Word Study: Teacher - Ben and Me

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It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a word study. But with the start of the new school year just around the corner, I thought it would be a great idea to do one on the word, “teacher.” I thought it would help me align my goals for the coming year with what the Bible says about being a teacher.

I was right about that.

For those of you not familiar with the term, “word study”:

The Word Study: Defining a Biblical Worldview — The word study involves more than going to a dictionary to define a word. It is the method of scholarship that puts the student on the pathway of developing the habits of reflective thinking and deductive reasoning from Scripture. The word study places the truths of God’s Word at the center of all learning, which illuminates the understanding and consecrates the mind.

Word Study:

Builds vocabulary
Increases reading comprehension and verbal scores
Establishes precise word usage in written and oral communication
Cultivates the habit of critical thinking
Produces deductive reasoning skills — cause (internal) to effect (external)
Sharpens discernment of truth from error
Inculcates lifetime habits of scholarship and aids in establishing a Biblical worldview

When doing a Word Study, there are 4 steps:

Research: The word is defined, using Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, key words are identified within the definition, and the key words are defined. Each word is then researched using a Bible concordance.
Reason: A definition of the word is written in your own words.
Relate: Application of the definition and the Biblical principles deduced are written, according to the intended purpose and your own life.
Record: The completed work is filed in your notebook

These 4 steps are commonly known as 4-R’ing in the world of the Principle Approach® and can and should be a tool used by both teacher and student. You don’t have to be a Principle Approach® homeschooler to do word studies. Obviously, it’s a great tool for everyone!

Today’s word for study is TEACHER

According to the Webster’s 1828:

Teacher: n. One who teaches or instructs. An instructor; a preceptor; a tutor; on whose business or occupation is to instruct others. One who instructs others in religion; a preacher; a minister of the gospel.

Key Word Definitions:

Teach: To instruct; to inform; to communicate to another the knowledge of that of which he was before ignorant. To deliver any doctrine, art, principles or words for instruction. To tell; to give intelligence.

Instruct: To teach; to inform the mind; to educate; to impart knowledge to one who was destitute of it. To direct; to enjoin; to persuade or admonish. . To model; to form; to prepare.

Preceptor: The teacher of a school; sometimes, the principal teacher of an academy or other seminary.

Tutor: One who has the care of instructing another in various branches or in any branch of human learning. To treat with authority or severity. To correct.

Preacher: One who discourses publicly on religious subjects. One that inculcates any thing with earnestness.

Minister: An angel; a messenger of God. To give; to afford; to supply.

Gospel: The history of the birth, life, actions, death, resurrection, ascension and doctrines of Jesus Christ. God’s Word.

Teacher Defined in My Own Words:

One who is charged with earnestly educating the mind of another, preparing him for accepting the truth of the gospel, by modeling and discussing doctrine, principles, and other instruction in all branches of learning.

Biblical References:

And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:6-7

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; If service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching. Romans 12:6-7

Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity. Titus 2:7

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16

My Thoughts:

Once again the Bible is pretty clear that as Ben’s mom, it is my responsibility to teach and train him according the biblical precepts and principles. And that these precepts should spill over into all areas of learning. Even math. This is what the Principle Approach® is all about.

I am also to be earnest and model what is expected, just like Jesus did. Because here’s the catch — according to Luke, a student will be like his teacher. Good or bad, this is the truth. And this is where I fail every day. I also noticed that in the passage in Luke, the term “disciple” is used, rather than “student.”

I believe these words are interchangeable when it comes to homeschooling. We are charged with discipling our children as homeschool moms. It is our job to prepare our children for whatever God’s plan is for their lives. This is both an academic and spiritual charge.

Being earnest means to be in pursuit of, to have a longing desire, to be warmly engaged. I’m thinking that does not describe me very well! I will need to call upon Philippians 4:13 every day to make this happen. For it is only through Christ that I will have the strength to earnestly educate my son according to these biblical principles. It’s such a huge thing God has entrusted me with.

The verses above also tell me that the ability to teach is a gift in which the teacher (me) serves and leads by example with the objective of making the student (Ben) as wise as the teacher. This really causes me to pause for a moment, because I’m not sure that I am very wise. And I know that I don’t always set a good example for Ben.

It’s clear that the teacher must also be a student (disciple). I cannot just buy the best curriculum out there, expecting to fill Ben’s head with all kinds of facts and numbers. That is simply not enough. It is imperative that I am learning as well, and allowing myself to be discipled by those wiser, so that I become the textbook by which Ben learns.