The rock on my desk at school.
Core scripture: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)
Message: I have a rock on my desk at work. A mantra I live by. I gave it to my Dad a long time ago for Father’s Day, but there came a time in my life six years ago when I needed the message myself. He gave it back to me as a simple reminder to Never, Never Quit. The quote is attributed to Winston Churchill. Though the rock faces my computer, I will be pulling it out to show my students this week.
Some of them need that message desperately. Especially with the end of first quarter a few weeks away. You can see it in their eyes. When you have so many missing assignments, why even try? They need grit. Endurance. Perseverance. And sometimes it takes a teacher to guide students through these intangibles. We as Christian teachers cannot let these kids accept defeat and quit on them. How can we do this? Here are five ideas below.
- Show a motivational video. You can find a few ideas under my “Character Lessons” tab above. The Heather Dorniden race is my favorite. Here you see a track athlete face plant leading into her last lap of a race. She pops up, churns back into gear, and unbelievably leans in to win the race at the tape. The kids love it! Connect the dots for them and explain how they cannot quit on the last lap of first quarter either.
- Help them prioritize. Let’s face it. When some of those kids see eight missing assignments, they have no idea where to begin. Guide them. Show them the assignments that will earn them the most points—especially if you have weighted grades like me. Lean in next to them. Keep a positive attitude for them. Tell them they can do it! If you believe in them, they might just start believing in themselves.
- Offer your time and help. Whether it be during work time in class or before school or after school, some kids just need that extra one-on-one time. Chunk assignments for them to make sure they are not too overwhelming. Maybe try a different method to teach that you did not utilize with whole group instruction. Become a miracle worker right inside your own classroom.
- Let them see success. One of my favorite tricks is to pull the kid up to my desk and plug in a grade to show them how much their grade would improve if they completed an assignment. Their reactions are almost always the same: wide-eyed, jaws dropping to the table. When they can see the possibilities, they become the possibilities. If the tone of your voice shows excitement for them, they get even more excited.
- Pray for them. This one is a no brainer. Paul tells us, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them” (1 Timothy 2:1). Once you do pray—and when I say pray, I mean boldly believing in God’s supreme power—follow that up quietly off to the side, letting these precious children know you are lifting them up. How could a kid not want that?
I have to admit that I sometimes throw in the towel for certain kids. Satan will whisper his lies. He doesn’t even care. There is no hope for her. That one will never get it right. As we preach to the kids that they cannot give up, guess what … WE cannot give up either. Be a light this week. Patrol your classroom with your head on a swivel, finding those kids that need a little extra TLC. And when you find them, give your heart to them. Reach your hand out in love.
Challenge: Find those kids that need a bit of hope and write their names down. Go out of your way to guide them this week, trying any of the strategies above. If you have your own idea on how to get through to these children, feel free to reply below.
Video application: Feel free to use any of the following “Never Give Up” videos below to inspire your students.
- Heather Dorniden comes back to win the 600 meter race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjejTQdK5OI&t=47s
- Derrick Redmond injures himself but still finishes his Olympic 400-meter race: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZlXWp6vFdE&t=24s
- Holland Reynolds crawls across the finish line in State cross country meet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrTtDxd-4iY&t=254s
Song application: “Not Over Yet” by For King and Country
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmTmTMcdxOs
Oh, to everyone who’s hit their limit
It’s not over yet
It’s not over yet
And even when you think you’re finished
It’s not over yet
It’s not over yet
Keep on fighting
Out of the dark
Into the light
It’s not over
Hope is rising
Never give in
Never give up
It’s not over
Prayer: Lord, let me not give up on my struggling learners. I pray that my attitude might inspire them to finish strong. Amen.
The Teacher's Devotional 
Where did you get this rock?? My dad has this on his bathroom counter and I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember. I really would love to get one for myself. Thank you and god bless 🙂
I got this for my Dad way back in 1996 for Father’s Day. He had it on his desk at work for a long time, and then when I went through a rough patch of life about 9 years ago, battling depression, he gave the rock back to me. I remember I bought it at a mall store that was filled with tons of motivational quote items.
Thank you so much for your response! What a wonderful story. Hoping that by some miracle of fate I’ll happen to come across this rock one way or another. I enjoyed reading your blog post, take care!