Approach one: JUSTICE
Scripture: ‘And what has the Lord required of you? To act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your (God’ Micah 6:8.)
Idea: Work with the school (staff and students) to pick a charity that is working to improve an area of injustice in the world (some suggestions are below). Develop an art installation that communicates something of the need that the charity meets. Design this to be something where students can learn about the issue, see it as they walk past everyday and respond in some way. For example, you could get some branches and plant them in a plant pot making it look like an indoor tree. You could hang stories about the issue on leaves on the tree for students to read and have blank leaves for students to write their own hopes or prayers on. There could also be leaves on the tree for students to take away with creative ideas for ways to respond to the need (colour-code or secure the ones you do not want to be taken away). To keep it fresh it should be changed or updated at regular intervals and referred to in other areas of school life.
Question: How can we engage students with issues of justice as part of a more regular rhythm of their daily life in school?
Links: Stop The Traffik (www.stopthetraffik.org ); IF (www.enoughfoodif.org ); Rhythms (www.rhythms.org ).
Approach two: SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT
Scripture: ‘Then Elijah was told, “Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by.” A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn’t to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn’t in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn’t in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper’ (1 Kings 19:11-12.)
Idea: Apart from a moment of occasional silence in assembly, a fire drill or a minute’s silence on the 11th November, there is very little space for students to be still and reflectively quiet during the school day (i.e. when it is not about working in silence in class). When given the opportunity however, in an interesting and safe way, students relish the chance to sit with their thoughts and ideas and allow their imaginations to be let loose. Talk to the school about the idea of introducing silence as a regular part of the life of the school. You could work with tutors to give time for silence each morning - and perhaps provide them with a question or reflection. Or create a quiet space somewhere in the school for break times and lunch. You could even think about setting up a special ‘reflection’ zone for students somewhere in the school, or look at developing a text service that sends a reflective question to students once a week asking them to take the space and time to think about it.
Question: How can we challenge students to find space to explore their spiritual development in a way that connects and stays with them longer than the seven minutes in your assembly?
Approach three: THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT
Scripture: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28.)
Idea: In every school you go to, the pastoral support for students varies tremendously. There is one thing that is common to most schools however, and that is the stigma which can exist for students who are accessing support - they can sometimes be the victim of teasing and bullying. In truth, most students need support of some kind or another during their school lives. How about working with the school to develop a section on the school website where students could access sound advice on everything from self-harming to being scared to come to school. It could be some well put together links to professional national charities which specialise in one particular area, or if there is a counsellor or professional support available in your school, to put together your own support pages and give students the option to book one to one appointments online with an advisor in the school. Once you’ve created the web pages, the text could also be used in creative ways around school corridors or in student toilets.
Question: How can we offer students the space to find support where and when they need it?
Be encouraged to go into this new school year with a refreshed sense of what is possible and what God is saying about your input in schools. For more ideas and to add your own, visit www.schoolswork.co.uk .
