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Being a school governor |
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Being a Change-activist School Governor
Mike Simmonds from "CARE for Education" shares his enthusiasm for governing and encourages Christians to get
involved in this challenging but rewarding role.
Each
school in our country is a cameo of society with many kinds of family
situations and backgrounds represented in the learning community.
Every school is a place where God can work. That is why I would
encourage you to become a change-activist school governor.
Almost
anyone can be a governor
School governing brings together a group of lay people often with
little experience of education because, as Joan Sallis says, ‘Schools need the precious light of ordinariness to shine
upon them’. There is genuine value in people who understand the
needs of the community contributing to the life of the school. Who
better than an ordinary ‘spirit-filled’ Christian to fulfil that
role! Of course governors need training and time to learn about
their role. For Christians the challenge will be more than the
paperwork and meetings. Their focus
will be to ‘bring out the God-colours in the world’, by engaging with people, demonstrating their
faith and contributing a distinctively Christian view at the right
times.
Almost
every school has vacancies
Governing
is time consuming
Most
governing bodies do not have a full complement of governors and have
been like that for some time. Everyone has many demands on their
time and talents. Education is not everyone’s cup of tea; a sense
of calling is essential. But there are many Christians who could use
the gifts and experience God has given them for the benefit of their
local school. To do the job well is time consuming. There is a
steep learning curve, lots to read and many issues to think through.
There are meetings to attend, relationships to build and a school to
participate in. Churches who recognise this role as a ministry to the
community often release governors from church activities to enable
them to give time to their school.
Almost
all schools are influenced by secularism
Governing
is a means of transformation
Among
the 7000 schools in England that have a religious character, there
are shining examples of church schools who put their Christian
foundation into practice. But the Dearing report on Church Schools
found that others are hardly different to the community schools
around them. Whether we are involved in church or maintained schools,
we live at a time when even many Christians in education are
influenced by secularisation. It has been fascinating to see how
this government has borrowed the language of ‘transformation’ and
‘mission’ in talking about schools. Ethos and values have become
the staple diet of educationalists. But we must not be taken in by
the language; secularism is still the dominant flavour of education.
Christian governors who are able to integrate their faith with their
governing can become a catalyst for change in all schools.
Transformation does not happen overnight and will not always be obvious.
The change-activist challenge is to make a positive Christian
contribution that is firmly rooted in a good relationship with the
school.
Almost
all governors’ meetings need improving
Governing
can make an impact
A
diversity of governors can lead to colourful or discordant meetings.
Christians can be as much a part of the problem as the solution.
Chairing and contributing to meetings are skills that need to be
learned and can be a key way of influencing a school. Governors need
wisdom. Single issue governors easily become irritating to their
colleagues. We need to engage in a variety of issues, choose when to
speak up, question and challenge and learn to recognise when it is
better to remain silent.
Almost
all headteachers need more support than they get
Governing
creates opportunity for ‘critical friends’
Governors
are there to be a critical friend to the school - to offer support,
constructive advice and a sounding board for ideas. But they also
need to challenge, ask questions, improve proposals and so seek to
arrive at the best solution for the school. A Christian governor who
is a true critical friend of the school will take every opportunity
to demonstrate the compassion and love of Christ in a secular
environment whilst responsibly challenging what is not of God.
Almost
all children are in need of a Christian influence
Governing
is the strategic way of creating opportunity
Despite
10,000 young people attending ‘Soul Survivor’ each summer many of
our churches are no longer places where young people can be found. As
George Carey put it, the church is one generation from extinction.
But 99% of young people spend 11 years at school. Schools are
institutions where children learn and are influenced, have their
capacities developed, and change in a variety of ways. Schools are
increasingly becoming a significant resource at the heart of the
community. A Christian influence is needed at all levels of our
school structures - especially governing. Neither the pleading of
God’s people through intercessory prayer nor implicit faith in God
is usually enough to bring about transformation. God has a habit of placing
people in strategic positions and of being committed to using the most
unlikely individual.
The
church has professionalised this sense of calling. We celebrate those
who receive a call to ministry or missionary activity, but we forget
that the vast majority of Christians walk with God every day of their
lives. As Queen Esther was challenged: ‘Who knows but that you have
come to your position for such a time as this?’ The proximity of
Esther to the political arena of her day made a strategic and lasting
difference to the history
of the world. Governors likewise can have a significant influence in
education. Local schools need change-activist
governors who ‘take Jesus into the school everyday’. Are you
willing to take up the challenge?
To find out more about governing,
get hold of the book. Become a change-activist School Governor by Mike
Simmonds and Carol Dadswell. This can be obtained by
contacting CARE for Education on 023 9261 0689 or emailing:
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For more resources for Christians in Schools, visit the Care_For_Education_Website
Article Used by Permission
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