Being a teacher is one of the most challenging careers anyone can choose to follow. Those who do become teachers have love and a compassionate heart for children – to care for them and to equip them for life. The following are some thoughts to consider when praying for teachers – as written by a teacher.
1. Assurance that they are in the right place
When children just throw themselves to the ground, start yelling non-stop, or throw things at the teacher – you might wonder whether you are in the right place.
Pray for teachers to be reassured that they are indeed called to minister to and teach children.
2. To spot hurting children
Children’s homes are often a hostile environment and at school they do their best to hide their pain. Many do not have a meal before they leave home, they do not have anything to eat while at school and will most probably not get a meal upon returning home.
Pray for teachers to notice these cases and to advocate for these children – even to have wisdom in finding sponsors to provide at least one meal at school.
3. Managing difficult situations
Some children have undiagnosed behavioural problems. Often parents are in complete denial of their child’s condition and teachers must somehow manage teaching a class, while also managing such special needs children who often consume most of their time and attention.
Pray for teachers to have insight, to have grace with such children and love them uniquely to their needs. Even sometimes just offering to wash their clothes or buy them shoes when there is obvious neglect.
4. Young mothers
New mothers who are still coming to terms with motherhood, while also having to manage a classroom of children who behave like babies, can become completely overwhelmed and want to give up teaching.
Pray for new mothers serving as teachers to have the energy to manage both their personal and teaching lives.
5. Disrespect
Children can be very disrespectful towards teachers, interrupting them while teaching, getting up and walking out, or going to the back of the class to throw a tantrum. They do not keep quiet and backchat the teachers, even shouting at or cursing them. Such incidents bring the flow of teaching to a halt, and instead the time has to be spent on instilling respect for others, acceptable behaviour and manners in the children.
Pray for children to have respect for their teachers and honour them. Also for teachers to be strengthened in handling such difficult situations on a daily basis.
6. Hurting teachers
Sometimes the personal lives of teachers are also trying and they themselves may have a hurting heart, while having a classroom of children who need the teacher to care for them.
Pray for teachers to find an extra dose of love, strength and personal healing as they wake up every day. Pray they will have peace in their classrooms and experience some appreciation from the children.
6. Life skills
Teachers’ foremost desire is to teach children what is in the curriculum so that they can progress academically. However, teachers often find themselves teaching about emotions and self-control more than anything academic.
Pray for teachers as they navigate through daily challenges at school. That they will be able to share basic social life skills, as well as, have time to share the academic content children need to pass their grades.
7. Changing the world, one child at a time
Although the task of teaching can become overwhelming at times, most teachers realise the opportunities they have to influence children’s lives. Teachers need prayers as much as the children do.
Cover the teachers teaching your children in prayer daily, asking for their safety, and for them to be able to do their work and finish their curricula in time for exams.
