A liturgy for writing a lesson plan.
Father, as I think about writing this lesson plan,
I come to you to orient my heart
rather than allow anxiety to rule, or rather than rushing off
to scribble my ideas, search my resources or ask my colleagues.
First, I come to you with a heart of thanks.
Thank you for giving me this chance to serve others, to instruct them,
to act in humility,
seeking to facilitate their growth and to learn
together with my students.
Thank you for entrusting this task into my hands.
Not that I am able to nurture and produce growth in my students
(whether in their language or thinking or understanding of life),
But that you have decreed that I should lean on you
and be used as a means of serving this group of students,
not for my ends but for yours.
Thank you for these students I will teach. All of them.
For those who smile and respond with enthusiasm
and for those who I can’t understand.
Thank you for those who don’t seem to care or don’t expect they can learn,
as well as for those who I can’t wait to see in class.
Thank you for each one you have brought to my classroom.
Father, now I confess I need your help.
Oh Source of love, help me
to listen to your heart of love for these learners.
I trust you to show them your loving kindness even through
my imperfect efforts.
Enable me to serve both the group, and each individual.
Make me courageous and strong to not be overwhelmed by
the number of students in this class
or by the difficulties we face in teaching and learning new things.
Oh, One who knows all, please be merciful to them and to me,
and give me insight into this topic I will teach.
Allow me to see this lesson and the teaching aims
in new ways,
Through both their eyes and through the eyes of the wise.
Oh You who are expert at mediation,
please help me to mediate new ideas and new skills to my students:
enable me to stand in the gap to bring them
closer to that knowledge and those skills which they need and desire.
Oh, Steadfast One, give me perseverance to work as intentionally as I should
to prepare this lesson.
Give me insight to know when my preparation is enough,
when more time will not lead to needed improvement.
And when I come to stand in front of these students,
may I be filled with awareness of standing in your presence,
and of you working out this lesson, which I now begin to plan.
Related Posts
