Being a Shepherd

In church this week, our pastor (Trinity Lutheran Church) talked about shepherds and how we are considered sheep. I started to think about how this related to the classroom. Teachers are a lot like shepherds and our students are our sheep.

Teachers have a close relationship with students (not the kinky kind!) like a shepherd does with sheep. Shepherds care about their flock like teachers care about their students. They want the very best for them and have high hopes for them.

Teachers guide students like a shepherd guides the sheep. Sheep don’t understand where they need to go and need help getting to their destination. Teachers can help students reach their goals. Teachers have the knowledge and can direct students to the best places to go to find information. We help students go in directions that focus on the student’s strengths rather than weaknesses. By guiding a student, we can help show them the potential that is in their life.

Teachers protect students like a shepherd protects the sheep. Sheep are vulnerable to many predators and students can be vulnerable to their peers, or even adults. We protect them from bullies that can hurt them physically and emotionally. We protect them for injustices as much as we can. We protect them from themselves sometimes.

Teachers rescue students like a shepherd protects the sheep. Sheep sometimes fall in ravines or holes and would die if left there. Sometimes students make bad decisions, and we try to help them find their way out of a bad situation. We try to be there for them and listen when they need a caring ear. We try to show them the options that are open to them.

Are you a shepherd? In what ways do you help your students? Please share.

Image: 'Shepherd in Morey Plains'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/97235261@N00/2260639712
Found on flickrcc.net