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Teacher Enrichment
What Keeps Sunday School Teachers Teaching?

“I teach because it’s good for my marriage,” said Shelly Morgan, a kindergarten teacher from Houston, Texas. She and her husband Derryl team teach. “I talk and he, the quiet one, sits in class and holds the kids who don’t have fathers. He’s a daddy figure for them – a gentle lover. He’ll put his arm around a child and say, ‘You did a good job,’ and the boy will beam.

“On the drive home from church, Derryl always lets me know how proud he is of me and how special it is to be married to someone who loves to teach the way I do. His affirmation stimulates my spiritual growth. I do love teaching. Sometimes I’ll wake up in the middle of Saturday night with an ideal and I’ll get up and work it out. I can’t wait until morning so I can tell my husband. I know he’ll say ‘Shelly, I love you.’ ”

Jon Arvin is a senior high teacher from Plainfield, Indiana. “I teach,” he said, “because the pay’s so good! Just kidding – but on another level I’m not. It was a terrible Sunday in my high school class a couple of months ago – kids didn’t hear a word I said. They chatted. They showed wallet pictures. I left feeling useless. Then recently one of those ‘non-listeners’ told me, ‘Because of you I’m seriously thinking about Christ.’ Yes, the pay’s pretty good!”

Oleta Lovel teaches older elementary children in Hurst, Texas. When problem child Keith brought straight pins to her class and started sticking the girls, it was the last straw. She took the eleven-year-old boy aside and began her lecture: “You will not act like this!” Years passed. Keith, now a junior in high school, came up to her one Sunday. He said, “I want you to know how sorry I am for acting the way I did.” Oleta had no idea what he was talking about. “You remember,” he explained. “Sixth grade. You turned my life around by caring enough to discipline me.”

The experience was an affirmation to Oleta: “Just about the time I feel I have used up my teaching resources, something positive happens to show me that the Spirit has worked through me – and I’m ready to keep going.”

Take some time to think about what keeps you teaching Sunday School. Perhaps it would be a good exercise at your next Christian Education Meeting to discuss the ‘bouquets’ you receive in your ministry.

Think on these gems and be encouraged!

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Written by David C. Cook Co.
Last modified October 31, 2000.

Ideabank is a quarterly newsletter published by the Board of Christian Education Ministries, a board of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.

© 2000 Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.
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