The school year has begun. Children and teachers are heading to school for another year of fun and learning. A great scripture always comes to mind at this time of year. Psalm 32:8 reads, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. That is a perfect description of a good teacher.
A school bus the other day got me thinking of everything teachers have to put up with that I, as a paralegal, and those in other professions do not.
For instance:
- When we get to work, all the supplies are pretty much there. If not, we order, or at least have others order them for us. The money usually doesn’t come out of our pockets. Unfortunately, teachers do pay for a lot of school supplies. They have to compensate for children who either cannot afford the items or who forget to bring them.
- If a co-worker doesn’t do their job, chances are they’ll be fired. Teachers work alongside parents to teach. However, teachers can’t fire a parent if they don’t do their job (discipline their child, make sure homework is complete, etc.).
- How often do you work overtime and not get paid? Teachers do it all the time. They are constantly taking their personal time to grade papers and come up with plans for the next day.
- Have you ever had a performance review? I’ll bet you were judged on your work instead of someone else’s. Teachers in a lot of states are being reviewed on what their students do. It doesn’t matter if the child refuses to do their homework and the parents don’t make them. It’s kind of like a store clerk being judged on the behavior of her customers.
- My boss is a Christian and I can talk about Jesus anytime I’d like. Most people can pray at their business, they just can’t preach to others. If a boss stops you from praying, it’s discrimination. However, teachers don’t have that benefit. They can’t pray or talk about their faith without fear of being fired.
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If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people. – Chinese proverb
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We need to pray for our teachers. Pray for their peace and patience, but also pray for the parents of the children they are instructing. Pray parents step up and be the type of parent a teacher would want to deal with.
And if you have children in school, don’t forget to thank their teachers. A little bit of encouragement goes a long way.
If you or someone you know is in need of prayer this week, please leave a comment. We’d be more than happy to pray for you. And if this post moved you in some way, please feel free to share it.
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