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Robert Firman
Graduate Admissions
December 11, 2012
Three Value Commitments That Will Guide Me As An Educator
I have the conviction that God is, and that He created the Universe. All things begin
from Him and are subject to Him. His creation has purpose and destiny of which humanity is a
major player. The first value I will hold as an educator is that each human being is of immense
worth because they are, each one, created in the image of God. Each person has a destiny to
fulfill which is of eternal significance. My commitment as an educator is to guide and encourage
my students (with the above mentioned value in mind) through my example, my life experience,
and through the material that I present. I understand that my life message and its delivery will be
shaped according to the environment. The message is always the same: you are valuable, you
have purpose, you are loved, and it is to be tailored corporately and individually.
The second value I will hold, is that God has given each person gifts and talents to excel
at in life for His glory. As an educator, I will teach with the conviction and understanding that
He has gifted me to work with young people. This has been growing in me for some time now.
Opportunities to teach young people have borne this out with the enthusiasm and life that wells
up in me in teaching situations and the responses I see from the kids. Along with gifting comes
responsibility; I will teach with the conviction that I am honoring God with what He has given
me and excelling at it. I will also teach with the conviction that He has given to each student
gifts and talents that need to be developed so they can excel in life and contribute to it as

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God would have them to. One aspect of my role, and the second commitment I will hold as an
educator, is to help my students discover, as best I can within my field of instruction, what those
gifts are.
This leads to the third value: knowledge in whatever field, always points to the truth.
However, this needs to be cultivated, and there are proper ways to go about directing one
towards discovery. As such, it is my commitment as an educator to provide tools and guidance
toward achieving this end. For example, I see the application of critical thinking as integral with
the subject being taught and discussed. As an educator, it is important to make relevant to the
student the material at hand. The student must see that there is a higher purpose for learning than
simply passing the course so they can fulfill requirements. They must see that the material they
are learning holds value for discovery and application throughout their lives, contributing to their
betterment as human beings. The way I can help accomplish these things for each student is to
demonstrate that I care for them. I can do this: (1) by knowing the subject at hand and presenting
the material in relevant and creative ways; and (2) by treating each student with dignity- showing
by my words and actions that they are highly valued; they matter and have a significant place in
this world. There is no greater power than love, and if students know their teacher cares for them
and has their best interests in mind, they will respond.
A large part of educations goal is accomplished by simply caring as I have defined
above. That is, when a person is nurtured in a caring environment where the truth is taught, they
can go forth into life fortified with powerful tools that enable them to effect positive change
where needed and contribute to the ongoing well-being of humanity.