Teaching: a matter of the heart

Today, all across the world, teachers are performing minor miracles. In every classroom they are engaging with young people in a way that brings them to life and fills out the school curriculum with the hidden curriculum needed to be a balanced human being. They achieve this miracle by dealing with each class and every student with respect, understanding affection and humour. These four aspects of relationships make teachers strong in laying down clear boundaries, warm hearted, empathetic and cheerful.

The students learn lessons modelled by the behaviour of the teacher.  The teacher, dealing patiently with outrageous adolescent behavior teaches a powerful lesson in relationship building. The teacher who is passionate about her subject transmits the energy for learning before content is considered. The teacher who can laugh and remain cheerful under pressure teaches resilience and the teacher who notices pain in the students can teach compassion. Such things are not on the curriculum but without them lives would fall apart and community would be impossible. We are teachers, not instructors because education is a matter of the heart.

respect, understanding affection and humour- the initial letters spell out ruah- the word for spirit in arabic and hebrew scripture- the energy that creates community.

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