The Art of Teaching // Joyce Lang

My sixth-grade teacher called me out of the blue last month, just to check in on me. It so dearly warmed my heart. As I have been praying about who to interview for CCA, it came to me that this woman personified the art of teaching. She cared so deeply and exuded God’s love in the classroom. Memories in her classroom range from starring in the Anne of Green Gables play, to memorizing the entire book of Ephesians at the age of 12. In the interview we discuss teaching and more! Thank you, Joyce, for sharing part of your story and heart with us!

CCA: You mastered the art of teaching so well and I would love for you to tell me a little bit about your teaching career.

Joyce: Well, I think I’ll start back to the wonderful teachers I had. When I was six-years-old, I loved my teacher - in fact I loved all my teachers. But, my first-grade teacher would be my model. That really was the beginning of my career.  

As a child, my mother and I would play school. My mother, I had a wonderful one, she was incredible and carried me in her womb when she was 47 going on 48. She was such a precious soul I long to see in the Kingdom of God. She only had achieved a sixth-grade education and so, I taught her everything I knew. It was so much fun. 

During the winters, my father would take me to school. As a six-year-old, I would stay with my teacher five days a week during the really severe winter months. As soon as school was over and I was home, I would take my dolls out and started teaching! I would rearrange my mother’s living room and have chairs for all my dolls... I taught out of books I didn’t know anything about. I thought I was teaching, and I did. I would work all day, so you can see it was something God called me to do. I like that best of all because I didn’t feel like there was anything else to do. I loved kids and I liked learning. Teaching is a creative gift because you never have to do things the same way. Unless you find something that is golden. 

CCA: So, tell me some things you absolutely loved about teaching.

Joyce: Well, I loved everything! I don’t know where I would even start. I loved my kids - they were a bit of sunshine in my life. I loved the feeling of having a little family come into my room every day. I felt more responsible for their life because I had them most of their waking hours and in spite of my many mistakes, I learned that God would make up for my mistakes when I did the very best I knew - that was a very comforting thought.

I’m going to tell you one little story about a little boy that came to me one time. 

There was dispute on the playground and I thought I had handled it correctly, but this little boy came up to me afterwards, and in the sweetest way, “Mrs. Lang, are you sure you handled that right?” I had to think about it, I had to admit it to him, “I think you have valid point.” So, I apologized to the class. I felt that we were a family, and families have lots of disagreements, we didn’t always have to agree. But, when we departed from each other at the end of the day, I felt we needed to have those things resolved. 

I think of children who taught me the most, rather than all the book learning I did. But, I never felt like anyone got to my soul on a deeper level than children. They are so honest. 

CCA: I remember doing a lot of plays in your classroom! Tell me more about the creativity you fostered in the classroom. 

Joyce: You know, my theory behind drama was that you can take an opportunity for a kid who is very, very shy and put them in a character in a play, and they can actually stretch themselves. I witnessed that over and over. We all need encouragement. 

I used music a lot too. I love music! I had my kids sing hymns every morning in class and we sang all the stanzas.

CCA: So, teachers reading this today, they are all teaching online! Because of the COVID-19 pandemic. What would you say to these teachers?

 Joyce: I would say, “Bless you, you have more courage than I would have.” I admire them so much, they have to be creative and God-gifted to go through a time like this. We pray for all these kinds of things today. We need to find out how we can grow each other whether as adults, or children... and how can we help each other when we have dark times. And we all have them.

CCA: What are some of the biggest lessons you learned in your teaching career? 

Joyce: Well, I guess the biggest lesson I learned was that God is faithful, and when things seem so difficult to understand always and when I was trying to do my best, but kept on failing - I am still learning this - the grace of God is really all I need. I love things that make me know that I can be more through Jesus Christ. 

CCA: One last thing, any scripture on your heart that has been speaking to you during these last few weeks?

Joyce: Well, I always hold onto the simple scriptures my mother had in my room. “He cares for you, be not afraid...”  If I’m failing to trust, I come back to that and remember, oh yes, He cares. And He is with me always, even to the end of the world. It’s the simple ones I love.