Teaching by Heart

 

FIVE

The Ties That Bind

Covenant versus Contractual Relationships

Covenants are crucial in teaching. They create bonds of trust and faith that facilitate learning and growth. This is as opposed to contractual relationships, where people interact on a purely transactional basis—that is, students study to pass the course and receive good grades. When a covenant exists, however, it can transform relationships.

Up to this point, I’ve focused primarily on teaching, but as I’ve indicated earlier, the intersection between teaching and leadership can be instructive. Every so often, I’m going to examine this intersection. When the subject is covenants, I am compelled to look at their value from the perspective of both leaders and teachers. I think ...