One struggling 6th-grade student was uncomfortable and cried frequently. She told people she couldn’t speak English when she could, and she had missed more than 40 days of school every year.
Special Metro Voice Feature | Lyra Thompson
But when Mollie Owen, the school’s interventionist, worked with the student, she began to see change. The girl started opening up to other students and teachers. She was generally happier. By the second semester, she had missed only two days.
A year later, the girl saw Owen again and hugged her. That was one of the first times she had ever initiated contact with anyone.
Moments like that remind Mollie Owen why she teaches. They also illustrate how her Christian faith shapes the way she approaches students.
Like Owen, Christian teachers working in public schools walk a careful line. They can’t openly evangelize, but they also don’t leave their faith at the door. They live out their beliefs through their character, the values they instill in students, how they handle conflicts and by being the kind of teachers students feel safe around.
A Calling to Teach
Mollie Owen always knew she wanted to be a teacher. Ever since she declared her career choice in kindergarten, her goals have never changed. Owen is a former sixth-grade teacher in the Turner, Kan. school district, and she now works with pre-K to fifth-grade teachers at the district office in Spring Hill, Kan.
Mike Mitchell followed in the footsteps of teachers and coaches who had an impact on him. Mitchell grew up in a dysfunctional home, and his teachers were the most positive influences in his life. He knew he wanted to be that kind of person for other kids someday.
Mitchell has experience with all ages, having taught mostly elementary school for 40 years and then becoming a substitute after retirement. But he most enjoys working with young students and now works as the building substitute for Earl Watson Early Childhood Center in Kansas City, Kan.
Rooted in Faith
For these Christians, their faith is integral to the way they teach. Even in a public school setting where they cannot be open about their beliefs, these teachers find ways to be a light.
I always want to impart the qualities and characteristics of Christ in the students that I teach. –Mike Mitchell
“I always want to impart the qualities and characteristics of Christ in the students that I teach,” says Mitchell. “I always try to be a light and be an example of Christ. Everything that I do, teaching and relationships, is centered around imparting Christ and who God is to people.”
He shares that he hopes to impact not just the students, but also the other adults he works with.
Owen says her faith leads to more intentionality in the way she talks to students. “The conversations are more intentional because there’s a bigger purpose to them, especially when it comes to character and values and guiding kids.”
Another way they live out their faith is by always being willing to talk about their beliefs when the opportunity arises, while still maintaining the boundaries of school guidelines.
Sometimes, Owen says, that can be as simple as saying you went to church when a student asks about your weekend. But the conversation has to end there. Other times, if a student directly brings up Christianity, there is more room for discussion.
Teachers often deal with conflicts involving students, parents, administrators, and other teachers, and these Christians draw strength from God to handle whatever is thrown their way.
“I had a co-worker that I struggled with,” Owen shares. “There were some choices she made that were not correct. And so I did a lot of prayer to help me not be frustrated, but also not to discount her as a person because of a professional conflict.”
I get the opportunity to be a role model of what is correct and what is loving. Mollie Owen
Mitchell experienced a similar situation from the outside. “A counselor at the school was in conflict with another staff member, and they confided in me to give words of advice and wisdom,” he says. “I would counsel them according to the word of God. I would use principles from the word to help them deal with the conflict.”
Showing Christ’s Character
Perhaps the biggest way Owen’s and Mitchell’s faith comes through is in how they show Christ’s love and live out biblical values.
Mitchell shares that he likes “Conscious Discipline,” one of the models his school uses, because it is aligned with biblical love. Conscious Discipline emphasizes connecting with students and showing that you care. “They call it just your love for them, but it’s really the love of God that you’re expressing to them,” Mitchell says.
With older students, Owen models Christ through her actions. “I get the opportunity to be a role model of what is correct and what is loving…in a way that’s different from what a lot of kids [that are not in Christian homes] have seen.”
Owen also says her biggest opportunity is being “a safe place” for students. By being someone kids are comfortable going to and talking with, the door is open for deeper, sometimes faith-based conversations. Owen shares that sometimes those conversations have happened years later, after students have already left.
It always starts with them knowing that you’re a safe place and you recognize them as a valued individual. –Mollie Owen
“It always starts with them knowing that you’re a safe place and you recognize them as a valued individual,” she says.
When Convictions Are Challenged
Given the nature of public school, Christian teachers sometimes find themselves torn between their convictions and school policy. A new rule might conflict with Christian values, or a teacher might be required to teach something contrary to what the Bible teaches.
Mitchell and Owen both describe navigating this balancing act.
You just have to flow with it but still not be ashamed to share when the opportunity presents itself. –Mike Mitchell
“As much as I possibly can, I adhere to the policy as long as it doesn’t contradict my values and what the Word of God teaches,” Mitchell says. “You just have to flow with it but still not be ashamed to share when the opportunity presents itself.”
Owen echoes this. “I tend to be open about things I support, and then I’m much more reserved about things I do not. If someone asks me directly, I will 100% share my opinion and why, but I don’t push it on other people.”
When it comes to teaching something contrary to the Bible, Christian teachers can sometimes handle it by altering their focus. Owen shares about her time as a social studies teacher. She had to teach different world religions, including Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity. To address it, she focused more on the cultural impact of each religion than on details of the religious beliefs.
Other situations where Owen’s values are challenged involve gender identity and pronoun issues. She says that whenever a student shared something about that, she would merely thank them for being open and refer them to a counselor. If a student wanted to go by different pronouns, Owen would try to use only their name as much as possible.
Encouragement to Others
Being a Christian teacher in a public school is not without challenges, but it also comes with unique opportunities. For anyone going into the education field or switching to a new setting, Owen and Mitchell offer some advice.
Owen encourages Christian educators to pray and stand firm in their convictions.
“Sometimes it can feel like you’re kind of being torn in different directions by what’s expected and what you know is right,” she says. “Prayer makes a huge difference, and just staying true to your values and your actions and choices carries through, even when it feels like it’s not making a difference.”
Mitchell urges teachers to be a light and reflect Christ.
“Allow the Holy Spirit that resides inside of you to continue to impart Christ, not necessarily always with your words, but with your life.”
–Lyra Thompson
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