31 August 2009 Last Updated on 20 May 2011 Shaun B

Teachers in Christian Schools to be Paid Less!

Often people come into our school and comment that there is something 'different' about it.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Of course there is something different and it is nice that they noticed! There are a lot of differences between us and the schools down the road, but I choose to first concentrate on our teachers.

Lately I have been wondering just how good it would be if staff at Christian schools were paid 10% less than their counterparts in the state sector. Now before you stop reading, I KNOW...I know this may be ridiculous and may not work for many reasons and I also know that our teachers should be worth much more than the public sector (reward in Heaven). However, I have been thinking...

What if we were paid less if we worked in a Christian School?

Tomorrow morning announce to your staff before devotions that the MoE is cutting salaries to all Christian School employees and watch. See who takes a copy of the Ed Gazette with them back to class.

The first thing I look for when I employ new staff is the 'Calling' factor, is this person called to teach in a Christian School. This stems from an interesting situation I found myself in a long time ago.

I had just graduated from Teacher's College and had applied for a teaching position at the best school I could have hoped to teach at. It was the dream job for a new graduate from the Christian Teacher's training centre I had attended for four years.

I got asked to come to an interview and all was going remarkably well until I was asked "How do you know you are 'CALLED' to teach at a Christian School and you are not 'CALLED' to be a Christian teacher in the state sector"? Did I want the job YES!...was I 'CALLED' to the job...I was not so sure.

A teacher or staff member who is 'called' to a Christian school is very different to someone who just wants to work at a Christian School! When it is all said and done, it comes down to accountability. Someone who feels accountable to their Maker tends to be a lot more teachable, committed and reliable that someone who is accountable to a contract with man. I am continually challenged by Matthew 18:5-6 where Jesus tells of the consequences of leading children astray, let's face it as a teacher there is great responsibility and accountability.

So when a new person comes into the school and comments that there is something different about our school, 'it just feels different', I take the time to explain to them the difference it makes in having teachers who are 'called' to teaching (could be as a Christian in the state sector...) and having teachers who come to school on Monday because it is where they work.

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Gloria Goris Stronks

|Author |2009-10-07 05:34:18

This is truly interesting. I have worked with teachers in Christian schools in
the U.S. and Canada for many years. Often salaries are at least $1000 (US) lower
than their counterparts in state schools. Yet, these schools do not suffer from
a lack of well-qualified applicants. I suspect that in NZ you would find the
same eagerness to follow the call to teach in a Christian school even if
salaries were lower than in state schools.This truly is a fine website.

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