And YES MOMS…and dads…well everyone actually!

THAT MEANS YOU!

Are you a teacher? Well…if you fit into the following categories, you are considered a teacher:

• Team Leader
• Boss
• Church Member
• Doctor
• Wife
• Worker of any sort
• Parent
• Grandparent
• Family Member
• Student
• Friend

Teachers are NOT just in schools!

If you are HUMAN you are a teacher! Whether we like it or not, we have a great responsibility of being a teacher. We teach our children and the people around us so much without even knowing it.

Now, more than ever we have realized just how hard it is to actually sit down and teach our own kids. I have been teaching elementary school for 18 years. I love teaching and consider myself pretty darn good at it…

But, if I’m completely honest, I would teach 50 other kids before asking to teach my own…ugh! Is that horrible to admit? I’m guessing that I wasn’t the only. person in the world who feels this way.

The truth is…we (parents) have always been and always will be the most important teacher that our kids ever have!

So…How can we be a Great Teacher?

Consider who you are teaching.

Yes, we are definitely teaching our own kids. But, it’s not only our children that are counting on us to teach them. It’s every child that comes to our house.

Every single time we cross paths with somebody we have the opportunity to teach something great! Just think about who crosses your path daily. I’m sure you could think of at least 3 people that look to you as somebody they could learn from.

Classroom teachers, you have the opportunity daily to make the biggest impact on the people of our future. You are so lucky to have been given this responsibility. But it’s not just the kids you are teaching…it could be your colleagues, friends, administrators (and yes, there is A LOT they need to learn)

Whether it be family members, friends, colleagues, neighbors, shoot…even perfect strangers. We have the great privilege and responsibility to make a difference in the lives of anyone we cross paths with!

We ALL have an amazing opportunity to be a great teacher!

What can you teach?

We all have different skill sets. We all have different personalities, interests, and ideas. The way we share ourselves with others will determine what we can teach them.

Here is an example:

Growing up, my best friend’s mom was not a teacher in a school. But I learned so much from her!

• She taught me that it is rude to whisper when you are with a group of friends.
• She taught me to be accepting of everyone.
• She taught me that Monkey Bread is the most amazing breakfast after a sleepover.
• She taught me that everyone deserves forgiveness.
• She taught me to dig deep in my faith and learn the truth about what the Bible says.
• She taught was an example of showing love to others!

So this was just one person that didn’t consider herself a teacher. But look at how much she taught me. I bet she didn’t even know that I learned all of this just from being around her.

You see, she didn’t sit me down and teach me these things. I learned them from being in her path, spending time around her, and observing her actions and behaviors. Ok, so yes, there were times she sat us down and taught us a lesson, like when she threatened to send us home if we continued to whisper…lol!

How can we be Great Teachers?

Be an Example

Our actions speak much louder than words.

If we want to teach our children how to be organized, then we too need to be organized.

If we want to teach them to have a positive mindset, then we too need to have a positive mindset.

If we want them to learn to eat healthy foods, then we need to eat healthy foods.

If want our kids to have a strong faith, then we first must strengthen ours.

When we are setting a good example, others will learn from us!

Give Gentle Instruction

When we deal with opposition, we can gently give instruction. When we are gentle with others, they are more willing to hear or see what it is that we are trying to teach them.

When your kids have made a mistake, we want them to learn from it, right?! So ask yourself this question, “Are they more likely to listen to you when you are screaming and yelling at them or when you remain calm and gently teach the lesson?

I will be perfectly honest…I STRUGGLE WITH THIS ONE!

I have found that counting to 10 and giving myself a reminder that we all mess up helps me. I also think to myself, “How would I want my own mother to deal with me in this situation?” I mean when we mess up, we already feel bad enough…

When we face opposition at work, or in the classroom, or with our spouse being gently with them will open up space that will give the opportunity to help understand each others opinions.

Having a gentleness about you will help others know that they can come to you, trust you, and count on you to work through the opposition.

Gentleness DOES NOT EQUAL Weakness

No! In fact, the opposite is true! Gentleness is quality of a strong, good, loving person! It takes strength to control your emotions and to remain gentle with those around you, especially when facing opposition.

Gentleness TEACHES much more than fierceness!

Have a Gracious Attitude

Gracious: adj. – courteous, kind, pleasant

Grace: forgiveness when it is not deserved.

Listen, we’ve all made mistakes, we all fall short, nobody is perfect! When we have an attitude that is courteous, kind, and pleasant, even when those around us may not deserve it, we have the opportunity to teach them a little bit about love!

Having a gracious attitude isn’t always easy, but when we are intentional about doing good and being kind, we are teaching the world exactly what needs to be taught!

Each and everyday we all have the opportunity to be gracious to somebody!

Last week, we saw a man sitting on the corner with a sign that read, HOMELESS AND HUNGRY. I had a trunk full of groceries so I pulled over, grabbed some things from my grocery bags, and handed them to him. My son (age 10) said, “Mom, what if that man is not really homeless or hungry?”

I mean, hasn’t that thought passed through all of our minds when we see homeless on the side of the road. Out of the mouths of babes…lol

I told him that it didn’t matter if he was being honest or if we think he does or doesn’t deserve the food. What matters is that we were gracious to him.

I hope that day, that man learned that there are people who care in the world. I also hope that my son learned something about being gracious!

We are all TEACHERS!

We can all BE A GOOD EXAMPLE!

We can all GIVE GENTLE INSTRUCTION!

We can all HAVE A GRACIOUS ATTITUDE!

Whether you are a teacher in the classroom making a difference in the lives of your students, or you are a teacher of many as you go about your day, remember that you have been given a great responsibility to TEACH!

I’d love to hear about what you are teaching about lately!!!! Comment below to share!

Enjoy Being Their Difference!