Was Jesus the Model Teacher, Part II

The following are some more musings about the teaching style of Jesus as recorded in the canon.

1.  He used a mixture of teaching methods, not all the same and not all the same contexts.  In the class I am taking the instructor, who is the Christian Education Director on the pastoral staff, talks about formal and informal teaching.  I like that.  Definitely what Jesus did, and we are doing it, too, even if we don't notice that.  Realizing you are teaching informally is not an excuse to be full of yourself about it, but to be humbled.

2.  Jesus accepts the people who wanted to be accepted, and He didn't so much reject the others as  let them make the decision.  No force.  But still, Jesus loved them and had compassion on them even when they rejected Him.  The rich young ruler is an example.   I can learn so much from this.  The people who "self-reject" may do so because of their own sin and bad attitude, but I can still love them and care about them.  Another professor told me this morning that two students were trying to get out of my class and into his.  We laughed about this because (a) it's far too late for drop/add and (b) he's harder as a teacher than I am.  But I am not offended.  If those students don't prefer me, I cannot change their minds.  But at the same time I don't have to be mean about it. 

3.  Jesus, despite being the second person of the trinity, never held himself about the people.  That is the whole point, that he came in such poverty.  He allowed Himself to be worshiped but He also identified.  This is not something we can model very much, not being deity, but we can eschew unhelpful class and role hierarchies and distinctions.  Yesterday I engaged in a little more disclosure about myself in class than I usually do.  I admitted, in the context of discussing speech anxiety, that I have panic attacks, and that I didn't start til I was older.  I was trying to make them understand it's more common than they thought and that they can start at any time.  I think they really appreciated it, although the females were more vocal about it.  (My attacks have to do with driving and some crowds, not public speaking or meeting new people.  I like those). 

More to come.

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