The Characteristics of the Lasallian Educator

You Raise Me Up

TO EDUCATE a. To train in a skill, trade or profession b. To develop mentally, morally, aesthetically…. c. To provide with information d. To persuade others to believe, act e. To draw forth, to bring out the potential

THE EDUCATOR “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops”. (Henry Brooks Adams) “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education”. (Mark Twain) All professional teachers claim to work for the well being of their students……whether Government, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Protestant, Catholic alike…..

THE LASALLIAN EDUCATOR “It is a great gift of God to be entrusted with the instruction of children.”

What then, if anything, makes a Lasallian educator different/special? Do we leave a particular ‘mark’ or ‘stamp’ on our pupils? And if we believe we do, is it for the better?

I hope you will leave this room today with your own answers to these questions. And I hope the answers will come from yourself.

Some Traditional Images of the Lasallian Educator

A Good Shepherd Consider the Good Shepherd of the gospel who seeks the lost sheep, places it upon his shoulders and carries it back to restore it to the fold.

A Guardian Angel The teacher is also the Guardian Angel, directing the pupils in the path of goodness and protecting them from the dangers which threaten them.

A Father and a Mother If you have for your students the firmness of a father to restrain them from misbehaviour, you must also have for them the tenderness of a mother to draw them to you.

A Miracle-worker The zealous teacher is gifted by the all-powerful God with the ability to work miracles and is called on to perform them as, for example, in touching the hearts of his pupils.

A Gardener You have been destined to cultivate these young plants by announcing the truth to them.

The 3 Pillars 1.Caring 2.Discipline 3.Serving

1. Caring: “Have much more care for those entrusted to your care than you would have for the children of a king.” We avoid demeaning and degrading language when dealing with students e.g. “You are hopeless. You are stupid etc…” The language should be enquiring and supportive: e.g. You need some help? Is there something going on?

2. Discipline: “If a school is to be well-regulated and in very good order, punishment must be rare.” Where punishment is deserved, the teacher tries to find out what lies behind the misbehaviour. Punishment should be peaceable. Be GENTLE but FIRM is the Lasallian discipline motto.

3. Serving: “You must lead your students to practise well all the good of which they are capable.” The educators’ spirit of zeal inspires the students to serve others. Students are to be taught and shown HOW to serve others in classrooms, schools, centres and in the larger community…. Serving others is to be seen as a way to promote harmony in school and in the community.

The 12 LASALLIAN TREASURES 1.Gravity : Seriousness 2.Silence : Quietness 3.Humility : Modesty 4.Prudence : Discretion 5.Wisdom : Understanding 6.Patience : Self-control 7. Reserve : Self-restraint 8. Gentleness : Compassion 9. Zeal : Passion 10. Vigilance : Alertness 11. Piety : Spirituality 12. Generosity : Giving

The 13 th Virtue?

The Pearl of Great Price We are to be brothers and sisters to one another and big brothers and sisters to the students confided to our care. In this way we strive to touch their hearts.

Is this it? I know in my heart that I am a Lasallian educator. This adds meaning to my life and gives me deep satisfaction.

It sustains me when I hit the wall, when I ask myself ‘what am I doing here?’, when I feel like a robot, when I come up against really difficult students, classes, when….

I want to leave this room today believing in myself, believing in my way of being a Lasallian educator. Deep down, I want to be a ‘happy’ Lasallian educator.

This Little Light of Mine