My Own Personal Summer School

by Julie Walton, Ph.D./Calvin College

I am presently reading the book, “The Bible and the Task of Teaching” by Smith and Shortt.  The authors, along with Parker Palmer, suggest that teaching cannot be divorced from the character and personality of the teacher.  So it follows that a biblically-influenced teacher can’t help but integrate faith and learning issues. 

So, now, I ask myself in what ways my faith infuses my pedagogy in the exercise and health sciences, how that does/does not affect my students’ learning, and how I plan to continue to grow and flourish in this area.  It’s that last piece that hits me hardest:  in my own faith walk, how am I (or am I even) growing in knowledge, and spiritual wisdom and understanding (Col 1:9)? 

I regularly implore my students to spend intimate time with God, to study Scripture and drink from its depths that they may know the grace, beauty and blessing of a relationship with Christ.  When sin shattered our image like a broken mirror, we lost our compass in determining who we are.  And until we as teachers more fully understand both ourselves and our students as image-bearers, our effectiveness in the classroom will stagnate.

Relationships grow through consistent contact and intimacy.  Growing in godliness- even at our age (!) -requires knowing who God is.  This god-like-ness is part of the mystery of being created in His image.  It is part of our growth in the spiritual gifts.  It is the critical part of living in community (Ephesians 4-5)- in this case, a LEARNING community, where we are called to live a life worthy of our calling. 

Smith and Shortt state, “Any community of learning is informed by a certain ethos or spirit of inquiry.” (p.45).  I am going back to the drawing board this summer- back to the well, if you will, to know God, to know His word, and to celebrate His creation and Him as Creator.  My prayer is that this can’t help but spill over into my teaching in new and creative ways.

In John 21:  15-17, Jesus asks Peter 3x about his devotion and love! He doesn’t ask
Do you love your students?
Do you love your work?
Do you love your church?
Do you love your family?

Jesus asks only one thing:  DO YOU LOVE ME? 

That’s why I’m headed back to school this summer- to learn at the feet of a Master Teacher.