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I wrote this essay in response to the following sentence: Of the professional education books you have read during the past year, choose the one that has had the greatest impact on you and explain that impact. I am applying to a Christian school so the response is God-based. If this offends you please don't waste your time or mine. I greatly appreciate your help!

Of the professionl education books I have read during the past year, Cultivate: Forming the Emerging Generation Through Life-on-Life Mentoring written by Dr. Jeff Myers had the greatest impact on me. Throughout my six years of ministering in a Christian environment I have noticed an alarming trend: The hardening of hearts in valuable children towards authoritative figures. I often ask myself, “What has caused this movement?”. Lack of discipline in the home? The entertainment business? Low self-esteem? The coming of the end times? Although it’s difficult to isolate the exact cause of this trend, and I genuinely believe it’s not any one specific reason, God’s Word teaches us how to best help the children we are entrusted with to help guide them in His way. Deuternomy 6:6-7 states, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” While this scripture is specifically addressing parents in the home, the principle can be applied in the school setting while teachers are responsible for teaching and leading the students.


The emphasis of this book is to “see a move of God across Christian schools to reclaim the ancient art of mentoring and unleash tremendous spiritual influence as educators prepare students to become a blessing to all nations of the earth.” The author encourages the success of mentoring through the steps of listening, asking powerful questions, and helping the other person set worthy goals. The call to listen is given in James 1:19, “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” The importance of asking powerful questions is described in Proverbs 18:13, “He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame.” When helping the other person set worthy goals Isaiah 32:8 is a powerful verse, “But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.”

After reading Cultivate: Forming the Emerging Generation Through Life-on-Life Mentoring I have diligently purposed to make every moment count with my students while at school. The “every moment” I mention applies to walking in line, waiting for a specials class to start, monitoring the playground, riding the bus to a field trip, and the other countless opportunities that are readily available to teachers to influence a child’s life. I realize the importance of even a thirty second conversation. That’s why I take moments to put my focus on my students by interacting with them on a personl level and listening to what is important to them. I may ask a student, “Has anyone ever told you that you have the gift of encouragement?”. Or make statements like, “I know it’s tough but I believe you can do it.” Because of the Godly principles in Dr. Myers book I am equipped to more effectively mentor and culitivate a great harvest for His kingdom through the educational field in which God has placed me.