Lessons From The Classroom: DEVOTIONS FOR TEACHERS

By Alton Royer Ph.D.

While working with students, their parents, and with colleagues, I noticed God is always at work. In many casual conversations, I was encouraged by the number of colleagues that stated their dependence on God for guidance. These short devotions are intended as an encouragement to educators, beginning their school day, to draw attention to the activities of the Holy Spirit in their life and work activities. It is my prayer the reader will identify with many of these devotions and be reminded of the Holy Spirit's activity in their lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888512968

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Acknowledgments

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

Day 32

Day 33

Day 34

Day 35

Day 36

Day 37

Day 38

Day 39

Day 40

Day 41

Day 42

Day 43

Day 44

Day 45

Day 46

Day 47

Day 48

Day 49

Day 50

Day 51

Day 52

Day 53

Day 54

Day 55

Day 56

Day 57

Day 58

Day 59

Day 60

Day 61

Day 62

Day 63

Day 64

Day 65

Day 66

Day 67

Day 68

Day 69

Day 70

Day 71

Day 72

Day 73

Day 74

Day 75

Day 76

Day 77

Day 78

Day 79

Day 80

Day 81

Day 82

Day 83

Day 84

Day 85

Day 86

Day 87

Day 88

Day 89

Day 90

Day 91

Day 92

Day 93

Day 94

Day 95

Day 96

Day 97

Day 98

Day 99

Day 100

Day 101

Day 102

Day 103

Day 104

Day 105

Day 106

Day 107

Day 108

Day 109

Day 110

Day 111

Day 112

Day 113

Day 114

Day 115

Day 116

Day 117

Day 118

Day 119

Day 120

Day 121

Day 122

Day 123

Day 124

Day 125

Day 126

Day 127

Day 128

Day 129

Day 130

Day 131

Day 132

Day 133

Day 134

Day 135

Day 136

Day 137

Day 138

Day 139

Day 140

Day 141

Day 142

Day 143

Day 144

Day 145

Day 146

Day 147

Day 148

Day 149

Day 150

Day 151

Day 152

Day 153

Day 154

Day 155

Day 156

Day 157

Day 158

Day 159

Day 160

Day 161

Day 162

Day 163

Day 164

Day 165

Day 166

Day 167

Day 168

Day 169

Day 170

Day 171

Day 172

Day 173

Day 174

Day 175

Day 176

Day 177

Day 178

Day 179

Day 180

Day 181

Day 182

Day 183

Day 184

Day 185

Day 186

Day 187

Day 188

Day 189

Day 190

Day 191

Day 192

Day 193

Day 194

List of Verses

About the Author

cover.jpg

Lessons From The Classroom

DEVOTIONS FOR TEACHERS

Alton Royer Ph.D.

ISBN 979-8-88851-295-1 (Paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88851-296-8 (Digital)

Copyright © 2023 Alton Royer Ph.D.

All rights reserved

First Edition

All biblical citations were taken from the English Standard Version of the Holy Bible unless otherwise indicated.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

These devotionals are presented to encourage educators who give their lives to young people. As a teacher, you will have many opportunities to be a positive influence for Christ through your kind words and actions.

Keep in mind that in most cases, parent perceptions of teachers are formed through the eyes of their children. Teachers may gain great reputations or somewhat negative reputations entirely through their positive or negative interactions with their students. Listening to parents' conversations about school while they are in the school building, at the grocery store, or at the ballpark will confirm that their child's teacher has formed a reputation of some kind.

Comments such as He/She is a nice teacher or That teacher won't listen to you or That teacher is unfair or That teacher won't help if your child has problems and We just love Mr./Mrs. Jones are heard all the time, particularly at the beginning of another school year. Whether or not these perceptions are deserved is beside the point. Take it for granted that they will be formed about you as well. View each day as an opportunity to be salt and light in a manner that represents Christ to a lost world.

Dedication

To my wife, Pam, who encouraged me all along this journey. God blessed me with a wife who has strength, dignity, and wisdom (Proverbs 31:25–26).

To my two children, Camille and Michael, who, along with the Holy Spirit, provided inspiration for several of these devotionals.

To the Christian teacher, who has the privilege of working in the profession God chose for his Son and who is the salt and light in today's challenging environment of education.

Acknowledgments

My sincerest thanks and appreciation to Carol Zembower, MEd, who assisted with the initial edit of this manuscript.

Day 1

First Impressions

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.

—Matthew 5:13–16

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

—James 2:17

Jesus said that you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Notice that while using these two metaphors, Jesus didn't give an option of whether we wish to be salt and light! Being a Christian means that we are salt and light! It is our responsibility to be that Christian example every day for our students. We also must be extremely careful not to lose the saltiness that was given to us when we were saved.

