The
Characteristics of
the Lasallian
Educator
You Raise Me Up
TO EDUCATE
a. To train in a skill, trade or profession
b. To develop mentally, morally, aesthetically….
c. To provide with information
d. To persuade others to believe, act
e. To draw forth, to bring out the potential
THE EDUCATOR
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where
his influence stops”. (Henry Brooks Adams)
“I have never let my schooling interfere with my
education”. (Mark Twain)
All professional teachers claim to work for the well
being of their students……whether Government,
Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Protestant, Catholic
alike…..
THE
LASALLIAN
EDUCATOR
“It is a great gift of God to be
entrusted with the instruction of
children.”
What then, if anything, makes a Lasallian
educator different/special?
Do we leave a particular ‘mark’ or ‘stamp’ on
our pupils?
And if we believe we do, is it for the better?
I hope you will leave this room today with your
own answers to these questions.
And I hope the answers will come from yourself.
Some Traditional Images of the
Lasallian Educator
A Good Shepherd
Consider the Good Shepherd of the gospel who
seeks the lost sheep, places it upon his shoulders
and carries it back to restore it to the fold.
A Guardian Angel
The teacher is also the Guardian Angel,
directing the pupils in the path of goodness and
protecting them from the dangers which threaten
them.
A Father and a Mother
If you have for your students the firmness of a
father to restrain them from misbehaviour, you
must also have for them the tenderness of a
mother to draw them to you.
A Miracle-worker
The zealous teacher is gifted by the all-powerful
God with the ability to work miracles and is called
on to perform them as, for example, in touching
the hearts of his pupils.
A Gardener
You have been destined to cultivate these
young plants by announcing the truth to
them.
The 3 Pillars
1.Caring
2.Discipline
3.Serving
1. Caring:
“Have much more care for those entrusted to
your care than you would have for the children
of a king.”
We avoid demeaning and degrading language
when dealing with students
e.g. “You are hopeless. You are stupid etc…”
The language should be enquiring and
supportive:
e.g. You need some help? Is there something
going on?
2. Discipline:
“If a school is to be well-regulated and in very
good order, punishment must be rare.”
Where punishment is deserved, the teacher tries
to find out what lies behind the misbehaviour.
Punishment should be peaceable.
Be GENTLE but FIRM is the Lasallian
discipline motto.
3. Serving:
“You must lead your students to practise well all the
good of which they are capable.”
The educators’ spirit of zeal inspires the students to
serve others.
Students are to be taught and shown HOW to serve
others in classrooms, schools, centres and in the
larger community….
Serving others is to be seen as a way to promote
harmony in school and in the community.
The 12 LASALLIAN
TREASURES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Gravity : Seriousness
Silence : Quietness
Humility : Modesty
Prudence : Discretion
Wisdom : Understanding
Patience : Self-control
7. Reserve : Self-restraint
8. Gentleness : Compassion
9. Zeal : Passion
10. Vigilance : Alertness
11. Piety : Spirituality
12. Generosity : Giving
The
th
13
Virtue?
The Pearl of Great Price
We are to be brothers and sisters to one another
and big brothers and sisters to the students
confided to our care. In this way we strive to
touch their hearts.
Is this it?
I know in my heart that I am a Lasallian educator.
This adds meaning to my life and gives me deep
satisfaction.
It sustains me
when I hit the wall,
when I ask myself ‘what am I doing here?’,
when I feel like a robot,
when I come up against really difficult
students, classes,
when….
I want to leave this room today believing in
myself, believing in my way of being a
Lasallian educator.
Deep down, I want to be a ‘happy’ Lasallian
educator.
This Little Light of Mine