The following is part 7 of Rob Turner’s article: “Great Teachers and the Greatest Teacher.”
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How Do Teachers Evaluate Their Students?
On the surface it would see that the least area of complexity in effective teaching would be evaluating students. This surface understanding may come from an attitude among teachers whereby they provide information for students and then those students regurgitate that information on a test or a paper. Consequently, the student’s progress gets measured by some type of numerical or percentage grid. According to Bain, evaluation systems like this “concentrate on whether teachers use acceptable methods of instruction. At worst, they produce much hand-ringing and the surrendered pronouncement that evaluation of teaching can’t be done” (Bain 2004, 151).
In contrast, effective teachers reflected strategically on the kinds of learning students must achieve in order to earn certain letter grades. This involved asking themselves a wide range of certain questions. What must they come to understand? How must they apply that understanding? What they must be able to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate? Bain believes this type of teacher self-evaluation has as its goal a desire “to help students learn to think about their own thinking so they can use the standards of the discipline or profession to recognize shortcomings and correct their reasoning as they go” (Bain 2004, 160).
Jesus was definitely interested in what His students knew but He was more interested in them obeying what they knew (John 14:23). At the risk of being redundant, the ultimate point of what Jesus taught was not more knowledge in and of itself but a relationship of obedience to Him that flowed out of love (John 14:21). That basic premise aside, it is apparent to this researcher that spiritual growth was and is a goal for His students. The question must be asked then: are there evaluative questions that can be gleaned from the scriptures to provide gauges for spiritual growth?
Zuck is helpful in this endeavor by providing questions that cover ten subject areas addressed by Jesus (Zuck 1995, 98-101). Are we growing in our love for God and others? Are we growing in obedience of God’s Word, in doing good deeds, putting spiritual matters first? Are we growing in prayer, in faith, and resisting temptation? Are we growing in serving Christ and putting on Godly virtues? These serve as helpful tools in taking consistent spiritual inventories as His students pursue conformity to the image of Christ.
Concluding Words
Ken Bain, in the humble opinion of this researcher, not only highlights important facets of an effective teacher but also unwittingly affirms Jesus as teacher extraordinaire. In His earthly teaching ministry Jesus had the unique perspective of knowing people and how they learn in ways that will never be matched because He was simply God in flesh. The preparation of Jesus for His teaching happened long before His birth but was initiated by the crucible of temptation and was sustained by interaction with the Father. Jesus also had high expectations of His students as long as they were continually connected to Him. The strategies used in His teaching involved diverse methods of communication, especially the use of provocative questions. He is employed by on-the-job training where His students learning by doing. The main way Jesus treated His students was by investing in them. This investment was a starting point in developing trust between Him and His students which in turn fostered students who would risk earthly things for the value of His kingdom. Lastly, Jesus evaluated His students by their obedience to Him and growth in His attributes.
Reference List
Bain, Ken. 2004. What the best college teachers do. Cambridge: Harvard Press.
Delnay, Robert G. 1987. Teach as he taught. Chicago: Moody Press.
Donahue, Bill. 2005. In the company of Jesus. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press.
Medefind, Jedd, and Erik Lokkesome. 2004. The revolutionary communicator. Lake Mary: Relevant Books.
Stein, Robert. 1978. The method and message of Jesus’ teachings. Philadelphia: Westminster Press.
Zuck, Roy B. 1995. Teaching as Jesus taught. Grand Rapids: Baker Books.
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The full article is now available in the Apex resource library HERE.