Why do you do what you do...

By Andy Callow

At Belgrave Pool recently, I was adjusting my goggles prior to starting my laps. The young man in the lane next to me began talking to some people standing nearby, that he obviously knew.  He told them that he was rapt because he had just found out that he had been accepted into a teacher training course.  They congratulated him … then a pause … then just before I dived forward, one older man asked “Are you sure you want to do that?”

As I (slowly!) churned my way down the pool, that question, and the negative tone in which it was asked, occupied my thinking.  Why would anyone want to be a school teacher?  

I asked the same question when I spoke at our first gathering as a staff team last week.  Whether part of our maintenance team, the office staff, bus drivers, learning assistants or teachers … why choose to work in a school? There are plenty of other jobs that demand less patience, tolerance and energy.

Even more importantly, why here at BHCS? Is it just a random thing that each person on our staff team is here, in this place, at this time?

These are some of the written responses I received from the people that you trust with your children:-

I'm passionate about the ethos and community that is BHCS. 

To help build a genuine community, centered around our faith and connection with others .

To equip students with life skills and to see students become all that they can be. 

Working in admin, I truly appreciate the caring and loving environment of which we are a part. It makes coming to work each day easy.

I want to encourage students who think they can't do Maths, to not only pass Maths, but to do well and enjoy it.

I love the freedom and encouragement to speak about Jesus and helping kids realise their artistic potential.

To inspire a passion and love for God’s creation: the environment and the living organisms within it.

I'm passionate about helping kids to reach their full potential and I really like to help the kids who are struggling or are on the edges.

I want to help students get the scores they need to get into the course they want.

To make a difference in the world and help people.

Love children and creating a positive atmosphere for them to learn.

To be the person who I would want to have been there for me.

To see children get a fair chance to be the best they can be and feel proud of who they are.

It gives me great joy when I connect with a student and see them succeed in something.

Ultimately I want to make school a fun/safe place where kids want to go. I am here because God wants me here.

I want students to look back at their schooling years and think, that was a great school to go, to be educated in mind, body and spirit.

… and these are only a sample of what people wrote.

As we begin the educational journey together in 2016 may I assure you that your children are in good hands.  We are so blessed to have such a talented, enthusiastic and devoted staff team who view their role as an invitation to work with God in one of His schools i.e. a vocation, not merely a job.  Bring it on!