How can our salt or influence be lost? Our saltiness can be lost through a thoughtless action, an unkind comment, or even a subtle negative facial expression. I heard a student say, I will never respect Mrs. B. again because of what she said to J. about her paper. Thoughtless comments, unkind words, and even facial expressions can change the positive perception people have toward us to a negative perception.

Know that each day you arrive at school, every action, facial expression, and word said are continually being scrutinized by your colleagues, students, their parents, caretakers, or guardians. Understand that parents' perceptions about you will be formed through the lens of their child.

In verse 16, Jesus commands us to let our good works be seen so that God may be glorified. How is this accomplished? By allowing Jesus to be himself in us every moment of every day. James puts it very succinctly, Faith without works is dead.

Are you ready for the day? Ask Jesus to be himself in you at every moment.

Day 2

Ready for Evaluation

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

—James 3:1

James, the brother of Jesus, was speaking through experience, We who teach will be judged with greater strictness, and his audience understood the scrutiny that teachers endured: for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. Our words and actions will be continually judged just as Jesus's actions were judged and critiqued.

We are reminded of this judgment by others when incidents at school are recorded on social media and then reported on the nightly news. In this current educational environment, we must assume that every action and every comment we make may be recorded, posted on social media, and critiqued! The capabilities of portable electronic devices now make it possible to record, edit, and post a different version of the incident from what really happened.

Unfortunately, people will record and edit events, and their version of that event will not be what really happened. Assume that in any meeting that you attend, particularly with an irate parent or disgruntled student, this meeting may be recorded. Keep in mind that your words in the classroom may be recorded without your knowledge.

I was in a parent meeting one time, and the parent requested to record the meeting. I had to pause the meeting to get my own recording device! During this meeting, the parent continually tried to get me to say things that would enforce their position. For my protection, I needed the recording of this conversation in case items that we discussed were taken out of context and put on social media.

Are you ready to have your actions or comments judged? Ask God for wisdom in everything that you say and do today as well as taking the critique of your practice by others in a kind spirit.

Day 3

Consider Our Calling

Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.

—Proverbs 4:26

Ponder the path of your feet. Ponder—to consider deeply and thoroughly, even to meditate regarding the way we should go. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us make wise decisions regarding our chosen profession, finances, marriage, church affiliation—in other words, everything. If the decision we make is not part of God's will for our lives, we may not be as effective in our witness and will certainly be miserable.

For example, I know of a great pastor who used to be an exceptionally effective salesman but was miserable because he wasn't in the profession in which God had called him. This man has a God-given talent for persuasion. As a salesman, he was particularly good at getting people to buy big-ticket items. He was in a profession that utilized this talent, and he was successful by the world's standards; but it was not the profession chosen for him by God, and he knew it. He made the bold decision to leave that profession with its monetary perks and get the necessary education to become a pastor.

Many people have a talent for numbers, but they chose the wrong profession, accounting over engineering. Others may have a great aptitude for medical science but not a good physician because they lack empathy and people skills; however, they may make a great researcher. Then there are those with great people skills and do well with children but are not effective educators because they cannot teach the subject with the depth needed to adequately educate young people. In other words, this person may not possess the math skills needed to be an effective algebra teacher but has the necessary math skills needed to effectively teach middle school math.

A few years back, one day, on the drive to the airport with my then eleventh-grade son, we became engaged in a discussion regarding his choice of majors when he went to college. He said he wanted to be a band director and to major in music education. Having been a former band director and now a principal, I was strongly discouraging him from being an educator, particularly in this current environment. He looked at me and said, Dad, what if I am being called to be a music educator?

I looked at him and said, Son, if you genuinely feel that God has called you to do this, then I would never stand in your way and proudly support you in your endeavor. At that point, our discussion ended. He majored in music education, then went on and received his master's degree in percussion performance and is now a successful teacher.

Are you sure of your calling? Ask God for reassurance or for wisdom to make right decisions regarding your chosen profession.

Day 4

Sound Practice

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.

—Psalm 111:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

—Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the Lord means having an attitude of reverence, respect, and awe of Almighty God. Having this attitude toward God puts us in the right frame of mind toward him and gives us a willingness to accept good teaching and new knowledge.

Those that love the Lord are more open to knowing more about him. In addition, they possess the characteristic of inquisitiveness enabling them to ask questions and to discern right and wrong.

Take note of the second half of the verse, all those who practice. Practice requires an intentional effort made by the individual. The amount, intensity, and method of practice explains why some students succeed and others fail and explains why some students with greater ability may not achieve to the level as students of lesser ability. The amount and intensity of practice is a significantly important variable in learning.

Satan has propagated the myth that all students are able to achieve equally. He has worked into our vocabulary the confusion of the word opportunity with the word equally. C. S. Lewis describes the opportunity versus equality issue in his book The Screwtape Letters.

