What makes a science teacher with a Biblical worldview different from a secular science teacher? As a Christian, what are the things I want my high school students to know? And more importantly, what is the Big Story I’m telling?

I took a break from my teaching at one point to pursue further studies. While studying, I worked part-time as a waiter. I missed many things about the teaching environment: interacting with colleagues, watching students learn, preparing for class, and sometimes even grading. Yet, there was one thing I did not miss at all: I NEVER had to take work home!

Faith is not the declining force that some secularists believe or indeed desire it to be. Even here in the UK, we have our growing and vibrant black-led churches; increasingly present mosques, temples and gurudwaras; and believers arriving from Eastern and Central Europe.

The Government has tried to work hard to lift FE into the political spotlight – as the Education Secretary said last year in a stern voice “FE is not Forgotten Education. It is Further Education“.  The sentiment is commendable, but the reality remains that most of the UK population have no real idea of the incredible depth and range of FE provision in the community and this stands equally true for our churches.

Mainstream culture, including that of many schools, has moved from being indifferent to Christianity – seeing it as outdated or irrelevant – to now seeing aspects of it as damaging and even dangerous. Admitting to being a Bible believing Christian is hard for an educator, especially when accusations of holding ‘ideologies that want to close minds or narrow opportunity’ abound, and ‘muscular liberalism’ is promoted by Ofsted. 

Almost 18 years ago, I set out on a long (and winding) drive to West Wales. It was a trip that would come to be the most profoundly important journey in my life as a young adult.

The subject of transgenderism, especially with respect to children, has frequently been in the news over the past few months. It is a subject which invokes a variety of emotional responses and needs to be addressed wisely and with compassion. I will attempt to give a brief overview of the subject and suggest some further reading.

So many of us need to connect with others who understand the challenges we face as Christian teachers. Sometimes even those in our churches struggle to comprehend the unique pressures Christians face in our schools. In our recent enforced isolation, the opportunities for divine connection could be reduced. But we know the Lord wants us to find vital, inspiring connections, which supply our souls, and help us to do our work joyfully and courageously as his body.

Failures. Setbacks. Obstacles

When we read these words, feelings of sadness, defeat, and pain may rush to the surface as we recall challenging situations. They aren’t always easy to think about, are they?

Graham Coyle, EurECA Chairman