Christian teachers in the secular government system

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February 2007

Christian teachers in the secular government system

Heather and James teach at a Senior Secondary School but both have previous experience in the 7-10 area. James teaches Workplace Mathematics and pre-tertiary Mathematics and Heather teaches computing subjects and is a part time Librarian. They have been members of the Anglican community for about 15 years but became very committed about 10 years ago. Joan Harvey interviewed Heather and James about their experiences.

Joan Harvey: How does being a Christian affect your teaching?

James: There can be a lot of non-Christian influences in the classroom, such as swearing and putting each other down, especially in the Workplace Maths group. Without justifying the behaviour, being a Christian enables me to show more patience and tolerance in those instances.

Heather: I'm conscious that I can't overtly discuss faith unless specifically asked. In Pastoral Care situations I can draw on Christian values when counselling or discussing issues.

JH: What are the boundaries related to religion in a Government school?

James: All faiths are equally welcome and we need to be ready to listen to them.

Heather: We can let it be known that we are Christians, but duty of care means that we cannot promote one belief at the exclusion of others.

James: It is the same as with politics - we need to give a balanced view.

Heather: I can talk about my beliefs if it is a discussion initiated by students. A couple of years ago a computer student ran an intranet chat page about how hard she was finding it as a Mormon. This generated quite a follow up and I was asked about my faith. In that instance I felt I could state what I believed as a Christian.

A few years ago there were three car accident deaths in the weeks leading to the examinations. Another Anglican on the staff organised some Christian memorial services. They were advertised to all students and staff, and attendance was voluntary.

JH: The College has had a chaplain for a couple of years. Has this made a difference to the way you can be a Christian in the school setting?

James: The chaplain is a Christian, but he could be of any faith under the proposed federal government's sponsorship. He helps with spiritual counselling, deals with personal issues and relationship problems, and is available to help with Christian guidance if approached.

Heather: He has run a Christian group which meets at lunchtimes, and has organised mission activities within the College. I help by being an active member of his supporting Local Chaplaincy Committee and I use him to help pastorally when I sense personal issues affecting any in my predominantly male computer classes.

JH: Have you noticed a difference in your approach to teaching in the last 10 years since you became such committed Christians?

James: We always had Christian values without recognising that Christ was at the centre. Knowing that God loves everyone helps me to better interact successfully with them. I work in a team of two teachers and a teacher aide, but I know that God is also very much a part of this team. Many students come without their biros so I always have a few to lend. One has 'Jesus loves me' on it - this one is always returned!

Heather: I now don't worry as much as I know that I can always hand my troubles over to God. I also know that God loves and encourages us to find Jesus in all we encounter. I make a point at the beginning of the year to find something in every student that I can like. At the end of each day James and I talk about particular students and staff for whom we have concerns. We incorporate these concerns into our prayers.

	The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search
	a healthy church...transformingLIFE
	Home About Contact us News Issues Parishes Prayer Calendar Youth Resources

				February 2007

		Christian teachers in the secular government system Heather and James teach at a Senior Secondary School but both have previous experience in the 7-10 area. James teaches Workplace Mathematics and pre-tertiary Mathematics and Heather teaches computing subjects and is a part time Librarian. They have been members of the Anglican community for about 15 years but became very committed about 10 years ago. Joan Harvey interviewed Heather and James about their experiences. *Joan Harvey*: How does being a Christian affect your teaching? James: There can be a lot of non-Christian influences in the classroom, such as swearing and putting each other down, especially in the Workplace Maths group. Without justifying the behaviour, being a Christian enables me to show more patience and tolerance in those instances. Heather: I'm conscious that I can't overtly discuss faith unless specifically asked. In Pastoral Care situations I can draw on Christian values when counselling or discussing issues. *JH:* What are the boundaries related to religion in a Government school? James: All faiths are equally welcome and we need to be ready to listen to them. Heather: We can let it be known that we are Christians, but duty of care means that we cannot promote one belief at the exclusion of others. James: It is the same as with politics - we need to give a balanced view. Heather: I can talk about my beliefs if it is a discussion initiated by students. A couple of years ago a computer student ran an intranet chat page about how hard she was finding it as a Mormon. This generated quite a follow up and I was asked about my faith. In that instance I felt I could state what I believed as a Christian. A few years ago there were three car accident deaths in the weeks leading to the examinations. Another Anglican on the staff organised some Christian memorial services. They were advertised to all students and staff, and attendance was voluntary. *JH:* The College has had a chaplain for a couple of years. Has this made a difference to the way you can be a Christian in the school setting? James: The chaplain is a Christian, but he could be of any faith under the proposed federal government's sponsorship. He helps with spiritual counselling, deals with personal issues and relationship problems, and is available to help with Christian guidance if approached. Heather: He has run a Christian group which meets at lunchtimes, and has organised mission activities within the College. I help by being an active member of his supporting Local Chaplaincy Committee and I use him to help pastorally when I sense personal issues affecting any in my predominantly male computer classes. *JH:* Have you noticed a difference in your approach to teaching in the last 10 years since you became such committed Christians? James: We always had Christian values without recognising that Christ was at the centre. Knowing that God loves everyone helps me to better interact successfully with them. I work in a team of two teachers and a teacher aide, but I know that God is also very much a part of this team. Many students come without their biros so I always have a few to lend. One has 'Jesus loves me' on it - this one is always returned! Heather: I now don't worry as much as I know that I can always hand my troubles over to God. I also know that God loves and encourages us to find Jesus in all we encounter. I make a point at the beginning of the year to find something in every student that I can like. At the end of each day James and I talk about particular students and staff for whom we have concerns. We incorporate these concerns into our prayers.