The Student Learning Outcomes that interest me most are #8, “Develop pedagogical and personal practices that support inter- and intra-personal wellness,” and #9, “Consider how Professional Practice interacts with spiritual formation.”

#8 stands out because creating healthy practices in my personal life and pedagogy will equip me to be an energized, organized, and reliable teacher. I will enjoy my work more, and students and colleagues will enjoy being around me more. I also want to develop my pedagogy so my teaching aligns with my values, I can effectively manage a classroom, and I can communicate learning targets to students.

Secondly, #9 interests me because I know I have difficulties with professionalism regarding punctuality and sometimes preparedness. I have strong technical skills in teaching, engaging students, and relating to others, but the weak spots in my self-management can make it difficult to live up to my potential. I think connecting self-management and professionalism to spirituality might help me in this arena because it develops my mindset around the topic. If I can relate these skills to my faith, I might be more motivated and excited to grow as I am looking at them from a fresh perspective. Lately, I have been thinking about how God does not only call his disciples to have faith and do nothing, expecting answers to come to us. One of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control and the Bible values hard work. I am reflecting on the book of Proverbs which talks about the “wise,” “simple,” “fool,” and “sluggard.” I noticed it critiques laziness a lot and encourages readers to pursue wisdom and hard work done with integrity. The proverbs say that if a person does not work for their food, poverty will come to them, but if they work hard and pursue wisdom, wealth and success are more likely to result.

I know professionalism and self-management are not directly related to wealth, but it does connect for me. If I see some of the hurdles I’m facing as too difficult and give up, I won’t get anywhere, but if I keep working hard and pursuing wisdom in this area, I will grow and become closer to the person I want to be.

Here is the link to the syllabus I was responding to.