Perilous times have started in our schools!
Quite often these days as I engage with some of my students, this passage of scripture comes to mind:
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
(2 Timothy 3:1-5, King James Version)
After all, I see all of these virulent qualities manifested in the adolescents of today, not necessarily in the majority of them but certainly, in a significant and growing minority. Timothy’s dismal prophecy appears to be coming to pass right before my very eyes.
I am therefore compelled to ask: Are we indeed in perilous times? Are we experiencing the last days? I say no way! I would never accept the notion of “last days”. This is a world without end! I may concede however, that these may be “perilous times”. But, as my mother often said, “Everything is only for a time.” Things will get better!
In the meantime, I have to find a way to deal with these covetous, proud, disobedient, unthankful, and unholy adolescents; who, according to Timothy are: “Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,” and “despisers of those that are good…”
As a teacher, how should I respond to the fulfilment of prophecy? How can I make a difference? Should I take Timothy’s advice and “turn away”? Trust me, there are days on which I am tempted to! But, am afraid I cannot and will not turn away! I think that the bulk of our teenagers are inherently good. They however, need good guidance and an excellent education designed to steer them away from the fate described by Timothy.
For now, the times in our schools may appear perilous. But, with committed educators and caring parents, we are bound to make it better for the sake of our children. Do not turn away from them!
Should parents accept lines as a form of punishment?
Several years ago in my first year at the St. Vincent Grammar School, I was ordered to write 500 lines by my beloved geography teacher, Mr Terry Cole. This was his strategy for dealing with some infraction on my part. I cannot remember the behaviour that Mr Cole was trying to correct. But, I remember his punishment as if it were yesterday.
I think it started with a paltry 100. And for reasons I still cannot recall, the number reached up to 500. Yes, 500 lines! Now, these had to be, as Mr Cole put it, “continuous lines”! This meant that I was not given a sentence to write out repeatedly for 500 times. Instead, I had to write in continuous prose until the desired number of lines in my big hard cover notebook were filled…500! We solved the problem of what to write by copying the contents of a textbook until we reached the desired number of lines…in this case, 500!
I can’t recall how long it took me to complete that assignment. But, I do remember this: Mr Cole came to collect and I was not quite finished. In the exchange, I somehow let it slip that my mother assisted me. Big mistake! Mr Cole berated me and had me start all over! I cried like a baby.
I have been teaching for 36 plus years now and I DO NOT give students lines to write. I think it is a stupid form of punishment! Parents should unite and rebel against it.
By the way, Mr Terry Cole is still one of my favourite teachers of all times. I have fond memories of his geography classes.
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