Details for Mike Lake

The views on this page are those of Mike Lake - not those of Derby Open Centre.

His email address is:

Biography

Mike was brought up on a dairy farm in Gloucestershire, did a degree in Psychology and came to Derby to work at Rolls Royce in Computer Management. He left after 5 years to qualify as a teacher via a PGCE at Bishop Lonsdale College and taught at Oakwood Junior school in Alvaston for about 6 years. He thoroughly enjoyed teaching but left to form his own software company when the first microcomputers came along.

By his early 50s he had had enough of long distance air travel, hotels, conferences, eighteen hour days and seven day weeks so he retired from day-to-day management of the company. He remains a serial-inventor and two weeks after "retirement" he invented a new product and set up another electronics/software company which he continues to run from home.

He founded Derbyshire Secularists and Humanists in 2005, represents Humanism on Derby SACRE, attends all meetings of Derbyshire SACRE and is a Trustee Director of Derby Open Centre. He participated in the 2009 teachers' working group which helped to revise the Agreed Syllabus for RE for Derby City schools. He is a member of the National Secular Society and the British Humanist Association.

Despite being taught in a C of E primary school, and going to Sunday school, he cannot remember a time when he was not an atheist. He claims to be the only atheist in Derbyshire living in an Old Rectory and looking after the church yard!

Mike is totally opposed to acts of religious worship in schools but he supports teaching about religion and belief - though he would prefer that it was done as part of Philosophy and Ethics to reflect its proper place in the history of human thought and belief.

Things Mike can offer

Mike does not charge for his time or expenses - though the Open Centre makes a small administrative charge to arrange a booking.

He can provide full details of any of the topics he offers and is happy to come into school for a chat before any formal booking.

He is a qualified teacher and holds a CRB certificate. He can provide assemblies, "chats", talks, discussions or debates from KS2 to adult level.

• INSET training for teachers - "Covering the non-theist view of life."
• Non-religious assemblies for KS1/KS2.
• Lessons within the context of The Agreed Syllabus suitable for RE at KS2, KS3 or KS4 levels - including P4C.
• Talks, debates and discussions on a very wide range of topics pitched at all levels. Topics include
  • "My beliefs - a quick outline of Humanism" - a class lesson for Years 6, 7 or 8.
  • "Humanism - a non-theist view of life" - a class lesson for years 10 or 11.
  • "How does an atheist celebrate Christmas?" (Answer: Christmas tree, decorations, presents, parties, good food ...)
  • "Marking major life events without religion: namings, partnerships and deaths"
  • "Truth - how do we know what is true, what is not and what is simply a personal belief?"
  • "The myth of the creation myth"
    (This is not about creation myths - this argues that the concept of "creation" is itself a myth.)
  • "Sharing a rich and diverse common culture - the dangerous idea of multi-culturalism"
  • "Morality without religion"
  • "One law for some and another for others - the demands for Sharia law"
  • "Euthanasia - assisted suicide: the right to a dignified death"
  • "Why do some people need religion when others don't? The psychology, psychopathology and sociology of religion"
    (Mike's degree was in psychology so he is keen on this!)
  • "Apartheid in schools - how can faith schools promote social cohesion?"
  • "The Humpty Dumpty effect - why can't we agree on the meaning of words?"
  • "The classic arguments for and against the existence of gods"
  • "The lack of historical evidence for the Christian Jesus"
  • "Religious attitudes towards sex, gender, sexuality, abortion, contraception, HIV/AIDS etc."

Those involved in teaching RE are recommended to visit the Humanism For Schools web site.

A few words in advance

There is frequent confusion about some words relating to those with no religious beliefs so perhaps these definitions may help.

• Atheist: a person who sees no need to propose the existence of gods and therefore does not believe in them. Many non-atheists simply define an atheist as a non-believer - missing out the important first part which is the absolute key as to why Mike is an atheist.
• Atheism: there is no such thing as "atheism" - there is no common ideology shared by non-believers. The word comes from that fact that there are "atheists" so non-atheists think they must share some set of beliefs - they don't. There are good atheists and bad atheists - just as there are good religious people and bad religious people.
• Humanist: a person who tries to lead a good, responsible and happy life without gods or religions. A person who has derived a strong individual sense of moral responsibility without relying on holy books or holy men. Humanists are atheists and they do not believe in gods, souls, life after death or the contents of holy books. Their priority is to improve the conditions of all people in this one life we share together.
• Secular: of this world.
• Secularist: a person with specific aims - primarily to separate religion and the state (so they are totally opposed to the apartheid of religious schools for example.) Secularists are very happy for people to arrive at individual informed beliefs (religious or otherwise) as long as they cause no harm to others and as long as religion is kept separate from the state. (Note the use of the word "informed" - secularists are unhappy with people arriving at beliefs through ignorance - that's why Mike is a trustee director of The Open Centre.)