St. Paul’s Letter to
the Corinthians Paraphrased
“Though I
teach in ways that are pleasing to the
administrators, but do not have love for the
children, I am no better than a foghorn or a loud
speaker.
And though I am proficient
in the science of pedagogy, and hold certificates
in all advanced degrees, but do not love my
pupils, all of my degrees are worthless.
And even though I have
studied child psychology and know all about the
“Id” and about environmental conditions
of the day, yet if I do not actively love my
children, it profits very little.
Love makes a teacher and
an administrator have infinite patience –
love searches every avenue, during class or in my
own time, to be helpful to a backward child!
Love does not try to
manipulate children – does not talk down to
them, nor try to turn them into fan clubs who
will idolize their teacher, their school, their
“perfect” system.
Love does not insist that
every child progress at a uniform speed, pleasing
to the teacher; and love makes allowances for
individual endowments and differences.
Love has good manners, and
respects even a child as a slow person in the
sight of God and of man.
Love is not touchy or
temperamental; does not take out the frustration
of home on children in class.
Love teaches children to
be forgiving by showing that we as teachers and
administrators do not hold grudges against them.
Love does not point out or
ridicules the slow-learners but rejoices
exceedingly when they make progress.
Love knows no limit to its
patience, no end to its hope, and no fading of
its encouragement.
It is, in fact, the one
quality that denotes a Real teacher, a real
administrator, a real parent and a real person.”
