Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Matthew
7:21
Prayer and Meditation
Lent is not only a time for
sacrifice, but a time of quiet and deliberate action. It is a time to discern and accept the will
of God in our daily lives. Lord, let me not just venerate and know you from a
distance, but open my heart and free my soul so I may totally immerse my life
in you and unconditionally receive You into my life. As I teach Your beloved children, guide me in
my actions to live and breathe the Lenten season.
The Actions of
Prayerful Teaching
A Deliberate Action: Write a short
note to each of your students’ families highlighting an exceptional character
trait the child possesses. Give a
specific example. Some starters: “I
notice how N… is always willing to lend a pencil to another student. Her unselfish actions allow class to proceed
smoothly and without embarrassment for another student.” “I appreciate how N… raises his hand to add
to classroom discussions. He understands
I cannot call on him every time he raises his hand. Without complaint, he waits patiently his
turn.” If you have multiple classes,
select two or three students from each class who you may not yet have
acknowledged.
A Deliberate Action: Instill
hope. Spending as little as 15 minutes
per day tutoring students can have big pay offs. Instead of focusing on flaws, build on
student strengths. Help students select
reachable goals. Celebrate each time a
goal is achieved.
A Deliberate Action: In each
class there are always one or two students who are undesignated wallflowers,
who have few friends, are picked last for everything, and never get invited to
parties or playdates. These students can
be a Lenten “project.” Give them
classroom responsibilities so others can see them as integral members of the
classroom. Find reasons to publically
compliment them. Allow them to be group
leaders or co-leaders by giving them explicit tasks so others cannot take over
and push them aside. Let classmates see
that you hold them in high esteem.
A Quiet Action: As you walk around
the room assisting students, pause before each student and say a silent prayer
such as “God, may you protect and watch over N….” Simply
praying “God, Bless N….” can also do unseen wonders for your students.
A Quiet Action: Make it a point not to complain about any of your students
(particular students or students as a whole) to anyone. That includes not complaining to your own
family members, friends, and especially teacher acquaintances. Upon hearing others complain about students,
find creative ways divert the conversation to a more positive track.
Challenge of the Week
Select one quiet or deliberate action you can
take this Lent to keep the will of God alive and blossoming in your classroom.
Blessings and Prayerful Teaching,
Elizabeth
A. Wink
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