Inspirations on Teaching
by Amber Bonasso
I have been very fortunate to have found my love for teaching quite some time ago, because there is something very special about being trusted with the care and education of little minds. I am a theater teacher and enjoy teaching theater foremost, but I have been in just about every classroom at every grade level having been a certified substitute for two years. During that time I learned a lot about our education system. Though challenges exist, the beauty of being with growing minds far outweighs them.
Currently, I teach theater to Pre-K through 12th grade, and approximately 250 students come through my classroom every day. It is fascinating to see each class grow in their understanding. I view theater as a life subject and therefore I work to have a point of connection and understanding with each student to see where they are, allowing them the opportunity to express themselves as they figure out who they are becoming. Theater provides the opportunity to learn real life lessons such as how non-verbals are interpreted, how we make meaning in life, how to play, how to move/act/sing/talk with purpose, how to look at and define relationships, and how to think through actions and reactions. One time as we were talking about the duality of man, I was relating it to Shakespeare, among other things, and we ended up talking about one’s relationship with emotions. At the end of the class, I laughed as one of my students declared in a very relieved tone, "Ms. Bonasso just gave us a lot of relational advice!" I make it a goal to bring what we are learning to a place of practical application and it was nice to know that on that day - and teaching truly is a day to day matter - I had achieved that goal.
Teaching is such a precious responsibility. As with any responsibility it has to be entered into with understanding and a huge reliance on the grace of God. There are also great stakes. A teacher who disengages from the responsibility could cause damage, while a teacher who engages with the responsibility has the opportunity to leave a lasting impact of discipleship on a child's life. Some days you feel like you aren’t making much progress - imagine having 250 individual students of all ages looking to you on a daily basis to educate them and to meet any number of social and emotional needs. Some days you feel like a hero when a sweet little 5 year old student randomly hands you a note that says, "thank you for caring so much about us. Thank you for making learning fun. I love you.”
I know that I am meant to be and anointed to be a teacher. I feel a grace flowing from the Holy Spirit that carries me through my long days. Children see, hear, and notice everything. I understand the importance of greeting my students with joy and excitement as they walk through my door, of telling them how important they are, of telling them how glad I am that they were born when they tell me it's their birthday, of treating them with kindness at all times as an example of how they should treat each other, of forgiving them when they apologize, and of being full of life so that I can pour into them. It is God’s grace that enables me to do these things. There is a special love that is lavished upon children of all ages by the Presence of God. As I look out over their beautiful faces I am constantly reminded of these scriptures: "Let the little children come to Me.” (Matthew 19:13), "...receive the Kingdom of God like a child…” (Mark 10:15), "Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word…” (1 Peter 2:2).
It is my hope that in my tenure as a teacher I will be able to encourage, inspire, and educate. If my students leave my classroom each day knowing that Ms. Bonasso truly cares about them and loves to see them, then I have accomplished showing them a glimpse of Christ's love for them - a love that makes all the difference in the world.