Take time to smell the flowers. The greatest wisdom is really the art of getting to know oneself, being the truly self-reflective person. Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet , This above all, to thine own self be true. Engraved on the stone outer wall of the Parthenon in Athens are the words of the great Greek philosopher, Plato, Know thyself. Integrity is an essential and fundamental quality for teachers to be effective.
Integrity is the fruit of fidelity to life in the Holy Spirit.
An educator s best gift to students is the gift of self. We ve all heard it said, Who we are speaks louder than what we say. Insight into our own life journey helps us better understand the lives of our colleagues, parents we deal with, and our students. As The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School states, students must be able to recognize authentic human qualities in their teachers. While being teachers of faith, teachers must also be teachers of what it means to be human.