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19 July 2011

Hugh Bradby - Educator

What did you want to be as a child?

Anything other than a teacher (there were too many teachers in our family!).

What is the best memory of your time in school?

Playing cricket for the school second XI on long sunny summer afternoons.

And the worst?

Struggling to understand maths as taught by a man who was a fine musician (and probably a good mathematician) but who had a short temper and great difficulty in communicating with children.

Why did you stay in education?

My wife Ruth and I had met in India and then returned to the West to get married. We decided to train as teachers so that we could return to India and teach.

My vision for education is that we as educators should be able to convey with creativity and enthusiasm what we know of the truth. Because I believe God is the Creator, then all truth is his truth.

Is education focused enough on wellbeing and character?

Too often, we allow ourselves to be distracted from our primary concern, which should be for the wellbeing of our pupils. We are obsessed with exam results and other impersonal measures of achievement.

What makes you angry?

Sloppy use of certain adjectives, such as "incredible", "extraordinary" and (worst of all) "iconic".

Good or bad time to be involved with education?

This is a wonderful time to be involved with education. Never have we had more opportunities to teach well and to point pupils and colleagues (as occasion arises) to Jesus the master teacher.

Who do you admire?

Sir John Eliot Gardiner, for his consistently fine performances of Bach choral works.

What biblical text motivates you in your work?

"For God, who said 'Let light shine out of darkness' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6
Tell us a joke.
My wife and I learned Hindi in the University of Minnesota from a lovely man named Paul, who had grown up in rural Pennsylvania. Paul remembered meeting strawberry farmers at harvest time who loved to eat the fresh strawberries but also wanted some to be available during the coming winter months. One lady told Paul their strategy: "We eat what we can and what we can't we can."