Unlearn It!

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. John 13:34

It’s hard to believe that this week students all over will return to classes for the new school year. Teachers are already back, and our thoughts and prayers are with them. A couple of us retired teachers were talking, and one of them remarked, “The best thing I can say about teachers having to go back this early is, I am glad I am not one of them!”

I love the story that Randy used to tell about the first week of Kindergarten for little Johnny. He came to school every day in the same clothes and with a distinctive smell. The frustrated teacher pinned a note to his shirt that read, “Johnny’s clothes are dirty, and he smells. Please bathe him.” The mother wrote back, “Johnny ain’t a rose. Don’t smell him – just learn him!”

The word, learn is defined as gaining or acquiring knowledge of or skill in something by study, experience, or being taught. In contrast, the word or term unlearn is defined as discarding something learned, especially a bad habit or false or outdated information from one’s memory. For example, Teachers are being asked to unlearn rigid rules for labeling and placing chldren.

Teachers don’t just “learn” their students, they also have to help them unlearn some of the things that might be detrimental to them. Teachers are the leaders of their classroom, and leadership is not all about being in charge, but rather, it’s about taking care of those in your charge.

Regardless of the age or gender of children that enter a classroom, each of them come in with unique gifts and graces that are theirs alone. Some of these gifts and graces work well in classrooms and will work in the world, but some of those gifts and graces need a mentor to help a student unlearn some of those which will be detrimental.

Parents are, for the most part, great at raising and teaching their children, but a kindergarten teacher dreads those that, on the first day of school, come in with their children to help them settle in! We try to help parents unlearn the specific idea that they are helping us when, in fact, it only upsets the child when they leave. We always “loved” the way that helped our day get started well.

Teachers give so much of themselves during the year. They are much like the lighthouse keeper who worked on a rocky stretch of coastline and received his supply of oil only once a month to keep the lighth burning. One night, a woman from the village begged the keeper for a tiny bit of oil to keep her family warm on an especiially cold night. Another time another villager asked for a tiny bit of oil for his lamp. Another need a tiny bit to grease a wheel. The lighthouse keeper tried to please everyone so he granted their requests.

Toward the end of the month, he discovered that his supply of oil was running very low. Soon, it was all gone, and the beacon light went out. That night several ships were wrecked and lives were lost. The investigators came, and the man was very repentful. The authories however, replied, “You were given the oil for one purpose, to keep the light burning.” Just like the light keeper, teachers have a tremendous job trying to please administration, parents, and students.

Every child has a light that needs to be lit or kept burning. Teachers are here for the purpose of making sure that the light in each student is learned and reinforced. Students need to be open to learning the things that will help them and unlearning the things that are detrimental. An angry student has to unlearn that behavior. An unloving student needs to unlearn that trait. A deceitful student needs to unlearn that practice. An undiscipined student has to unlearn that and respect discipline. A student that bullies has to unlearn that and begin to build others up.

Teachers do so much more than just teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. They teach their students to love one another and to become visionaries for the future. The teacher is the biggest cheerleader for the students who begin school this week.

Whether it’s the first year of school or the last, all of us should remember that Jesus would have each of us to be loving to each other! Have a great year. God bless all our teachers!