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
This is so timely and reached my heart. Thank you!
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