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 As a new school year begins, a newly appointed headteacher, Linda Coveney, reflects on the way her faith influences her work in education. Recently appointed as a school headteacher, Linda has been a member of Shenley Christian Fellowship since she arrived with her family in Milton Keynes in 1993. She is married to a music teacher, and has two student-aged children.
It’s September – back to school time (Oh yes, and that must also be the time for the English weather to improve!). I am just about to begin my new role as a headteacher in a local infant and nursery school. I am so excited by this opportunity; but I am also very mindful of the huge responsibility that this position brings with it.
When thinking about what to write at this stage of the school year, I was drawn to the thought that I intend to offer a good education at my school; but what is a “good education”?
The last government repeatedly used the phrase “Education, Education, Education” to underline their belief in its importance. They knew that we have to get it right in schools to make a difference for our children when they become adults.
The days are long gone when a “good education” simply meant teaching the “3Rs” of reading, writing and arithmetic to all children, in the hope that most will leave school strong in those areas. Don’t get me wrong, these basic skills should still have a very high priority. However, I believe a good education is effective in helping every child to achieve their potential. I have taught many children in my career. Even at the young age of the children in my care, I see that some have the potential to become “academics” – they find learning relatively easy. On the other hand, some children learn better with their hands and may well become the plumbers and hairdressers of the next generation. Our world needs all of these people, so schools need to help children to choose the right direction for their lives and give them the skills they need to get there.
Wow! What a daunting task I have ahead of me!
In 2003, the Government introduced the Every Child Matters agenda. This came about as a result of the investigation into the death of Victoria Climbié. Its main aim is to ensure that children are cared for and that none “slips through the net”. In its simplest form, good teachers have always known that “Every Child Matters”. Their care and concern for every area of each individual child’s life has always been their highest priority. In my mind this is at the heart of a good education.
 Ready for the children - a classroom in Linda's school “Then children were brought to him [Jesus] that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’ And he laid his hands on them and went away.” (Matthew 19 v 13–15).
My faith will support me in my job as a headteacher. I do believe that God put me in this position and that he has a say in the decisions that I make on a daily basis, even if I often forget to acknowledge Him during a busy day at work.
At the start of this new school year, I pray that every child in Milton Keynes will have access to a good education, and that Christians in schools will be effective in their places of work. Some useful links about Christians and Education: Association of Christian Teachers Milton Keynes Bridgebuilder Trust |
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Our August blogger is Carly Monique Dissels. Carly is the newest member of Shenley Christian Fellowship. Her mother came from Indonesia (Java) and her father from Jordan but she has lived most of her life in the Netherlands. She came to Milton Keynes to make a new start in 2009. My life was full of sexual, emotional, physical and drug abuse.
Experiencing a lot of rejection and fear, I grew up to be a young lady who wanted so badly to be loved she would settle for any love, even if it meant to be beaten. I believed I must have done something terribly wrong for that was the punishment I was used to.
It was after facing death several times that I began to realise there must be a God looking after me! But why did I have to go through this? I just didn't understand. At my lowest point in life, my children were taken from me, I couldn't leave drugs and I needed to sell my body to be able to do what I wanted to do – abuse my own life, if I had any.
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 The SCF blog gives the opportunity for people in the Fellowship to share what's on their mind with a wider audience. July's blog is by Tricia Lock. Tricia originally comes from South Africa. She has muscular dystrophy, a condition which makes it difficult for her to get around.
I started going to Shenley Christian Fellowship shortly after moving to Milton Keynes in 2003. When I moved into a flat in Fishermead it was in quite a bad state. The person who had lived there previously had smoked for years and years, and there was nicotine on the walls and ceilings. It had permeated quite a few layers of paint and wallpaper. As I have muscular dystrophy, there was not much I could do about the situation.
That’s where my new church family stepped in. |
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Looking forward whilst looking back |
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.jpg "Tim Simmonds") The SCF blog gives the opportunity for people in the Fellowship to share what's on their mind with a wider audience. This month's blog is supplied by Tim Simmonds. A native of Staffordshire, Tim has just completed his training as a youth worker, for much of which he has been assigned to Shenley Christian Fellowship to gain practical youth work experience.
I am now nearing the end of my time in Milton Keynes. The three years seem to have gone very quickly. Since I finished The Oasis college course mid-May I have been thinking a lot about my time with Shenley Christian Fellowship and about two quotations I read just before I started my gap year, the year before I came here.
