© Victor Ochieng’
Joe Mwangi in his heroic book titled The Teacher Who Touches God compiled winsome wisdom for teachers. He posits that teaching is a noble profession. It has gems of godliness in it. Remember Jesus of Nazareth was a rabbi — great teacher. The teacher is the mid-wife who delivers the vision of the nation. A nation that disregards her teachers will always be a stunted nation — a giant headed to the rocks. Teachers are the determinants of what nations become — the destiny of nations.
The teacher is the one in charge of a child’s formative years. 75% of a child’s life up to the age of 24 is in the mortal hands of the teacher. A teacher is the greatest professional. For all other professionals pass through the gifted hands of a teacher. No wonder, when you read the Vedic Literature among the Indian people, you will ascertain that the teacher comes first before their Supreme Being — Krishna. For it is the teacher who introduces people to Krishna.
I digress. Who is the teacher that touches God? The teacher who touches God has a calling. Teaching is both a profession and vocation. Therefore, a teacher should halt and ask these two quality questions: Do I have a call? Who called me?
The teacher who touches God disciplines. Of all the teacher’s responsibilities, discipline is the most preponderant one. A student may be an average performer, but with discipline, the future will still make sense. Some students who lack discipline may look successful, but they end up being confused because they do not know how to adhere to the raft of rules. Then, lack of proper training and tutelage denies them the ability to rule over their will power. Discipline instills boundaries, self-control and self-mastery. Students who lack discipline demorolise the teacher. They make the teacher angry, bitter, tired, stressed and hopeless.
The teacher who touches God is a team player. Such a teacher knows that when two heads come together, the third one emerges. That if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go with people. Likewise, one tree cannot make a forest. TEAM is an acronym of Together Each Achieves Much or Miracles. So, purpose to tap energy from synergy. Because highly successful people are neither dependent nor independent, but inter-dependent.
The teacher who touches God is a mentor, not a tormentor. Teaching goes beyond the four walls of a classroom. Mentorship is a process that calls for patience, and above all, intense interest, care and concern. The great teacher should be keen on four inter-related development faculties. Luke 2:52 says, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, being in favour with God and men.” The great teacher helps learners: to increase in wit and wisdom (intellectual growth); to increase in stature (physical growth); being in favour with God (spiritual growth), and being in favour with men (social growth).
The teacher who touches God helps learners to find their voices. The ‘voice’ is a position where one’s talent and passion meets and greet each other. That is when what one loves to do is where s/he thrives. When a student finds the voice, the area of dominance and influence manifests. The great teacher is keen on three things: talent, gift and skill. Talent is an in-born ability. Gift is a God-given ability. Skill or competency is an acquired ability. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.”
The teacher who touches God remains positive and optimistic. S/he makes students feel good about themselves. Such a teacher accommodates all learners by awarding those who improve, encouraging struggling students and guiding top achievers. This is the only way none of them would feel sidelined. Out there, they will walk heads held high, irrespective of the grades they scooped in school.
The teacher who touches God builds healthy relationships with learners. Remember, friendships, relationships and partnerships rule or ruin the world. When the teacher and the learner are in good terms, the learner who is the recipient makes the teacher’s work easy because there is maximum attention and concentration.
The teacher who touches God is enthusiastic and energetic. Enthusiasm is a strong feeling of excitement and interest in something. Ravenous desire fuels and fans it. Dale Carnegie said that enthusiasm is the most contagious thing. Whenever we execute tasks in an enthusiastic manner, those that surround us feel confident to be associated with us. When positive energy and enthusiasm drives you, your body finds it easy to do jobs that seem tedious and tiresome. Learners always adapt to the mood of the teacher. When the teacher looks happy, the lesson becomes lively.
The teacher who touches God is the one who teaches it all and leaves no stone unturned. Pantheon of sages captured it well: Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may remember. Involve me, and I will understand.
The teacher who touches God encourages creativity and ingenuity. As Albert Einstein said, “Knowledge will take you from point A to B but creativity and imagination will take you everywhere.” It is creativity that gives a person relevant survival skills for life. The need to be creative is to carry on the flame of learning and to advance the thought process and the consciousness that the teacher creates in learners.
The teacher who touches God motivates and inspires learners. God is the true source of inspiration. We can only understand and achieve if we make motivation and inspiration prime principles of life. The great German philosopher, Johann Gottfried Von Herder said in substance, “Without inspiration, the best powers of the mind remain dormant; there is a fuel in us that needs to be ignited with sparks.” When you motivate your students, they will forget about their challenges and fears, hence they will concentrate on learning. Motivation provides the incentive. It stimulates people to expand their mental energy. It triggers action, and the desire to achieve. Motivation gives a person direction and purpose. It speaks to the soul and spirit.
The teacher who touches God goes the extra mile. The teacher who sacrifices, changes people’s stories. In life, we will never attain some highly-coveted levels unless we drift from our comfort zones. The teacher who touches God counts blessings. As a teacher, appreciate what you already have as you go for what you do not have. See beyond the pay slip. Always express an attitude of gratitude. Learn the art of thanksgiving and choose to see the good things. Then, bad things will begin to fade like festoon of flowers.
The teacher who touches God reveres the Supreme Being. Education should bring you to the significant point of understanding who God is, and what He requires from every being He created in His own likeness and image. Introducing children to the Supreme Power is good for correction. When we know that God is watching all our actions, we find it easy to shun evil and wickedness.
This is the conclusion of the matter. As a teacher who touches God respect your colleagues, defend your school, take care of learners and respect the instituted authority.
The writer builds the capacity of teachers through talks and trainings
vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
