Instapundit gave a link to an article about Randy Pausch and his last lecture.
In the article, Charles Lipson talks about the fact that professor Pausch’s lecture was also a lesson in great teaching. Lipson makes the point that good teaching must impart the necessary substantive material. In addition:
The best teachers also serve as models for students. Good teachers bestow their love of learning, their willingness to work hard and their ability to think imaginatively to unravel the mysteries. Those lessons can launch students on their own paths—the real goal of any teacher.
Good teaching points students toward important questions, gives them the tools they need to inquire and inspires them to continue exploring for themselves. Ultimately, every teacher lets go and hopes the students can proceed on their own—and hopes that they will want to.
While we were in Arkansas, our church’s education staff gave teachers and wannabe teachers the opportunity to watch a video series on teaching from Seven Laws of the Teacher by Howard Hendricks. It was really very good.
Lipson’s description of a good secular teacher’s main purpose and goal in the quote above sounds almost exactly like what Howard Hendricks said as well. As a bible teacher my main goal is to assist in creating the thirst in my class members to pursue scripture on their own outside of class. To give them the tools they need to pursue their own answers with their own Bible and their own walk with God.
If you haven’t ever heard Randy Pausch’s last lecture, I encourage you to watch it. It has some mild language, but is entertaining and challenging.