Back to School!

One of those goals on my “Things to Do before I Turn 30” list has now entered the beginning stages. I’ve started grad school! Now I just have to figure out how to finish it. Yes, it was back to school (as a student this time) for me. Instead of writing the tests, I was taking them once again. I have discovered that my test anxiety has diminished since my years in college, and I have a deeper respect for my teachers now that I’ve been in their position. Going back to school encompassed not only tests and notes but also DORM LIFE!!! However, there are many perks to grad school, especially in the summer. One advantage—a room all to myself. Schools allow for one grad student in a room at a time because they know the hours of work and the lack of sleep that accompany grad classes. I often felt as though I were sinking in a black hole known as (insert name of class here) with other human beings (aka. my classmates) and the only material possessions I could grasp were my laptop, textbook, and coffee—lots of coffee.

On a serious note, because that’s what grad school’s all about—taking life seriously, right?—the lessons learned will accompany me to my classroom, hopefully. As I listened to my teachers, I found myself picking out all the mistakes I’ve made as a teacher. Yet, I would leave everyday encouraged about education. The first class, given by Dr. Uwarow, delved into the philosophy and history of education, two topics I enjoy. What a rich educational history we enjoy in the US, a history now perverted by humanistic philosophies that have dumbed down our educational system. How grateful I am to have a source of absolute truth, God’s Word, with which I can analyze any philosophy man may present. Assessment of Learning, another class taught by Dr. Ball, caused me to analyze the methods I use to assess my students’ learning. Balance is key; variety is the spice of life, and of education for that matter.

Overshadowing all the grades, the papers, the late hours, and the discussions was the experience. I had the privilege to study, to further my education at a Christian university. Studying at a Christian university is not something I take for granted especially after living in Peru, a country devoid of Christian universities. I had the opportunity to listen to the stories of a guy from China, to hear of his struggles to live for Christ under a Communist regime. He told us of pastor friends in prison, of Chinese citizens killed because they refused to do what their government demanded of them. I secretly thanked God that I was born in a free country as I heard of his salvation experience and the persecution he suffered as a result.

With all these opportunities and privileges come many responsibilities. “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48). Part of me wants to shrink back in fear when I think of the daunting task ahead, the task of applying all that is learned. Yet, I remember what a teacher once told me, “God doesn’t call the equipped; he equips the called”; and I surrender once again all that education and preparation to my God who cannot fail.