When St. Marcellin began formulating his plan for a teaching congregation of brothers, he included the unhappy incident of his first and only day of school as a youngster when an unqualified teacher slapped the boy next to Marcellin for speaking out without raising his hand. The negative act had a positive effect on the young Marcellin: teachers should not do this, rather, they should love all students equally; when the occasion arose, be firm, but always out of a love, today called "tough love", that would help the student become a good Christian and citizen. Discipline for the sake of good order made learning easier as the students would feel safe, secure, and know their limits. There was a period when brothers were known to have overreached their limits with physical punishment, but in the context of the times, was highly supported by parents. We live in a more gentle era now, and effective discipline does not have to rely on physical punishment.
Above all, the teacher whose example of practicing the commandments is the one who leaves a lasting imprint, showing in actions more powerful than words, how to live a good Christian life, .nurturing, guiding with patience and helping the student to reach his or her potential. This is a norm that applies not only for teachers, but for all of us who in some way, have an influence on others.
Bro. Rene
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