Love is essential
In my last essay, I did not include love as one of the ideal qualities that teachers of not so ideal students should have. It is not because love is not important. On the contrary, it is ideal for teachers of all sorts of students. The love a teacher has for students is different from erōs – physical and sexual love between a man and a woman; it is agápé – altruistic love for students without any implications.
The love that a teacher has for students compels the teacher to go the extra distance for the student. A Loving teacher would go spend the effort to correct a student when he or she uses vulgarities, cheats or lie. Such disciplinary action is done out of love, for the better good of the student, to shape the values and character of the student. Without such a quality, the student will not be disciplined and will continue in his err; only imparted with content knowledge from the teacher. Hence, love is important for teachers to cultivate the right behaviour in students.
The love that a teacher has for students motivates the teacher to spend more time helping students with their academic subjects. Time is a good measure of love, not money. Money does not buy love or time. When a person loves another, the person spends more time with the other party. Likewise, teachers who love their students would be most willing to help students who are weaker in their studies. The teacher may even force stubborn students to stay in school for extra lessons, remedial or free tuition. The time that a teacher gives to the students is the expression of the teacher’s love; without which, the student is highly likely to continue struggling academically.
In essence, love is a profound quality that has much to be expounded upon. In teachers, it is manifested in tangible ways when the teacher disciplines the rowdy, notorious and vulgar students and when the teacher spends additional time tutoring the students. Love is the quality that drives teachers to inspire and touch lives of students.
Labels: Perspectives for Thought
