"Looking at a student means seeing beyond that person as a learner and thinking of the development of the whole child. It means considering all aspects of a child's personality 'works in progress.' It means showing them love and gentle guidance and acceptance. My faith calls me to be the most positive part of the day for many children." —Whose Child Left Behind? Why?, "All Denominational Survey," Public School Educator, Illinois Conference
The United Church of Christ's Public Education Task Force reported, "Education is a human endeavor of caring that depends on the dedication of teachers, principals, and other school staff. Learning best takes place in an environment where teacher and child have developed a personal relationship that makes each child feel valued... The single most important activity any church group can undertake to support public education is to find ways to nurture the primary positive relationship between child and teacher."
Worried about Scapegoating of Public School Teachers? Check out these reflections...
November 6, 2011: Michael Winerip, in the NY Times, reports that Tennessee's new test-based, teacher merit evaluation program rates all teachers based on math and reading scores. A middle school teacher of music or P.E. gets to choose whether to be evaluated on the math or reading test results, even though that teacher instructs in neither reading or math. Sound pretty crazy? Check out this article.
Rev. Dr. Art Cribbs,
pastor at the San Marino, California Congregational United Church of
Christ and former executive director of the UCC Office of Communication
and OC, Inc., shares this reflection
on the importance to his own family of his children's public school
teachers. "What's up with all this business about slamming teachers and
dumping on public education?" he asks.
March 31, 2011: Marie Myung-OK
Lee, who now teaches writing at Brown University, writes this tribute to two
high school English teachers in Hibbing, Minnesota, teachers who helped form her
as a person and as a writer: "What I Learned at
School."
June 3, 2010: The Rev. John Thomas, Senior Advisor to the President and Visiting Professor in Church Ministries, and former General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, shares his thoughts on faith, ministry, theological education and the public role of the church in the world. In this very moving blog, Rev. Thomas shares his reflections on the current public education debate, "It's Not OK to Hate Teachers."
June, 2010, Rethinking Schools editorial asks, "What's Up with All the Teacher Bashing?"
June 4, 2010, Mike Rose, UCLA professor and author of wonderful books on public education, Possible Lives and Why School?, just published a Los Angeles Times opinion piece, "A Lesson for Teachers: Learning to Teach Well is a Long Journey, and Not an Easy One."
May 5, 2010, United Church News Commentary explores the plight of public school teachers in this spring of state budget crises and also the anti-teacher policies of the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top.
Here is a resource to help your congregation support its public school teachers as federal policy proposals encourage mass firings of teachers.
School-Congregational Partnership
February 2012: Faith For Change provides this overview of a new Graduation Ministry Toolkit. Faith for Change staff will come to your congregation free of charge to train volunteers for your congregation's graduation ministry.
February 2011: Here is a school volunteer's story: Why I Think I’ll Be a School Volunteer Forever.
January 2011... Rev. Marja Coons-Torn, Conference Minister of the UCC's Penn Central Conference, wonders in United Church News: Do We Still Need Tutoring Programs? "I remember a time in the late seventies through the middle eighties when hundreds of churches were involved in after sschool tutoring programs. Is that still happening? ...It seems to me that the most important work a church could do in 2011 would be to make a difference in a child's life."
One of the best ways your church can support the teachers and students in a public school in your community is through a School-Congregational Partnership. Partnerships take many forms; the possibilities for ways to support the school are as wide as your imagination. What Can Your Church Do to Support Children and Their Public Schools? is a compilation of ideas for activities that can become part of your congregation's partnership with a local school.
Important Models for School-Community Partnership
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Hawaii UCC Congregation helps public school children learn that peace "begins with me." Rev. Jeannie Thompson, pastor of Kapaa United Church of Christ on the island of Kauai, gives thanks for the Aloha Peace Project, a ten-year ministry led by Ms. Laura Taylor. Aloha Peace Project volunteers visit public school classrooms to teach peace… peace for me… peace for us… peace for everyone… and peace for the planet. Children practice respecting themselves and others; appreciating and talking about their feelings; developing empathy; thinking before they act; working cooperatively; and rousing the power of the majority against bullies.
- Community Schools... The Coalition for Community Schools is a loose coalition of projects across the United States where community agencies partner with public schools to provide early education, health clinics right at school, and enriched after school and summer programs. These are the lighted school houses, open from early morning into the evening and on weekends. While a congregation rarely serves as the lead partner in a Community School, if your city has a group of Community Schools, your church can explore joining the coalition under the coordination of the lead agency, which will provide extensive institutional support in terms of fund-raising and service management.
The Children's Aid Society in New York City, with its National Technical Assistance Center for Community Schools (212) 569-2866), and extensive on-line resources, offers among the strongest models for Community Schools.
Another thriving Community Schools model is led by the United Way of Greater Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, where a key program leader is UCC public education activist, Emmajane Finney. Check out the story of this project, Community Schools--The United Way.
- One Church One School is a nationwide partnership initiative of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, which encourages congregations in any denomination to join One Church One School. Check out the website for program information or contact Executive Director, Ms. Phedonia Johnson ocos@onechurchoneschool.org, (773-651-00710).
Additional UCC Resources to Help Congregations Support Schools and Teachers
