Do you know what your third grade teacher is teaching this week? What bulletin boards are on the walls of your seventh grade homeroom? How has the rowdy student in tenth grade been behaving lately? An administrator who is in the classroom often has an advantage over one who is not. Being in the classroom allows you to not only see problems to correct, but notice successful methods to share.
Deuteronomy 6:6–7 give us an example of how to teach our children. “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.“
God tells us we are to be constantly instructing our children in the ways of God. And while parents are the primary teachers of children, many parents have partnered with the church in training children through the Christian school.
As a Christian school administrator you must take account of your school and the teaching that is done each day. A few questions that you should ask are: Is our school being successful in teaching children the Word of God? Do I know what is happening on a daily basis in each of our classrooms? Good Christian school administrators know what goes on in their classrooms because they are observing students, teachers, and procedures on a regular basis.
Notice These Four Reasons for Spending Time in Your Classrooms
1. God has called you to be the authority figure. Whether or not you like it, administration is a position of leadership. You may lack age or maturity, but the Lord has called you to lead this school. Ardell Jacquot has said, “The difference between an occupation and a calling is that the former is pursued in order to earn a living; a calling, on the other hand, is living a life.” God has called you to assist your pastor by leading your Christian school.
2. Your institution is called a “school.” It ought to be all about learning. The American Heritage Dictionary defines school as, “The process of being educated formally, especially education constituting a planned series of courses over a number of years.” I am certain you would agree with this dictionary definition, so make it your business to be certain your school is involved in educating young people.
3. You have hired some people to serve as “teachers.” The American Heritage Dictionary defines teacher as, “One who teaches, especially one hired to teach.” Most likely, you have decided to commit a certain amount of the Lord’s money to pay someone to teach. It is only logical that you follow up to be certain you are getting quality for your investment. Good leaders are knowledgeable of their followers, the members of their organization. Make it your business to know if your teachers can teach.
4. In most situations, parents are paying tuition so their child will learn. You have recruited students on the basis of the quality education you will offer. It is only fair for parents to expect a school and teachers to teach their children. Parents are the consumers of your product: get into the classrooms and be sure they are getting that for which they are paying.
Those of us who are parents love our children dearly and want the best for them. I challenge you, as a Christian school administrator, to accept God’s special calling to be involved in the education of young people. Get into the classrooms of your school and see what is happening. You may observe some weak areas that need improvement and you may observe some great things that need to be shared with all of your teachers. Regardless of what you learn, you need to be there to see if your classrooms are making the grade!