Role Models

Unit 4: Session 4 - Blog Topic Week 4 Read and reflect on Romans 12:1-3 Consider the following statement and questions from Palmer’s The Courage to Teach: ‘We cannot know the great things of the universe until we know ourselves to be great things.’ Do you agree? Why or why not? If you agree, are teachers responsible for helping students develop this sense of self-worth in order to help them learn deeply and well? Is the scripture verse and text statement at odds with each other?  Explain. I think this statement can be a little confusing because there are different ways it can be interpreted. One way this statement can be interpreted is that we must think of ourselves as an exceptional being because we are worthy of such thoughts. After we recognize how important we are then we can start looking at other things in the world including people. With that idea we put ourselves first. However, I think this statement is saying that we must understand our value as a person, know who we are as a person and then we are able to start seeing the beauty and good things of the world. I believe this interpretation correlates with Romans 12: 1-3. This verse is saying that we must give ourselves to God because he is the control of our lives and we are his servants. However, God has a will for our lives, thus, we have purpose. We are important and we are loved. It is crucial for us as people who hold an authoritative position who are influencing the lives of young people that we be a good example of what it means to be secure in ones self. I think it is important for teachers to be role models for their students and part of that is showing them how to be confident in themelves.