I SUPPOSE among the first things that
come to mind when we
think of how a good and ideal teacher should be are that he is
competent, does continuing study and research on his subject, prepares
his classes well, delivers them fluently, keeps good relation with his
students and colleagues, submits grades punctually, etc.
Those are indeed excellent qualities but they are not
enough. In fact, they simply are peripherals and can be dangerous and
counterproductive if they are not inspired by the proper spirit of
love. Without the latter, the other qualities would be at the mercy of
other spirits not proper to us.
These otherwise good qualities would simply be conditioned
and dependent on purely human desires and intentions that, no matter
how well-founded, will always bear the marks of human frailties and
vulnerabilities, and later of self-interest if not sheer malice.
Having the proper spirit is fundamental and indispensable
for a teacher to be a good one. He should not only be a master of the
subject he teaches, but he also should manage to inspire love for God
and for others.
That is the proper spirit to have. A good teacher manages
to relate the things he teaches, no matter how technical and mundane,
to God and to others. He should inspire the students to love God and
others more through the things he teaches.
Failure in this crucial point would expose the things
taught and learned to the dynamics of merely worldly values that are
very vulnerable to being used and exploited by evil spirits.
This is actually what is taking place these days. We have
quite progressed in terms of knowledge. Our sciences and technologies
are practically bursting with new developments and possibilities. We
are having an overload. But without charity inspiring them, they can
easily be misused and abused. Let’s remember what St. Paul said once:
“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” (1 Cor 8,1)
A good and ideal teacher, let’s reiterate it, always
manages to relate the things taught to God and to inspire his students
to love God and others through these things. The lessons he teaches
are not merely technical things, or intellectual or theoretical
affairs. He manages to link them to the abiding providential action of
God.
In other words, while he is most rigorous in the technical
and intellectual aspects of the lessons taught, his teaching is such
that piety is not impaired or forgotten, but in fact, is fostered. He
does not leave piety behind in his teaching. He does not think that
the inputs of faith, hope and charity would be a hindrance in his
teaching.
This is also another point to be overcome. Many people
think that things of faith, hope and charity, the requirements of
piety and all the other virtues are a drag to teaching. Well, not at
all! On the contrary, they enrich their teaching, grounding and
orienting them properly, and infusing them with prudence and other
virtues.
The worldly lessons they transmit can acquire an eternal
value. They cease to be simply practical and beneficial in a purely
worldly way. They become vehicles for one’s sanctification which, in
the end, is the only thing necessary in this life. “What does it
profit a man,” Christ says, “if he gains the whole world but loses his
soul?” (Mt 16,26)
If we realize this point on what really would make for an
ideal teacher, then we can discover what the real problem is, what the
real handicap is in the area of education all over the world today.
It’s the secularization of education, an education with
hardly any relation to God. And if there is, that relation is mostly
formalistic and ornamental. Even so-called Catholic schools can be
accused of this. Cases in this area have sprouted all over the place,
provoking the Vatican to act.
We need to see to it that the teachers in schools are not
only technically competent, but also, and more importantly,
spiritually healthy. We need to see to it that they know how to relate
things to God and how to teach things in such a way that the love for
God and for others increases. There has to be a way of measuring this,
no matter how imperfect.
Obviously, there is need to train teachers in this most
crucial point. This has to start somewhere, which can be no other than
the higher authorities. With respect to the Church, it’s the Holy
Father, the Vatican, the bishops and priests. In the secular world, it
should be the government and the different leaders in civil society.
think of how a good and ideal teacher should be are that he is
competent, does continuing study and research on his subject, prepares
his classes well, delivers them fluently, keeps good relation with his
students and colleagues, submits grades punctually, etc.
Those are indeed excellent qualities but they are not
enough. In fact, they simply are peripherals and can be dangerous and
counterproductive if they are not inspired by the proper spirit of
love. Without the latter, the other qualities would be at the mercy of
other spirits not proper to us.
These otherwise good qualities would simply be conditioned
and dependent on purely human desires and intentions that, no matter
how well-founded, will always bear the marks of human frailties and
vulnerabilities, and later of self-interest if not sheer malice.
Having the proper spirit is fundamental and indispensable
for a teacher to be a good one. He should not only be a master of the
subject he teaches, but he also should manage to inspire love for God
and for others.
That is the proper spirit to have. A good teacher manages
to relate the things he teaches, no matter how technical and mundane,
to God and to others. He should inspire the students to love God and
others more through the things he teaches.
Failure in this crucial point would expose the things
taught and learned to the dynamics of merely worldly values that are
very vulnerable to being used and exploited by evil spirits.
This is actually what is taking place these days. We have
quite progressed in terms of knowledge. Our sciences and technologies
are practically bursting with new developments and possibilities. We
are having an overload. But without charity inspiring them, they can
easily be misused and abused. Let’s remember what St. Paul said once:
“Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” (1 Cor 8,1)
A good and ideal teacher, let’s reiterate it, always
manages to relate the things taught to God and to inspire his students
to love God and others through these things. The lessons he teaches
are not merely technical things, or intellectual or theoretical
affairs. He manages to link them to the abiding providential action of
God.
In other words, while he is most rigorous in the technical
and intellectual aspects of the lessons taught, his teaching is such
that piety is not impaired or forgotten, but in fact, is fostered. He
does not leave piety behind in his teaching. He does not think that
the inputs of faith, hope and charity would be a hindrance in his
teaching.
This is also another point to be overcome. Many people
think that things of faith, hope and charity, the requirements of
piety and all the other virtues are a drag to teaching. Well, not at
all! On the contrary, they enrich their teaching, grounding and
orienting them properly, and infusing them with prudence and other
virtues.
The worldly lessons they transmit can acquire an eternal
value. They cease to be simply practical and beneficial in a purely
worldly way. They become vehicles for one’s sanctification which, in
the end, is the only thing necessary in this life. “What does it
profit a man,” Christ says, “if he gains the whole world but loses his
soul?” (Mt 16,26)
If we realize this point on what really would make for an
ideal teacher, then we can discover what the real problem is, what the
real handicap is in the area of education all over the world today.
It’s the secularization of education, an education with
hardly any relation to God. And if there is, that relation is mostly
formalistic and ornamental. Even so-called Catholic schools can be
accused of this. Cases in this area have sprouted all over the place,
provoking the Vatican to act.
We need to see to it that the teachers in schools are not
only technically competent, but also, and more importantly,
spiritually healthy. We need to see to it that they know how to relate
things to God and how to teach things in such a way that the love for
God and for others increases. There has to be a way of measuring this,
no matter how imperfect.
Obviously, there is need to train teachers in this most
crucial point. This has to start somewhere, which can be no other than
the higher authorities. With respect to the Church, it’s the Holy
Father, the Vatican, the bishops and priests. In the secular world, it
should be the government and the different leaders in civil society.
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