Sunday night was one of those very bad nights for sleeping in which I managed to get about three hours in. I just couldn’t get to sleep and if I did I couldn’t stay asleep. Monday morning came and I got myself together and loaded up my backpack with my laptop, projector, cables, water, umbrella, personal items needed in China, an extra sweater, and a few other things and headed down to the bus stop for the long ride across town. If I were staying in my apartment it would be just a short walk, but at this time I am coming from the home of Jiajing’s parents where I have been spending a few nights.
I arrive at the university a bit early because of the light early morning traffic and hike to the building where I am to teach. Since I am early I go to an open space in the center of the building, find a table and chair, and review my notes. At about 7:50 AM the teacher arrives and I go with her to her classroom and get set up. After getting her class started she introduces me and turns the class over to me.
After about two sentences I knew we were going to have a great time. As a teacher you can feel that when it happens. I proceeded through the eight characteristics of love found in Galatians 5:22 – 23: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I briefly described each of these and then ask them to think up examples of each. I wanted them to get a feeling of how these are an expression of love in our behavior. With this as a foundation I wanted them next to see how we can express love to others and feel loved by them. This led to the five love languages.
My second love language is quality time and as a teacher I can usually pick out my students who have that as their top love language. It seems that we connect very quickly and it seemed that there were many in this class. We worked through the languages and then I gave them the love language quiz. I had them transfer their answers to a key I had prepared so they could determine their top two languages. Half of the class selected quality time as their top love language. I sensed that as I taught, but I have never seen so many in one group.
We talked about what these scores meant with some practical examples. They really ate this up as it revealed so much about them and their relationship to others. They clearly understood how this could affect their marriage.
At 10 I repeated my lesson to another class and had the same great time. Later that day I received an email from their teacher and decided to include it below.
“I ran into some of the students later today and they were all agog about the class this morning!! :) I think it touched their HEARTS as only love can do. It's good you mentioned the Bible and also Janet says she was talking to a couple girls later and told them about the "Chinese Version" of the textbook this test is based upon as well. In a couple of weeks -- or if it comes up in class again, I'll mention in class that there is one special portion of the Bible dedicated to the subject of Love if the students are interested (I Corinthians 13). They'll do the rest if they are truly interested. I'm hoping someone will ask.”
I arrive at the university a bit early because of the light early morning traffic and hike to the building where I am to teach. Since I am early I go to an open space in the center of the building, find a table and chair, and review my notes. At about 7:50 AM the teacher arrives and I go with her to her classroom and get set up. After getting her class started she introduces me and turns the class over to me.
After about two sentences I knew we were going to have a great time. As a teacher you can feel that when it happens. I proceeded through the eight characteristics of love found in Galatians 5:22 – 23: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I briefly described each of these and then ask them to think up examples of each. I wanted them to get a feeling of how these are an expression of love in our behavior. With this as a foundation I wanted them next to see how we can express love to others and feel loved by them. This led to the five love languages.
My second love language is quality time and as a teacher I can usually pick out my students who have that as their top love language. It seems that we connect very quickly and it seemed that there were many in this class. We worked through the languages and then I gave them the love language quiz. I had them transfer their answers to a key I had prepared so they could determine their top two languages. Half of the class selected quality time as their top love language. I sensed that as I taught, but I have never seen so many in one group.
We talked about what these scores meant with some practical examples. They really ate this up as it revealed so much about them and their relationship to others. They clearly understood how this could affect their marriage.
At 10 I repeated my lesson to another class and had the same great time. Later that day I received an email from their teacher and decided to include it below.
“I ran into some of the students later today and they were all agog about the class this morning!! :) I think it touched their HEARTS as only love can do. It's good you mentioned the Bible and also Janet says she was talking to a couple girls later and told them about the "Chinese Version" of the textbook this test is based upon as well. In a couple of weeks -- or if it comes up in class again, I'll mention in class that there is one special portion of the Bible dedicated to the subject of Love if the students are interested (I Corinthians 13). They'll do the rest if they are truly interested. I'm hoping someone will ask.”
