Yearbook Interview: Mr. Pruitt, High School Bible Teacher

Mr. Pruitt’s Classroom, Photo by Robbie Pruitt, © August 2011

The students, and the teacher, of the yearbook class asked the following questions as part of an interview series on teachers, which will published in the 2011-2012 Quisqueya Christian School yearbook. Here is their interview of me:

Yearbook Interview: Mr. Pruitt, High School Bible Teacher
Name: Robbie Pruitt (Mr. Pruitt)
Grades: Bible 10, 11A, 11B, and 12

What is your favorite subject to teach? Why?

My favorite subject to teach is Bible. I cannot imagine teaching any other subject, except for maybe theology, literature, or poetry, but I would rather teach the Bible. I am passionate about God’s word. I feel like I know the Bible pretty well, or well enough to begin teaching it, but there is so much more to learn and know. This is part of why I love God’s Word so much. You can spend a lifetime learning and teaching it and never grow tired or bored of all that is there. Within the pages of scripture, we discover the God of the universe. How awesome is that?

What do you enjoy the most about teaching? Why?

What I enjoy the most about teaching is being a part of the process of someone coming to know Jesus through His Word. I like watching the “light bulbs” go on when someone learns something new. It is very gratifying. To think that someone can have God illuminated for them through my teaching is an amazing thing; it is a monumental opportunity and a tremendous responsibility. I love it!

What did your students enjoy the most? What was their favorite part of class?

This is a great question, and I am not too sure that I am the one who should answer it. I imagine some students would say that they enjoyed when my class was over, while others would say that they enjoyed how they came to know the Bible and the God of the Bible and that this profoundly transformed their lives. Some students would say they enjoyed learning “The Happy Dance,” or my jokes, or my singing. Some students may have enjoyed the music I played before class, or the stellar Power Points. Many students may have appreciated that I seemed to have a YouTube illustration for everything. It depends on the student, I imagine, and it depends on the class. In all seriousness, these are amazing and bright students at Quisqueya Christian School, who love Jesus. They genuinely enjoy learning, coming to know Jesus, and growing in their faith. It is a blessing to teach them!

Why did you come to Haiti?

I came to Haiti, because my wife, Irene, and I felt that God was calling us to come here. It has always been a desire of mine to teach, and I love the Bible. I also love youth ministry and have spent most of my life in youth ministry. Teaching Bible to High School Students in an amazing, dynamic, and culturally rich country, like Haiti, is like a dream job come true for me.

Why did you become a teacher?

I became a teacher for many reasons. God commands us all to teach in The Great Commission, see Matthew 28:18-20. I love to learn. I like to watch other people come to understand information that they previously never understood before. I am passionate about seeing transformation occur in people’s lives through learning. One of my spiritual gifts is teaching; see Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12. Finally, many teachers have helped introduce me to Jesus, and have helped me to grow in Him. These teachers have influenced my life for the better and I want to be a teacher like that.