Good teaching is neither efficient nor can it be manufactured by methods and techniques. “To educate” literally means e ducere, or “to draw out,” and good teachers are–with God’s help–drawing their students toward Truth and wholeness.  This is by nature a gradual process, a process which involves a persevering relationship between real, fallen people–teacher and student alike.  Relationships are complex and messy, and life-giving ones require the inworking of the Holy Spirit.

If you want to learn how to teach a kid algebra, there’s a pretty clean, efficient method for that.  There’s even a standardized test that can give you immediate feedback on how you did.  But if you want to use math to lead God’s image bearers toward Truth and a life of wholeness and virtue, then roll up your sleeves and prepare for a long, inconvenient, and humbling journey, the end results of which you may never see.  But be encouraged; this is Kingdom work we’re talking about in the latter case, and if we are faithful in this work, we will enter into the joy of our Master.  If we are faithful in this work, our students will know good teaching.

Notice I said faithful, not successful.  “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (1 Corinthians 3:7)”  But that’s another post altogether . . .