Teachers

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death. (Proverbs 13:14)

          In the past couple of years, social media showed videos of teachers who have come up with an individual “handshake” for each of his/her students. Each day, each student is greeted using that handshake in the hall before the student enters the classroom. This fall, there were videos about teachers who have turned classrooms into Hogwarts for their students. I’m not saying that these teachers are entirely wrong. My teachers sometimes decorated their classes, too. Engaging kids and making them feel wanted are not bad things. I’m sure these teachers meant well. But for me, this is one of those “But on the other hand…” situations. 
          But on the other hand, number one: The primary focus of our teachers should be in imparting knowledge. Over the past couple of decades, we’ve seen the dangers of giving kids a positive, entitled self-image and then watching the meltdown as they try to transition from school to real life. Employers and customers aren’t interested in learning the individual handshakes of each employee. They don’t pat you on the head and tell you you’re “Harry Potter” when you can work magic about as well as all the other Muggles around them, or Darren Stephens. It’s all well and good to decorate like Hogwarts, but how about teaching Latin or even English? Why not teach the magic of chemistry and physics? Whatever happened to history? According to the surveys, Millennials can’t cook, clean, sew, change a tire, or write in cursive well enough to sign their names. A friend showed me a letter from a hotel manager in response to her complaint about the breakfast at a hotel. I must commend that manager. It looks as if it was not a form letter, but I’ve never seen worse spelling or grammar, not even from a second grader. 
          But on the other hand, number two: Another trend I’ve noticed on social media is performance engagements and weddings. I haven’t seen them as much recently, but the videos make it clear that the profession of undying love and taking of vows doesn’t matter nearly as much as the well-choreographed dancing, singing, and even gymnastic performances by one or all members of the wedding party. Heaven forbid a man ask a woman to marry him without renting a jumbotron, flying her to some exotic location, or arranging for a flash mob. If the reception doesn’t include at least three guys including the groom pretending to be Michael Jackson, it’s time for a divorce. Weddings in the U.S. cost on average of nearly twenty-six thousand dollars. As far as I know, that’s more than I’ve ever earned in a year. I read a story of a woman who canceled the wedding because her guests weren’t willing to pay a thousand dollars per person to attend the reception. I am not in favor of people shifting that level of expectation to a teacher. If his/her job is to teach math, I’m not interested in how much of the most recent season of Walking Dead he can quote or how well she can dance. Content matters, not fluff.
          It is the teaching itself that gives life. It is the content that deserves the attention. Putting on a show is fine if it results in the students learning what they need to learn. Teaching kids what they need to know in order to survive in the real world is far more important than teachers getting pats on the back of being talented, imaginative, or creative. Knowledge will protect our kids, not the fact that their teacher wore a robe and carried around wands like the teachers in Harry Potter. (No, I haven’t seen the movies – so perhaps the teachers don’t carry wands, but the message is the same.)