Emma Lander

"I think other staff simply see me as me... they see what I believe as a natural part of who I am."

What led you into becoming a teacher?

When I was at school I thought about becoming a teacher, but so many people warned me off that I put it to the back of my mind! Whilst I was at university I had lots of ideas of things I wanted to do so I arranged work experience placements, such as at a television production company, but hated all of them. Then in my second year, I decided to take part in a tutoring scheme run by my university, where you went into a school as a volunteer classroom assistant once a week. I was hooked. Whenever I had tried any other job everything felt wrong and somehow uncomfortable, but when I was in the classroom, with young people it sort of just 'clicked' and felt natural and I knew it was what I should look to do as a career.

Would you describe this process as a calling or a vocation?

I think that teaching has to be a calling or a vocation because of the amount of emotional energy involved and the amount you have to care about your students' futures if you are going to be good at what you do. God has given me a real heart for young people - to the extent I couldn't see myself doing anything else.

In what ways do you think you have made a difference to the lives of your pupils?

For so many young people the only Christians they meet are those they meet at school. I think it is really important, as Christians, to be open with students and create an atmosphere of tolerance and respect. I teach English which focuses a lot on viewpoints and interpretations - I think it is only fair that students know where I come from so that they can form their own opinions on the interpretations I give them. But I make sure that my pupils know that they don't have to agree with me.

Has being a Christian made any difference to your relationships with other staff?

I think other staff simply see me as me; I am open about my involvement in church but I don't preach at anyone so they see what I believe as a natural part of who I am. It does mean that we have different viewpoints on some issues, although if I respect their standpoint then they will usually respect mine.

How does being a Christian help you to cope with the challenges of teaching today?

When the job gets stressful, as it inevitably does, God is the one who helps you see through the problem or helps you solve it. On the bad days, when a particular student has acted up and you really want to tell a child exactly what you think of them, God reminds you that He loves them and that your reaction is more about you than them.

Its funny, but I think I have gained more respect from pupils from being honest and having a moral standpoint, than by trying to sit on the fence. If pupils see you being honest and fair, the resulting respect means that you can build a relationship with them, making classroom management easier; though not necessarily a walk in the park.

What would you say to a Christian who was thinking about going into teaching?

If you think it's what God wants you to do, then do it. It is hard work, but the rewards are worth it.

Could you use one sentence to sum up what it means to you to be a Christian teacher?

I have a job where I know I am making a difference to young peoples' lives.