It’s GCSE results day. If you or someone in your family are getting your results, then I hope you have got the results that you were hoping for and working for.
I normally try and post something on results day with a focus on those getting their results. Primarily my aim is to encourage you, to say well done for your achievements and to also remind and reassure that the pressure is off. This is not the one day that determines everything in life. That’s important if you have not got the results you hoped for
However, today I want to mention that important group of people often forgotten today even though they played a key role, the teachers. Please indulge me for a moment. I’m the husband of a teacher. We have several teachers in our church. There are all kinds of myths around concerning the teaching profession. We hear that they only work 9-3, that they get lots of holiday etc. This is to miss the reality of what teaching is like. It can take up infinite time beyond the classroom.
Our culture puts a lot of pressure and expectations on teachers. This includes the implication that teachers are responsible for any under achievement, though of course not for those moments when a student exceeds expectations. A teacher and a school’s leadership team will be measured and rewarded or otherwise on results.
I wonder if the church counters that culture or feeds into it. I worry that sometimes, if not often it’s the latter. Are our conversations about our kids’ schools encouraging or complaining. How do we relate personally to teachers either as students or parents of students?
Additionally, there is the current push for Christian private education and Christian Classical Education. When you have church leaders and members pushing Christian schools and home schooling as the only options, what message does that place on our teachers. And I think we can give the impression that we expect Christian teachers to be culture warriors, evangelists, to do the work of nurturing and discipling Christian children whilst also delivering outstanding exam results.
So today my appeal is that we think about how we take that pressure off so that grace is reflected in our attitudes to teachers. This should include a commitment to praying for our teachers and it should include a thankfulness to all the teachers (and teaching assistants) that have been involved in teaching us and our children going right back to primary school.
Faithroots 