The Best Teaching Advice I've Gotten So Far

I mentioned to you all a few posts ago that I will be teaching an OT Survey at Harding this Spring, and many of you responded either on this blog or on facebook with kind words, that I have appreciated. I've asked your advice for how I should teach. I've gotten lots of clever comments, but I don't think any tops what my friend Robert sent me. Though it contains a few inside jokes, I'm attaching it for your amusement:

Hey Mark,

I haven't talked to you since learning that you got the OT teaching job at Harding. I just want to say congratulations! With that, I have a few thoughts that might help you get started.

1. The first thing you need to do is get respect from your students. On or before the first day of class, start a rumor around school that you killed a kid at your last teaching job. There are many ways to do this, such as making anonymous phone calls to students, using your underground network of friends, or making a chapel announcement. When students fear you, they'll respect you.

2. Since you are teaching Old Testament, approach your class with the understanding that nothing you teach will actually be relevant to the students. I mean, Mark, It's the OLD Testament. This is HARDING University. Not the Yom Kippur Center for Kids Who Can't Slaughter Animals Good. In fact, on your syllabus, make it clear to the students that none of the information they will be taking in during your class will ever be useful in any way, shape or form. Stapled to the back of that syllabus should be H_____'s Discourse on Jesus and Grace. Followed by D_____'s review on said discourse (Well, H_____!).

3. As far as textbooks go, there was one good one I had in mind but I keep forgetting what it's called. Wait, i think I remember now. Aww man I lost it. Maybe it'll come back later. I know you'll want to take a scholarly approach to the Old Testament, so you need look no further than the greatest OT scholar of our time, Max Lucado. I mean, seriously, if you aren't just enlightened and captivated by his superior intellect and skill, you have no soul. Oh, hey, I finally remember the name of that textbook! It's called....THE BIBLE.

All joking aside, I know you'll do a great job. I look forward to your visit in a week!

-Robert