The first quotatation is from George Santayana, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’"If we don’t learn from the past we are going to make the same mistakes over and over! |
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The SCF blog gives the opportunity for people in the Fellowship to share what's on their mind with a wider audience. This month Ben Cutting kicks off with the World Cup in his sights, as well as some more local trophies.
 It’s not too often that I say I can’t wait for the football season to finish! In fact, it happens like a leap year, once every 4 years - World Cup Fever. June sees the biggest ever sporting event take place in South Africa - and most of the world will be watching. People from different backgrounds, races and cultures will come together and watch their country compete to be the world’s best, in the world’s most popular sport. Sounds amazing? Well, wouldn’t it be amazing if not only the world came together every 4 years but they came together every Sunday to worship Jesus and celebrate his victory! Yet some are blind. Some people will hate the World Cup while it’s on and will be shouting at their televisions, "Turn this off," while the people who want to watch will be fighting for it to stay on. If, when people told us to "turn this off!" about your faith, would you fight to keep it on?"
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 The SCF blog gives the opportunity for people in the Fellowship to share what's on their mind with a wider audience. Mike Jobling contributes (again) this month (largely because I left it too late to organise someone else!). An article published in the Los Angeles Times last year reported that many people nowadays suffer intermittently from a condition called choice fatigue. It’s basically a numbness of brain and inability to think, brought about by having to make too many choices.
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 The SCF blog gives the opportunity for people in the Fellowship to share what's on their mind with a wider audience. This month's contributor, Janice Clark, talks about the experience of dealing with ovarian cancer.
2009 was going to be a significant year for Richard and me. We moved from Hertfordshire to Great Holm in 2006 and had settled in happily, enjoying the locality with its walks and bird life, making new friends and finding plenty of opportunities to contribute and grow through our church, Shenley Christian Fellowship. In August 2009, Richard retired. We planned to travel to Greece and Mongolia, where our two oldest sons and their families live, and we looked forward to also spending time with other grandchildren in Bristol and our newly married son in Liverpool. However, in March, I began to feel unwell and, after various tests, ovarian cancer was diagnosed. There were tears, hugs and lots of questions. There still are. Chemotherapy began in July with its side effects taking their toll, then in September we were told the drug wasn’t doing what had been hoped so it was changed. There were then encouraging signs of the tumour shrinking but by mid-February came the blow that that drug also had stopped being effective and the cancer was active again. A new regime began on 1st March and only the Lord knows for how long it will go on.
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Looking forward to Spring |
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This month's blog comes from Hannah Dunkerley, who runs our Sunday morning creche and helps to lead Acorns, our parent and toddler group.  It feels a bit strange writing this in January and surrounded by snow. It seems we have had a proper winter this year, but how lovely to start looking forward to warmer and greener days. Spring is, of course, the season that symbolises a fresh start and new life. It is the season of hope.
As I was walking home from school with my children the other day my friend told me how much she loves the Springtime in England. She is originally from Poland and said that, after their long winters, Spring seems to come in overnight. It goes from one extreme to the other. An English Spring is a gradual process, she said, and it gives you time to enjoy everything.
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The January 2010 entry comes from Mike Cashman who is an SCF Trustee and our Head of Finance.  I’ve just seen a burnt area of semi-forest in the Mole National Park in Ghana. The park ranger explained that fresh grass grows a few weeks later, strong and nutritious, and attracts the wild animals.
What does this have to do with the New Year, the call of Abraham, and being a husband, father, Christian, church member, and professional roles as well? Well, let’s see…. In September 2008 our Church Leader Chris Doig preached on Genesis 12:1 , the call of Abraham which came when Abraham was comfortable and settled in Haran – Abraham heard God’s call and left his comfort zone. Later Abraham made a move to Egypt which appears to have been his own idea, and that didn’t work out too well. So, sometimes God calls us to move, and sometimes he calls us to stay, and it’s good to discern which way he is calling. In September 2009, after reflecting on this message, Charlotte (my wife) and I found ourselves in Ghana with Voluntary Service Overseas . Definitely out of the comfort zone. |
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Our Christmas blog comes from our Senior Church Leader, Chris Doig: There is no doubt about it: the pace of life quickens at this time of year.
.jpg "Regent St Christmas lights") Christmas lights in Regent St, London |
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