Japanese Students Define the Best Kind of Teacher

In Japan, the high schools are ranked by education quality. Colleges, too for that matter.

For more than a decade, I taught at the number two school in Niigata prefecture.

It was through no fault of my own, I am sure. I think they just wanted a blonde-hair, blue-eyed, living being, and my hair was blonde at the time. It's white now…from teaching at that school.

I once surveyed my students – asking them what qualities did they look for most in a teacher.

Their answers might be a bit surprising to some and maybe even at first glance

seem contradictory.

The best teacher according to the best students in Japan was one who was strict and one who was kind.

The students wanted someone to give them guidelines, draw boundaries, and be strict and fair about enforcing them.

The students who kept within the boundaries, they hoped for kindness.

On Sunday mornings I am teaching a class at a local Church.

The Bible's Gospel of Mark is our text.

As I teach, I ask the students to listen with two questions in mind:

1. What is Jesus like?

2. How can I be more like Him?

One of my students in that class was kind enough to put together a list of all the qualities of Jesus we have come up with through the first half of the book – Chapter 8.

I listed them at 130 Gifts Jesus Gives Us for Christmas.

The first trait on the list –

Jesus is an example of one who is a teacher.

Jesus is the best kind of teacher.

He demonstrated the standards of life that he expects from us. He is strict in that those standards cannot be compromised. He is also kind, loving, gentle, and more with those who stay within those boundaries.

What kind of teacher do you like?

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