National Christian Teachers Summit, 2018.

Day 2 – 3rd August 2018

Message 2

 

Shaping and Sharpening the Young for National Productivity – The teacher’s indispensable role.

Psalm 144:11-15

All children are the heritage of the Lord and they were created for a purpose. Every child has a divine purpose for life. Every child has a potential to become great in the society and this is regardless of the kind of people who gave birth to him. Regardless of who, where and when he was born, every child has a great purpose to fulfil in life. Whatever he will become in life is not dependent on these factors but on the role of the teacher in his life!

All professionals, politicians, medical doctors, engineers and everyone you see are all products of the teacher and if the teacher doesn’t arise to play his role, these people won’t ever become what God has called them to be. As good as doctors are, they only care for people when they’re either sick or on their way out. Teachers are the ones who are positioned to reach the children and set them right, right from when they are coming.

What is the measurable performance objective of the teacher?

What is the expectation or objective for the entire teaching profession? Regardless of what level the teacher is teaching, there is an objective for the teacher.

Looking at the verses 12 – 14, each statement begins with the word “that”. The word ‘that’ is an expression of behavioural objective.

1. That our sons are as plants grown up in their youth.

The first thing we are expected to achieve with the child is to make sure he is grown up in his youth. A child should be planted in whatever he wants to be as he grows up. It is a major objective to ensure that our children are planted in their youth. An educational system that does not help our children to be planted early in their chosen field, in character, in proper virtues of life; has failed. Productive learning must be done at a particular age bracket. Learning that will be productive must be done when the child is in his youth.

2. That our daughters are as cornerstones polished.

God has never been a party to the downgrading of our girls. It is our different local cultures that have made it look like the female child is inferior to the male child. According to God, as He caters for boys, so He caters for girls.

God expects us as teachers to train and prepare our girls to be cornerstones. We must not predispose them to cheap victimization by callous male teachers, by training them to be excellent young ladies. Most victimization stories (especially sexual) happen to female students who are not excellent; most of which is at the borderline. If teachers play their role well and we have ladies who are excellent academically, those who have been trained well, they won’t need to beg or be apologetic.

As a teacher, your ministry, your labor is productive and necessary when our children are young. You cannot afford to play with your calling. These are the objectives of being a teacher. This is what God expects from us as teachers. We cannot behave short of these objectives.