is built into the curriculum.  Ask open ended questions such as, “What would you have done?”  “How do you think ____ felt when____?”

• Always set a Christian example even if you are not in a Christian setting.  Example:When disciplining, do so with empathy and understanding, never anger and preaching.  No matter the setting--public or faith-based school--you are evangelizing every minute you are in contact with students through your demeanor, your attitude, your love and your sincerity.

• If the siren of a fire engine or ambulance is heard in your classroom say, “I hope everyone will be safe and enjoy the evening home with their families.”

• Involve students in service projects and encourage them to help others.  It may be as simple as collecting clothing or food for those in need.

• Write and post a classroom mission statement in a high traffic area.  Perhaps students can write individual mission statements.  Share your own mission statement and explain how you fulfill it.

Challenge of the Week

Write a personal mission statement.  As you glance at it on a daily basis, run through your head one action you can take with one or more of your students to fulfill your mission statement.

(If you have an issue you would like to see addressed in this blog, please let me know.)
  

God Bless and Prayerful Teaching,

Elizabeth A. Wink

prayerfulteaching@gmail.com

Prayerful Teaching when Students are Difficult

As a prisoner for the Lord, then,

I urge you to live a life worthy 

of the calling you have received.

Be completely humble and gentle;

be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit 

through the bond of peace.

                                    Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)

Prayer and Meditation

Though the school year has just started, I already sense I have some difficult students.  They constantly pose challenges in my busy classroom.  They drain me of energy, patience, and compassion.  They take up so much of my time and distract those students who are eager to learn and cooperate.  Help me to recognize the good qualities in my most difficult students.  Remind me why I was called to be a teacher.  Teach me to equally love all of your children with gentleness and patience. 

The Actions of Prayerful Teaching

• Look for opportunities to give specific, genuine, honest, and sincere praise.  Always avoid false praise.

• Greet difficult students with a gracious smile as you do all of your students when they enter your classroom every morning

• Though difficult, analyze what sets these students off on the wrong path.  Pay attention to facial expressions and body language.

• Have private, heartfelt conversations and ask what they need to be successful and contributing members in their classroom.  Do not be judgmental, angry, defensive, or make promises that cannot be kept.  This conversation is not about you.  This is a time for you to listen and ask questions.  Use the stem, “How can I help you (fill in the blank)?”  Form a partnership to work together to find answers and solutions.

• Always remain positive and calm.  You are the adult.  Do not take anything personally.

      Challenge of the Week

Concentrate on reaching your most difficult student.  It is much more constructive to reach out early in the school year while changes are easier to implement and behavior easier to reverse.  

      God Bless and Prayerful Teaching,

Elizabeth A. Wink

prayerfulteaching@gmail.com