Teacher Troubles

Refuse good advice and watch your plans fail; take good counsel and watch them succeed. --Proverbs 15:22 (The Message)

Alyssa and Mrs. Whitman, her 5th grade teacher...2005

I have had several hard conversations with my kids this week about their teachers at school.  These are individuals that spend a lot of time with them throughout the day/week and really have the potential to have a great impact on their lives, and attitudes about learning.  I know some of my kids complaints aren't necessarily something I should hold against these adults, I just know that Alyssa and Kyle are both pretty discouraged. 

Teachers have the power to encourage, persuade, and impart important things for a successful future.  My prayer is that Alyssa and Kyle overlook the things that they don't like, and recognize the ways in which they can learn despite hard, or unlikeable circumstances.  It can be a good lesson in pressing forward, working hard, forgiveness, communication...and the list goes on and on. 

My kids can find success personally, despite whatever it is that they don't like about their teachers...but liking them would be nice.

Lord, the teachers in my kids lives are so important, and they have such a great impact on who they are and what they will become.  It's so vital that they have adults in their lives who offer them wise counsel, teach them to think wisely, and give them the tools they need to be successful in life.  At the same time, these teachers can be different than us, teach in a different style, or fail to give encouragement in practical and personal ways, and learning to accept that and move beyond them sometimes is hard.  Please give Alyssa and Kyle grace to look beyond the dislikes they have for their teachers, and even show them kindness, love and forgiveness.  Help them to accept their differences and appreciate the things that their teachers do have to offer them in this learning process.  Give Alyssa and Kyle the wisdom to discard the teaching that doesn't apply to them, or doesn't reflect your truth, Lord, and hold onto and enjoy the good things they are learning.  You are the master of all wisdom, and I pray that they hold to you forever!