Appreciating your teachers

Hi fellow Chaplains,
The following is what I shared with the sec school students of KCPSS a few weeks back. Hope it brings you encouragement as well.

KCPSS Devotion on 28 August 2008
I wonder how many of you will remember your teachers after you have long graduated from Kuo Chuan. Will you remember them for who they are and for the things they have taught you? Will you remember them for having being in a part of your life? Do you appreciate them for being a part of your life in history with you?

I was always getting into trouble with teachers and I still find it funny sometimes that I am back in a secondary school again. It’s like reliving my secondary school days except this time round I don’t get into trouble with the teachers and principals?

I was thinking of what to share with all of you this morning and I thought since Teachers Day is round the corner, I might as well share something about that. And as I was preparing, the name of my secondary school Maths teacher came into my mind. And I decided to write to her yesterday and she surprised me when she wrote back. And I will like to share with you our conversation over email.

“Dear Mdm Matthews,
Stanley here saying hello. Stanley, one of your ex students who used to give you a lot of headaches and pain? I am sure you will remember me! Haha! How are you? Hope you are doing fine? I recalled the last time we met was when you were with your family in the church along Yio Chu Kang Road when I visited it. How time flies!

I thought I write to let you know that I have graduated from my Christian studies since May last year and am now serving in my home church Living Praise Presbyterian Church in Bishan. It’s in the midst of both Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary and Secondary Schools and we are involved in the chaplaincy work of the schools. I am presently involved with the worship ministry and young adults ministry of my church and the student work in both schools.

As I was preparing my weekly devotion to share with the secondary students, I realized that teachers day was round the corner. I decided to share how they can appreciate their teachers and your name came up and memories of my time in YCKSS came flooding back.

I recalled you bringing me to one corner and speaking to me personally about my behaviour after I said something rude to Ms Rita the English teacher then. You reminded me that I should set a good example for others because I am a Christian. Of course, probably what you said to me then fell on deaf ears.

But, God has been merciful to me and I am thankful that I am able to be where I am today only by his grace, mercy and love.

Now that I am with secondary school students, it makes me think about those times when I was like them. I share with them how I failed my sec 3 exams because of soccer and because I was playful and how that was a humbling experience for me. I can see ‘myself’ in some of their lives now too and I hope that I can find ways to encourage them to have a purpose in their life and not waste their life.

I thought I send you an email to update you of how I am doing and more importantly to THANK YOU for the wise words you always tell me, and your constant patience with me and my nonsense.

Oh! I am happily married now …. Coincidentally to a teacher as well  and I understand all the frustrations and heartaches of being a teacher. Now I know how you felt then.

If there is any comfort for you, I came across this quote from the internet and I thought it makes a lot of sense for teachers who give their hearts and lives to their students.
It says:
“In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years.” ~Jacques Barzun

It’s been what … 23 years since I left YCKSS? I guess there is some truth in the statement then?

I thank the Lord for putting you in my path in life and as an anonymous author once quoted:
“I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you my heart has no bottom.”

Thank you Mdm Mathews.”

My teacher Mdm Mathews replied and this is what she said:
Dear Stanley,
Very nice to hear from you. It is wonderful to know that you are working in your Church with young adults and students. It is wonderful to know that you are happily married. Do you have any children?

Thank you for sharing about your work. I thank the Lord that I was able to help you during your school days.

I have been in YCKSS since 1984. It was wonderful teaching you all. You all were my first batch of 'O' level students. I am proud of you all. It is more difficult teaching these students now than when you were in school. Many of your teachers are no longer here. They have retired or left the school.

Thank you for writing to me. This has made me feel appreciated. - Mdm Mathews

1 Thessalonians 5:12 (New Life Version)
12We ask you, to respect those who work among you. The Lord has placed them over you and they are your teachers. 13You must think much of them and love them because of their work.

Paul wrote a letter to his friends reminding them not to forget those teachers who have taught them about God and about life. He was also reminding them to show appreciation to these teachers.
Let us take time to be appreciative of our teachers. Besides teaching us academic subjects, they too teach us precious lessons in life. Let us be thankful for them. Their advice and nagging may not make much sense to us now, but we will realize they do actually make sense when we grow older and wiser.

Let us pray.
Dear Lord, thank you for giving us teachers in our lives. Thank you for their patience, strength and perseverance shown to all of us. May we learn to always appreciate them for the things that they have taught us and may we learn to never forget them. Grant to them wisdom, patience and strength always as they influence the future lives of the generations to come. Amen.