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Silva,Keziah

Module#500

August23,2016

WhatEventsandPeoplehaveContributedtomyDecisiontoTeach?

Inmyheart,IhavealwaysknowthatIhavewantedtobecomeateacher,even

whenIdidnotknow.Beingraisedasapastorsdaughter,Ihadmanyopportunitiesto

teachandlearngrowingup.BeingtaughtinSundayschoolaswellasbeingtaughtby

myparentsisthefoundationformyloveofteaching.IamwhoIamtodaybecauseof

thoseteachersinchurchwhohelpedraisemetoseeGodswillinmylifewhilealso

showingmehowtheBibleisaroadmapthatIcanlooktowhenIfeellikeIhavelostmy

way.Theseprincipleshavebeenthesteppingstonesofmyjourneythroughlifeandit

hasultimatelybroughtmetomydecisionofwantingtobeateacher

First,mybackgroundinchurchandinleadinginthechurchisthebiggest

influenceinmydecisiontobeateacher.Inthefirstchurchmyfatherwasapastorof,

therewasaverygoodSundayschoolstaffthatwereveryanointedinthewaythey

taughtchildren.Fromayoungage,IknewwhatexperiencingtheHolySpiritspresence

feltlikeandknewhowtoworshipfrommyheartandsoul.Iknewthesethingsbecause

oftheSundayschoolteachersandleaderswhowouldshowmehowtobeaworshipper

oftheheart.Theseindividualsaremymaininspirationinmydecisiontobeateacher.

AlthoughIdounderstandthattherearelawsprohibitingmetoteachthegospeland

truthofJesusintheclassroom,IdobelievethatIcanstillshowtheloveofJesustomy


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futurestudents.ThisisaspecificteacherthatIhadwhenIwasinapublichighschool

thatcomestomindwhenIthinkofthis.

Mrs.PelkeywasmyhighschoolEnglishteacherwhenIwasafreshman.Sheis

aGodfearingChristianandanyonewhomethercouldseeit.Foralongtimeinmy

immaturityasaChristianadolescent,Iwasashamedtosharemybeliefstootherkidsin

schoolforfearthattheywouldjudgemeandmakefunofme.Thiswasreallyimportant

tomeuntilMrs.Pelkeysharedwithourclassalittlebitofherself.Whilerelatingtoa

storythatwewerereadingasaclass,Mrs.PelkeysharedthatshewasaChristian.A

lotofusbecameuncomfortablewhenshesaidthatbutitimmediatelycaughtmy

attentionbecauseoneofmyfavoriteteacherslovesJesuslikeIdo.Shesharedthatlike

inthestory,shewasraisedwithpeopleleavingheroutandbeingmeantoherand

ignoringherbecauseshewasaChristianwhowenttochurch.Shethensharedthatas

shegrewup,sherealizedthatthosepeoplewerejustnotmeanttobeinherlifeand

whenshedidcometotermswiththatreality,otherpeoplewouldshowupinherlifethat

weregoodforher,orthatwouldblessherinsteadofbringingherdown.Althoughitisa

simpleexample,IthinkofiteverytimeIstarttofeelnervousaboutwhatsomeonemight

thinkiftheyfindoutthatIamaChristian.Therearetimesthateveninvolunteeringina

classroom,IwouldfeelnervousaboutthatpartofmebecauseIdidnotwantany

teachersorstudentstorejectme.However,Godisverygraciousbecauseheshowsme

howIcanbeblessedinsteadofcursedwhenpeoplehearHisnamecomefrommylips.

Forexample,mysophomoreyearofcollege,Iwasvolunteeringinafourthgrade

classinPerryelementaryschoolinhuntingtonbeach.Theteacher,Mr.Collins,isan


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amazingteacherandIreallylookuptohimforwhathestandsfor.Hetaughtmethat

therearealwayswaysthatwecanintegrateGodswordandtruthinalessonandshine

someofJesuslovetohisstudents.WhileIwasobservinginhisclassroom,theywere

doingalessononsentencestructures,andhepromptedtheclassbyaskingwhatthe

shortedsentenceeverwas.Aftermanyincorrectguesses,onestudentyelledout

JesusWept!Iwasshockedandimmediatelyconcernedabouttheclassesreaction.

However,theamazingthingwasthateverystudentgotexcitedandstartedtoask

questionslikewhyJesusweptandwhatthestorywasintheBible.Thatgavean

awesomeopportunityforMr.Collinstosharealittlebitfromthewordwhilealsousingit

toenhancethestudentsknowledgeofsentencestructures.

Mypastexperienceswiththeseteachersandleadersinmylifewereallbigparts

inmydecisiontobeateacher.IamsothankfultoGodforputtingthesepeopleinmy

lifeandteachingmethatthereisnothingthatIcandowithoutHimormentionofHis

nameandloveinmylife.Theamazingthingthatgetsmeexcitedtobeateacheristhat

Ihavethechancetoimpactthelivesofchildrenlikeminewasimpactedbymyteachers

andgivethemlessonsthattheymaycarryfortherestoftheirlives.