Competent to Counsel - Ch 11

Summary

This chapter exhorts Christian teachers to use nouthetic principles in the classroom, where they can be more effective than a counseling specialist. Why would they be more effective? Not only are their clients young and learning principles for the first time, but the classroom is the kind of environment that is condusive to "establishing and changing life patterns."(Adams, p.253)

Beginning with these assumptions:

1) every child or teacher is likely dealing with problems of some sort.

2) no case is unique at the base level. Scripture tells us as much.(1 Corinthians 10:13)

As a teacher you have the unique role of assuming responsibility for training up a child in the ways of God in place of their parents during the day. Doing this is not only a big responsibility, but one that can only be done well by modeling the example of principle in practice. Teachers often do not realize that the children they are teaching often pick up on their attitudes and will imitate them in the way they deal with others and with problems. A teacher needs to teach his students biblical principles of repentance and reconciliation by apologizing when they were wrong, and not only that but doing so before class it out, to model the urgency of reconciliation.(Adams, p. 260)

Discipline should be enforced through structure. Rules should be laid out but not numerous ones as to make the students feel imprisoned. And any rule that is laid out should be enforced. If the rule is not enforced, it should not exist, otherwise this will only confuse the students. You want to increasingly build upon the level of responsibility a student carries as he matures to prepare him for the next levels--high school, college, etc. The way to do this is to introduce more rules to the young, and give more freedom to those who are older. Rules should be introduced early on, and strictly "policed."

Teachers should look for areas of poor communication, both from the overly loud and overly quiet students, to instill patterns of biblical communication that promote "speaking the truth in love."

Personal reflection

This chapter helped me consider that those who are quiet, are not neccessarily healthier than those that are overly loud. The quiet ones may be seething in resentment, or learning avoidance. I have seen the tendencies of teachers to praise and overlook the quieter students because they do not disrupt the classroom, but those too need to be drawn out and shown good communication skills.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 10:13 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Adams, J.E. (1970). Competent to Counsel. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.