How Does Coming Back to School Inspire Learning, Leading and Serving?

Teacher reading book to students

It seems that no sooner has the last Fourth of July firework exploded than it is time to start thinking about back to school. In the midst of decorating the classroom for the first day of school and preparing the year’s scope and sequence, it is important for teachers and future teachers to reflect on their role in the lives of their students.

Grand Canyon University’s College of Education calls on teachers to focus on learning, leading and serving as they strive to impact their students each year.

Dean Shareski, a blogger for the Huffington Post, shared what he thinks is “The Back to School Speech Every Teacher Should Hear.” In the blog, he points out that teaching is “one of those rare professions where you get a clean slate every year.”

Since every new year brings a new group of students, teachers are given the privilege of being lifelong learners. With each and every new lesson that is taught, teachers have the opportunity to start fresh, try something new and find a better way to share information with their students.

Learning

The start of a new school also gives teachers the opportunity to be a leader within their community. While teachers are certainly the leaders of their classroom, they have the opportunity to positively affect the families of their students as well.

According to an article on the Journalist Resource, better quality kindergarten has been linked to higher earnings later in life, and lower rates of felony arrest and substance abuse. An impactful teacher can help change the landscape of an entire community through their positive leadership and investment in their students.

Leading and Serving

With the privilege of leadership comes the responsibility of service, and the start of a new school year is the perfect time for teachers to develop their servant leadership skills. The Association of Christian Schools International defines a servant leader in this way: “They serve without seeking external rewards. They provide a listening ear for both colleagues and parents. They show compassion toward and strengthen weaker members. They admit misjudgments but reflect grace and forgiveness to others.”

Servant leaders pray for their school, are involved in the schools operations, volunteer for tasks and collaborate with other teachers. Perhaps most importantly, servant leaders lead by example.

Back to school is a certainly a challenging, busy and exciting time. But by keeping in mind the principals of learning, leading and serving, GCU teachers can start the year off in a positive and productive way.

GCU’s College of Education offers a variety of education degrees and promises to support you during your first year of teaching. Learn more about our education degree programs by visiting our website or contacting us today.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.

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