When I joined my new school in Gurgaon in the last academic year, I realized that there was a huge problem of discipline in the school students. This was getting me very frustrated. There was one day I remember when a student insulted me so badly in front of the whole class, that I burst out crying in my room, as soon as I left the class. I was trying many different strategies to change the behaviour of these students, but nothing was really working. This was getting me irritated, to the point that I didn’t even feel like teaching the students.
One day, I just came out of a frustrating class, totally feeling humiliated, and shared my frustrations with Lord and asked him to help me so that the students were disciplined and the classes were more productive. The Lord encouraged me by reminding me of how during His ministry He was humiliated, and that some listened and some didnt. This happened around March of last academic year.
The same day itself in the next class, all the students were very disciplined…I did not do anything different! The next day also, my first class was very productive. I was delighted and grateful and I knew God had done something. The following class I had some issues, and I again went to the Lord, shared my problems and asked for help.
A few days later, I had a major issue with a student who refused to stop talking in class, was not listening to me, and was constantly laughing it away. I felt extremely disrespected. That day I decided to meet my Director to inform him about these discipline issues, as they were happening in all classes with all teachers, and I wondered why no one is doing anything about this. Since I had to always teach 2 to 4 sections together, the issues sometimes multiplied, depending on which sections were together.
I was looking for my Director to do something about this. But he told me that this is why I am here in this school, and that he is there to support me, and he will continue doing what he can. He gave me permission to teach the way I wanted to with complete freedom, that I could step away from the curriculum, and spend time to teach values. He also told me that I could call the parents of the students one by one and speak to them. At the end of our discussion he showed the following scripture to me as he is a believer:
Matthew 9:12-13 NKJV
[12] When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. [13] But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
I left his office reflecting on this scripture and it strengthened me and gave me hope.
A few days lated the Director addressed all the classes regarding discipline. His message was very powerful, to the point that he told them that those students who are going to continue to be indisciplined, he will not hesitate to expel them.
From this time onwards till date, the Lord has taught me to ask Him for help everytime time I get stuck and don’t know how to handle the class. He has taught me to pray for certain children whose discipline is an issue. He has given me strategies for managing them based on the different sections I teach, based on His Word. He has given me His Word from the Bible to speak to the students, without mentioning the Bible. The Lord has helped me take a few minutes of the class to encourage students to practice thankfulness for all that they have. The Lord has helped me to spend some time with the children in every class focusing on values and character. The Lord has been giving me compassion for the most difficult of students.
And I have seen great change in student discipline in my classes and I am witnessing the transformation of character of many students. The very students who disrespected me, now treat me with respect!
The Lord has constantly been working on these children, helping me step by step, encouraging me, reminding me of Matthew 9:12, during any difficult circumstance with the students.
Jeremiah 23:29 NKJV
[29] “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
All glory and praise our Lord who is our very present help in times of trouble!
Psalms 46:1 NKJV
[1] God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.