‘But what can I do?’

But what can I do?

Richard Coton, CVE Scotland Secretary and former Head Teacher, shares his experience

I could still take you to that spot today. It was a beautiful sunlit May evening. I was walking across a park beside the river, back to my university digs. Having become a Christian at uni 18 months before, I was wrestling over what to do for the rest of my life — and talking to God about it as I walked. “Umm, I could become a teacher, and eventually a headteacher, and run a school on Christian lines?” I suggested to Him. And I got the distinct feeling that God agreed with my idea.

That conversation with God pretty much set the tone for my teaching career: always within bounds of what was legally and contractually permissible, I looked for ways to help young people discover God’s kingdom for themselves. There are so many ways in which you can do this as a Christian teacher — and the great news is that the legal and contractual permissions haven’t changed! Yes, you’ll now get more peer pressure to keep quiet as a Christian — but the educational rationale for helping children and young people to get to grips with the possibility of spiritual reality is actually much more compelling than in the past.

Dorothy L Sayers, the great social critic and literary historian, described the freedoms, rights and privileges of Western society as a necklace of pearls held together, almost invisibly, by the string of Christianity: remove the string and everything that we all hold dearest in our society falls apart. That’s pretty much where we’re at. Brexit shows just how the structure of our society is disintegrating, and how divided Britain is. In so many areas of life (not just politics) “division” – and the pain that comes with it – could define 2019: a growing divide between well-off and deprived, suspicion about race, fragmented families, unstable relationships, angst around gender and identity….

“As people think within themselves, so they are” (Proverbs 23:7). Our schools are generally good at helping children and young people develop values. A 2017 Survey^[1] identified Respect as the most common school value, followed by Learning, Excellence, Responsibility and Community. But, as Brexit is showing us, what we believe fundamentally influences what we value. Values education on its own is a sticking plaster. Brexit has laid bare how dissatisfied people are with life. A change in relationship with Europe won’t solve their problems. Our schools must help children and young people to explore differing beliefs, meet people whose beliefs and ideals guide their lives, decide for themselves. It’s more important than ever before.

And the great news is, the Scottish Government agrees with us! “As a Government we recognise the substantial and enduring influence of the Christian faith in transforming and inspiring Scotland’s people and culture. Faith-based education…. has an important part to play in the development of our young people as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors.”^[2]

So what have been some of the approaches I’ve found most helpful? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter this week to find out. Asking God to send a Christian Head Teacher. Field trips to Africa. Even a visit from one of the 10 human beings who walked on the moon. There are so many exciting stories to tell!

But what is the best way to bring Christian values into school? Be really great in your calling as a teacher, being salt as well as light. It will start in small ways: you’ll be a great colleague who cares and never gossips, an inspirational teacher who looks out for every member of your class, a volunteer who makes a difference through extracurricular activities.

Start there and prepare to be amazed at the opportunities God will open up for you — if you’re up for His challenge. The Lord just keeps on opening doors; I could not have imagined in advance some of the places that He would lead me. Quite literally: I once found myself in a building used for “Re-education” by the East German Secret Police … but that’s another story!

And remember that conversation I had with God at university? Well, 28 years later (through a remarkable set of “God-incidences”) I was appointed headteacher of a school that I’d never even heard of – which became one of the most influential secondary schools in Scotland.

The approaches Richard has found helpful in bringing Christian values into school, which will be posted on social media this week, will also be published as Practical Tips on this website at the end of the week.

[1] https://curriculumforequity.org/2017/10/18/school-values-in-scotland/

[2] Letter to CVE Scotland from the Scottish Government, 23 September 2015