| Christian teaching involves the empowerment of | | | | inspiration but must be selfless in service. Christian |
| an individual's intellect to improve body, mind and | | | | teachers must believe in the mystery of good |
| soul. Becoming a Christian teacher takes time, | | | | teaching until it becomes a part of them. As they |
| because the physical, mental, and spiritual focus | | | | explore new avenues for successful teaching and |
| must not only be discerned but practised. It is | | | | shared with others, the insight and energy of |
| crucial that both students and teachers make an | | | | mystery will begin to inform and reform their |
| effort to work together in order to be successful. | | | | practice. Christian teachers face the same |
| Christian teachers are those who have a never | | | | dilemma as other teachers in every walk of life |
| ending determination and willingness to ensure that | | | | (Poe 2004). Soon they discover and develop |
| all students take control of their own learning and | | | | methods of teaching that emerge from their own |
| reach their maximum potential, while constantly | | | | integrity, but they never reduce their teaching to |
| striving to 'reach and teach' every student under | | | | just strategies and technique. The Christian |
| their care. The Christian teacher teaches with the | | | | teacher teaches with the view of making the |
| view of making the student develop into a | | | | student develop into a wholistic individual. Christian |
| wholistic individual. The Christian teacher also | | | | teaching is empowerment of an individual's intellect |
| requires one major element to accomplish the | | | | to improve body, mind and soul. |
| task of solid Christian teaching. This element; | | | | Becoming a Christian teacher takes all the |
| passion is the zeal and vigour needed to capture | | | | avenues of physical, mental, and spiritual |
| and ensure that the students are taught and do | | | | discernment and practise. It involves as Christian |
| learn in a wholistic Christian manner, to ultimately | | | | teachers the emotions, character and the will, if |
| prepare and create great leaders of the future. | | | | not more (Poe, 2004). Christian teachers are |
| The Component Needed For Christian Teaching | | | | given great responsibility to develop young minds. |
| and Teachers. | | | | It requires both instruction and wisdom, so that it |
| Passion for teaching is not innate, it has to be | | | | may be done in a manner that is both glorifying |
| developed and maintained. In fact, it needs to be | | | | to God, and profitable to those students with |
| adapted to the teachers' value system. According | | | | whom you teach. It therefore means that |
| to Gilliland (2007) he states that "Passion is the | | | | Christian teachers, need to make sure that they |
| burning desire to make a difference for students | | | | are Christians and do not merely think that you |
| and persist and persevere to define your level of | | | | are. Upon examining yourself, if you then come |
| effectiveness. Passion means being able to take | | | | to the realization that you are not yet converted, |
| the frustration, the road blocks, the | | | | then you need to quickly take care of this |
| disappointments and the endless stress and still | | | | problem. Otherwise, you cannot hope to glorify |
| want to come to work each day determined to | | | | God through your giving of spiritual instruction to |
| turn vision into reality (Gilliland, 2007). Teaching | | | | students, since you yourself are not yet a |
| with passion allows the Christian teacher to teach, | | | | Christian. After you have determined that you are |
| inspire and still hold people accountable. Hence the | | | | in fact a real Christian, the next thing to |
| question comes to mind, what makes a | | | | determine is the foundation upon which you will |
| passionate teacher different from an ordinary | | | | base your training or teaching. Having the |
| teacher? Without a passionate commitment, | | | | correct foundation is not at all a minor issue. The |
| educators cannot last in a leadership role needed | | | | basis of the instruction as Christian teachers is not |
| to surpass the resources available to meet them. | | | | what the world itself offers, but a morally, |
| Being a successful teacher is not a thing you | | | | rooted teaching that offers wholistic development |
| acquire or achieve. Rather, it is a journey you | | | | of the individual. Therefore, the Bible must indeed |
| take your whole career" (Gilliland, 2007). This is a | | | | be the primary source used by Christian teachers |
| journey of commitment, sacrifice, and zeal. It is | | | | when training or teaching students. |
| what allows Christian teaching to be empowered | | | | The number one quality of a good teacher should |
| for a student's intellect to be improved in body, | | | | be knowledge of the subject. Teachers must be |
| mind and soul. Day (1999a, b) states that | | | | experts in their field to be a good teacher in any |
| teachers with a passion for teaching are those | | | | university, which is a definite prerequisite. Christian |
| who are committed, enthusiastic and intellectually | | | | teachers should not only possess the ability to |
| and emotionally energetic in their work with | | | | communicate their knowledge and expertise to |
| children, young people and adults alike. This is of | | | | their students but should be able to create an |
| greater importance for Christian teachers who | | | | atmosphere where Christian principles can be |
| should be "called" to teach. | | | | emulated by students and make learning wholistic. |
| Christian teaching is not just about imparting | | | | Effective communication of the subject will |
| information. It involves emotions, social | | | | facilitate easy learning of the subject by students. |
| relationships, character and much more (Poe, | | | | With a firm knowledge of the subject, it builds |
| 2004). It involves a Christian life that can be | | | | clarity and understanding designed to help |
| valued and emulated by students. Christian | | | | students master the material. The best teachers |
| teaching is not only about giving students room to | | | | then go one step further. Because good teachers |
| learn how to think for themselves, but creating | | | | are interested in the material being taught, they |
| leaders for the future. This is highly necessary in | | | | make the class interesting and relevant to the |
| today's world to conquer these difficult and | | | | students (Brain, 1998). So should Christian |
| challenging times of teaching. Thus the converse is | | | | teachers. This will ultimately allow students to see |
| true, once the a teacher gets easily frustrated, | | | | you as human, and accept and respect you, for |
| lacks passion and commitment in teaching then | | | | who you are. The Christian teacher will therefore |
| the question that needs to be asked is; am I | | | | not only apply these principles but will endeavour |
| committed to Christian teaching? | | | | to emulate a Christian –like character for each |
| Christian teaching can be an exciting and | | | | student to learn and have a wholistic educational |
| rewarding experience. It requires standards that | | | | development. Teachers must understand their |
| must encompass the principles and guidelines | | | | students, and know what motivates them to |
| accepted by the world but far exceeded the | | | | ensure that maximum learning takes place. To be |
| worlds. It is therefore not considered | | | | successful in teaching the teacher must imagine |
| unreasonable to entrust the responsibility of | | | | him/her doing nothing else but teaching effectively |
| teaching innocent children, youth or adults to | | | | and efficiently. By knowing your students well |
| persons without insisting on educators possessing | | | | they will become comfortable and they will be at |
| the required academic background and/or relevant | | | | ease with you. The students will then enjoy |
| teacher education. To be a successful Christian | | | | having you as their teacher and will look forward |
| educator, you need to have intense passion for | | | | to the lesson. In order to be an effective Christian |
| teaching and teaching with success. The Christian | | | | teacher there must be time commitment. |
| teacher should be far above excitement and | | | | |