In the chapter Screwtape Proposes a Toast, Screwtape discusses an idea heard often today that says, I am as good as you. Lewis states, No man says, ‘I'm as good as you,' believes it. The claim of equality…is made only by those who feel themselves to be in some way inferior. To further quote Lewis, The basic principle of the new education is to be that dunces and idlers must not be made to feel inferior to intelligent and industrious pupils—for they are obviously and nakedly individual differences—must be disguised. Lewis demonstrates in this chapter that these ideas of self-esteem and not hurting a student's feelings are vocabulary that, over the years, have been twisted by Satan, and we now live in a society that embraces these lies which are straight out of hell.

Screwtape continues, Let them, for example, make mud-pies and call it modelling. But all the time there must be no faintest hint that they are inferior to the children who are at work. Whatever nonsense they are engaged in must have—I believe the English already use the phrase—‘parity of esteem.'

The equal achievement myth does not take the variable of proper practice by the learner into consideration. Good teaching does not necessarily make the subject easy for all learners as some parents will assert to you when their child is not making the highest grade. The learner must embrace the struggle for learning the subject matter. Some subjects are easier for some students than for others.

The second verse states that knowledge of Christ is insight. Remember that as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us, thus knowledge is insight, or as Webster's Dictionary defines, penetrating mental vision or discernment. We have all that is needed to make good decisions with the Holy Spirit. Putting these verses together, we see that with the fear of the Lord, we can have understanding and insight.

What do you do when students have difficulty learning a concept that you taught? Ask God for patience, wisdom, and the initiative to diagnose the issue and work with that student and their parents.

Day 5

Testing the Boundaries

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

—Proverbs 1:7

Johnny was a sixth-grade student and was large for his age. He encountered issues with multiple teachers as he was sent to my office different times by different teachers. His problems were that he was constantly leaving his seat without permission, distracting other students by touching them, not following the teachers' directives regarding stopping inappropriate behavior, or making inappropriate noises to see if the teacher noticed. I counseled with him several times, but the behavior persisted. I called home and spoke to his mother, and she stated that she would talk to Johnny about this. The behavior would stop for a few days and then begin again. After each incident, I would call home and receive the same response.

One day, while in the computer lab, Johnny decided to get under the desk. The teacher requested that he come out from under his desk, and he refused. He then put a paperclip into a wall socket, and the socket made a pop and a spark. The teacher, totally frightened, finally got him to get out from under the desk and sent him to me. I called home and explained the incident to his mother. She stated that we were being overly concerned and that this was the behavior of a twelve-year-old boy. I stated, Let me see if I understand what you are saying. Your twelve-year-old son went to a computer class, got under a desk, refused to come out from under the desk when asked, put a paperclip into a wall socket so that it popped and sparked, which endangered his life, and you are saying that these are the behaviors of a twelve-year-old boy? I didn't receive a response to that question. The mother advised me to talk to his father.

I called his father, explained the context of the incident, and Johnny's father's response was that they encouraged Johnny to test the boundaries. I explained to the father that the boundaries had been tested and that if this behavior didn't cease, Johnny would have to be placed in in-school suspension. The father said that he didn't agree with this and that I should send Johnny to the coach and make him run laps. I stated that the school did not follow this practice, that there were protocols set by our board of education that we were to follow. I explained that the first step was to inform the parent; the second step was to place a child in in school suspension, where he/she would attend school, but be isolated from all other students; and the third step would be to suspend the child at home for three days.

Dad said that the three-day home suspension couldn't happen because he and Johnny's mother had to work, and there was no one that could care for Johnny. I stated that we would work as much as we could with Johnny here at school and that the three-day home suspension would be a last resort. Dad still asserted that Johnny was encouraged to test the boundaries and that we should not break his spirit. At the conclusion of this conversation, Dad said that he would discuss this behavior with Johnny, that they were buddies, and that the behavior would stop.

The same pattern continued. Johnny's behavior would improve for a few days, and then the behavior would begin again. Johnny had to spend three days at home several times that school year.

Johnny didn't want to learn. He was focused on making a scene in the classroom, and his father encouraged the behavior by counseling him to test the boundaries. In this case, the fool was the father who was teaching his son wrong behavior.

This verse serves as an excellent reminder that there will be times that we will be at odds with students who just do not want to learn. We handle this by pressing on, continuing to offer positive encouragement, and when needed, using the discipline process. Touching base with the parents to see if there is something occurring outside of school is always a good strategy. You may gain some insight, as I did with Johnny's father, as to why there is pushback toward learning by the student. Reminding ourselves that we, too, were once fools regarding the knowledge of Jesus and the Way is a good spiritual checkpoint for us.

How are you handling that student who just doesn't want to learn? What insights have you discovered as to why this is happening?

Day 6

Wisdom and Insight

Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.

—Proverbs 4:5

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.

—Proverbs 4:7

Websters Dictionary defines wisdom as knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgement. From a spiritual