Weekly Thought – March 24, 2026
Fred distilled. He took information and absolutely squeezed it dry until he had the essence and the principles. Then, he used them as platforms for magnificent high dives! He read an article by a French music teacher, Nadia Boulanger, on the art of instruction. He commented on the article in a memo to three nationally known teachers who were close friends. Then, he developed his own “attributes of great teachers” list.
Legacy is living and breathing. Fred’s “word of wisdom gift” (as a ministry leader referred to it this week) is being passed on through the lives he touched. Thank you for participating in prayer, words of encouragement, and financial gifts as we build the Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute.
Great Teachers Are…
Allen Shawn interviewed the French music teacher, Nadia Boulanger, for the Atlantic Monthly. His summation makes me think about great teachers: “She was devoted above all to God, and to the idea of music not as the monument of an individual but as mankind’s monument to God.” I like that. So where can we take that? My kids showed me a book, “Love is a Warm Puppy.” Too “ooky-gooky” for me, but it got me to thinking, Great Teachers…
1. Show the student that learning is part of the larger life… the specific course of study is not the whole, but a valuable piece.
2. Shed light on the dark areas of ignorance, showing them the beauty of construction.
3. Express truth that great talent always appears to the owner to be outside himself.
4. Realize we are limited by our emotional capabilities and we should be experience situations which test and expand our emotional wheelbase. Protecting against hurt insulates us from participating in life.
5. Understands candor in coaching should never cause embarrassment.
6. Communicates in vivid images which are unforgettable.
7. Walks comfortably with the transcendental nature of life – sees the longer view.
8. Balances affection and detachment. “I believe in you” is not “I see me in you.”
9. Appreciates the rhythm of learning and the discipline of structured instruction.
10. Recognizes learning consists of layers and layers of understanding and engagement which are constantly being peeled away like an onion.
11. Relishes the transition from memorization of a subject to being overwhelmed by its beauty.
12. Seeks a student who personifies what he or she believes and teaches.
This week carefully consider: 1) Which teacher has influenced me most greatly? 2) Who am I currently teaching? 3) Which of Fred’s points rang a bell with me?
Words of Wisdom: “It is wonderful when a teacher finds a student who personifies what he/she believes and teaches.”
Wisdom from the Word: “Then a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen one. Listen to Him!’” (Luke 9:35 NET Bible)