A Concord Pastor Comments: A prayer for teachers as school begins

In my part of the world, school begins tomorrow and there's plenty of understandable attention on the children going back to their classrooms. Of course, teachers, school administrators and school support staff are also returning to school and they shoulder an awesome responsibility as a new academic year begins. Here's a prayer for teachers but I think it can easily be prayed by all who work in our schools.

A Teacher's Prayer

Dear God,

A new school year is about to begin
and my classroom door will soon open
to the students you've assigned to my care...

Open my mind and heart to each of them
and especially to the ones
who will challenge me the most...

Help me challenge my students, all of them,
to study, to learn, to grow in knowledge
and even a little wisdom...

Help me remember, Lord,
how young my students are:
give me patience to help them grow up
and insight to know the help they need...

Help me to understand that sometimes
my students may not understand me:
may I be clear in the things I say and do,
and in how I say and do them…

My students don't know the burdens and worries
my heart brings to the classroom,
so help me remember, Lord,
how anxious and heavy my students' hearts may be...

Keep me from favoring any particular students, Lord,
except for those who most need my help...

Let my decisions in the classroom
be fair and just, honest and true...

Send your Spirit to fill me with gifts
of knowledge and understanding, counsel and wisdom…

Lord, open my mind and heart to my students' parents,
especially those who will challenge me the most...

Help me challenge parents to challenge their children
to study, to learn and to grow...

Help me to teach as you would, Lord:
help me be understanding when I need to be firm,
gentle in all things,
and patient until the last bell rings…

A new school year is about to begin, Lord,
and I wonder,
what will you teach me today?

Amen.