What led you into schools work?

After finishing university I taught for a few years in a small primary school in Northern Ireland. In that job there were great opportunities to teach children about the Bible – my school had a Christian head teacher and a strong Christian ethos. I really enjoyed that but was aware that not all schools were the same, and many other children did not have the same opportunities that the children in my school had. Eventually I decided to leave my teaching job and go to the Evangelical Theological College of Wales (now WEST). I was not, at this stage, definite about my future. Rather I wanted to use the time to mature in my faith, to develop greater theological understanding and to consider what I should be doing with my life.

I stayed at ETCW for two years and really enjoyed being challenged by what I was taught in classes and by what I learned through observing those around me. Towards the end of the first year and throughout the second year I thought more about going back to work in schools, but this time as a Christian worker. I felt that I had done teacher training for a purpose and that I was suited for this type of work; I could combine my desire to teach the Bible to children with my professional training. To confirm this decision I did a placement with the schools team in the Birmingham City Mission and then began to look for an organisation that I could do similar work with. I soon came across ICE Wales (Initiatives in Christian Education) who did exactly the sort of work I was looking for and they were looking for a new worker to develop a schools work in the Swansea area.

What are the opportunities?

Schools are a mission field; buildings full of hundreds of children each day, many of whom have little knowledge of God. There are many opportunities to go into these schools; schools are required to hold collective worship (assemblies) for the children, and are also required to teach Religious Education. However, many teachers struggle with this as they are trying to teach a subject that they have little knowledge of and also because there are so many demands put on them. This means that they are grateful to have someone come in who is willing to help them fulfil the demands of the curriculum. There is also an increasing feeling that we need to go back to teaching children Christian morals, as this is something that has been neglected.

Also, schools are constantly thinking of inspections and want to satisfy criteria that they know the inspectors will be looking for. At the minute, inspectors are looking for involvement of the local community in schools – they want to see that schools have visitors coming in from outside to speak to the children. They are also looking for increased story telling in schools, as this has been lacking in recent years, and for the schools to be concerned for the spiritual and mental well-being of their pupils. These are all things that we can help with.

Finally, schools are under increasing pressure to provide after school care for children. This means that they are offering an ever widening range of after school clubs. Anyone who is willing to come in and offer an after school club free of charge, which will broaden what they can offer, is welcome!

What does your job involve?

My work consists of a mixture of assemblies, R.E. classes and lunchtime/after school clubs. Mostly assemblies are taken on a monthly basis – in some schools I can teach whatever I like, while in others I fit in with a theme set by the school. The clubs are held in about six schools on a weekly basis and the children come to them voluntarily. We usually play a game, sing a chorus, have a story, learn a memory verse and do an activity to reinforce what has been learned. R.E lessons can be taught on a weekly basis but I also do blocks of lessons which teach the big picture of the Bible to children and, at special times of the year, additional lessons can be available.

What are the challenges?

There are many opportunities in schools but there are also a few things that it is wise not to do. We cannot tell children what they must believe or say that other religions are wrong. This means that, for me, one of the greatest challenges is faithfully portraying what I believe to be the truth, and teaching the children something that is real and worthwhile, while, at the same time, not saying anything that will close the door of the school to me and to other Christian workers. It is great to know that salvation comes from God and that it comes when people hear His word. We can teach children the Bible and trust that the words we teach them are powerful and that God can take His word and work in the lives of children.

What advice would you give to a Christian interested in schools work, either as a volunteer or part-time or full-time paid work?

Working in schools is a great privilege and a great opportunity but it is also a responsibility. What you do will affect how the children view Christianity, how the staff view Christianity and whether or not the school will be open to Christians in the future. It is about what you are, as well as what you teach.

If anyone is interested in working in schools I would advise that they link with an organisation or a church which has experience and who can help you get started. Also, be willing to have some training and chat to others who know more about it than you do. Finally, have prayer support. We can go into schools and do all sorts of things but it will not be any use without God’s help, and without the Holy Spirit working in the lives of the children and staff.

What has encouraged you most recently?

I am always encouraged when I see children who are enthusiastic about what I teach them and who are happy to come to my classes, especially those who come voluntarily to after school clubs! I can see development and growth in understanding from some who come regularly, and that is particularly encouraging. It is also great when children ask really thoughtful questions. One of the biggest problems that we face as Christians is apathy – it is the inability to get people to think seriously about God and His word. It says in the Bible that those who seek God will find Him and so I love to see children really thinking and trying to understand God and how He works in the world. When children ask questions, we are able to answer them and so this provides us with really good opportunities. Sometimes children ask me if what I teach them is true, which again gives me an opportunity to encourage them to read the Bible for themselves and to think about it.

Finally, the comments which teachers make are encouraging. It is good to have certain schools express their appreciation for what has been done for their children, and insist that it must happen again next year. It is generally believed that schools only grudgingly accept the teaching of Christian things in schools. This may be true in some cases but is certainly not true in all.

How can we pray for our local schools?

Many schools will have some sort of Christian influence, whether it is a Christian teacher or a Christian worker who comes in. Pray for these people, that they will be given wisdom and protection and that they will have great opportunities to share their faith.

Pray for the staff of the schools. Pray that they will be open to the teaching of the Bible in their schools and will see its benefits for their children. Pray that what they hear will remind them of things that, perhaps, they learned in their own childhood. Pray also for the children. Pray that they will be taught many truths which will stick with them and come back to their minds again and again. Pray that they will be affected by the love and example of Christian living that they see, and pray most of all that God will do a work in their hearts and that this might be the generation that will seek God until they find Him.

Carolyn Patterson works for Initiatives in Christian Education (ICE) and Lonlas Gospel Mission, Skewen, Neath.