By Catina Cheatham
At a young age I was blessed by already knowing what I wanted to do with my life. I’ve seen others desperately try to discover their path, but I was meant to be a teacher. I was blessed to be hired at the school I teach; it’s different than most schools. We live in a rural area with a strong sense of community. Still, every day I go into battle, yet I wouldn’t have it any other way. So many Christian teachers focus on what they can’t do in a classroom, they forget about what they can do. For example I can:
Be Subtle: At times a Christian teacher has to be subtle. At the beginning of the year, I create a “get to know me” Power Point showing my favorite things: TV shows, books, hobbies, activities, etc. Under “hobbies” (I feel it’s safer under this classification), I place a picture of the church where I attend, and I explain that I like to be busy in the activities of my church. Many students recognize the church. This lets the students know on the first day of school, in a subtle way, that I am a Christian.
Sometimes I can be forgetful. Even though I teach language arts, you’d be surprised at how much evolution sneaks into the text. Since I’m not a science teacher, I don’t have to cover this as part of the required curriculum. I’m not going to be made to read something to my students that I know is not the truth. Often, I lose my place, cough, and skip over evolution or references to the age of the Earth.
Pray: I’m blessed to teach in a school that still recites the Pledge of Allegiance and has a moment of silence every morning. I can’t force my students to pray, but they can see a teacher who bows her head, closes her eyes, and says a prayer for them each day. I don’t know if my students know that I’m praying, but God does. Maybe they wonder why I have my eyes closed. I’ve never had a student ask.
Provide Support through Fellowship: I’m blessed to teach around other godly teachers. Some of these teachers I worship with on a regular basis. Others I might see on Ladies’ Day or at other church gatherings. These teachers are a great example and source of strength. During TCAP week last year, we gathered in the lobby after school. We formed a circle, held hands, and prayed for our students and school. We prayed for a successful testing week.
The fellowship doesn’t just apply to fellow teachers. Christian parents and students need support as well. Teachers stick together. Sometimes it feels like it’s a battle between teachers and parents. The truth, however, must prevail. A close teacher friend approached me with a note from a parent asking that she omit any questions about evolution on her daughter’s test. I told my friend that the parent was right. She just replied that it was not something she was going to fight.
Christian students also need support. The greatest joy as a Christian teacher is discovering a student has decided to put on Christ in baptism. I can both support and encourage these students. It might be something as simple as telling a student they did a good job leading singing at church. I also love to serve as counselor on church retreats; our students see I’m more than just a teacher.
Provide the Truth: I can’t read to my students from the Bible or make them read it, but I’m sure not going to stop them from reading it. At my school, the Gideons haven’t been banned from passing out Bibles to fifth graders. They aren’t required to accept one, but they can receive a pocket size one if they wish. Teachers can get a full size one, which I keep on my personal bookshelf in plain sight for any observant student to see.
I can use this Bible as a historical reference. As we were talking about a lack of trees in the Great Plains, a student asked what settlers used as a fuel source for their fires. I explained dung and pointed out that this even went back to Biblical times. I pulled the Bible off the shelf and read Ezekiel 4:12: “And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight” (KJV).
I have skillfully tucked other Christian literature on my bookshelf among the other books. I’m thankful to Christian publishers like Apologetics Press and Focus Press who publish this material. One of the most circulated books that I have in my classroom, Truth Be Told (Apologetics Press 2005), is cleverly disguised as a textbook. In fact, as I was teaching one day, a student had this book open on his desk. I was explaining the importance of trees and how deforestation would affect the oxygen supply. The student pointed out it says, “But approximately 50% of that oxygen comes from tiny, microscopic plants within the Earth’s oceans and seas” (17). We all learned something new that day.
Be Available: One of the greatest benefits of being a teacher is that I’m there for my own children. I know the curriculum and what they are learning. I can make sure my children know the Truth. In fact, my daughter’s science homework this week asked her to describe how the Sun was formed. Her answer was, “Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:3, KJV).
My children have someone to turn to if they need me during the day. I know the students in their classes and can help them choose godly friends. My daughter may not appreciate this when she starts to court. So far, the available list of those that may court my daughter in the future is very small.
Proverbs 22: 6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” As a Christian parent and teacher, this is my daily prayer. Sadly, sometimes it seems this battle I’m fighting over sin and worldly influence is winning against my influence in the classroom. I’m stubborn and not about to give up this fight. I know the public education system needs more Christian teachers. If I can just make a difference to some, it will be all worth it.