Looking back now, the mistakes were clear:
All considered, I'm so pleased it happened. It was a necessary step in my journey that I most certainly learnt from. All mistakes are. When browsing through various feeds that we so happily gorge on, likely torturing ourselves, please remember that it might not be all you see. They too would have had a bad day, a terrible lesson. Their airy-fairy quotes and wise tweets may have got a tonne of likes, but they still have a pile of marking they're ignoring, or are nervous about a meeting tomorrow. We all have imperfections. One more? Just this week, undeniably the prompt for this post, I came to the haunting realisation that I was trying to cover too much, too soon. For those in the know, I've gone to Year 6, from Year 5. It's a blessing and a curse, because you're aware of the exact coverage of the previous year: often a topic of contention for the new teacher. However, it became clear to both my Year Partner and I, that we have expected far too much in the first two and a half weeks of our time together. An extensive list of Success Criteria for our first pieces of writing, should have at least been revision on the itemised features first, before any expected application. I fear I've skimmed some important steps. I actually sat my class down to apologise for the pace at which we have been moving, finally taking note of their panicked expressions. This isn't to say, however, that they haven't risen to the challenges set. I still believe in high expectations, and have been exceptionally proud of their efforts. It was a lapse in judgement as I moved away from my fundamental beliefs around teaching in a stepwise, specific manner to ensure understanding over an obsession with coverage. Process over performance always.
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As a class teacher you don't really always have the power to influence this. There are certain things that have to be done, there are always things that we feel are 'paper' exercises and don't 'benefit the children'. That is where, as a member of SLT, you need to try to communicate to all staff why these tasks are needed, and of course if they are not STOP! Teamwork is essential. Let's not recreate the wheel. Let's share and have professional dialogue to cut down on planning etc. We need to share our expertise to help each other. I think we need to be more honest and say when we are feeling overwhelmed. You need head/DH and SLT who will be understanding and support rather than judge.
What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up? I think we all feel like giving up at times, It is the sadly inevitable side effect of wanting to do a good job in such a difficult profession. I would say try to get to the nub of what the issue is. I find it is often a small thing that can build. It may need a small change or to accept that you need to make some changes eg extra responsibilities that take too much of your time or needing a challenge out of your classroom. Battling negativity. Hmmm, this is another hard one. It is so easy to get in to a negative place. My JS partner and I have written a list of all the things that have gone well v badly and were surprised that the first list was longer. We then wrote a list of things that weren't working and steps to make them better. Obvious but it helped. Try to avoid the negative people at school. Sum up our profession in 5 words. Crazy, rewarding, varied, worthwhile, challenging.
What strategies do you use to manage workload and protect your well being?
I've put in place a few rules, which I do my best to stick to. Not always successfully; but even when I do fail, they're there in the back of my mind for next time. Here goes: 1. Earliest I'll get to work is 7.30am 2. Latest I'll stay at school is 5pm (unless it's a consultation evening or other diaried event) 3. I try to avoid working in the evening. If I do, I try not to do so two nights in a row; and I don't work past 9pm. 4. Weekends: I have at least 1 day off each weekend School are reasonably supportive, but like so many others they're struggling with reduced budgets - so staff well-being has been one of the first things to dissolve. What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up? This last term has been especially tough - one of my hardest since I retrained and started teaching 2 years ago. I think it was a combination of factors: an increased timetable; behaviour issues; lack of support from others in department/elsewhere in school (although see my answer to Q3 - so much of this is budget related, and completely out of the control of my colleagues). I think what has kept me going is being honest, and talking about issues quickly when they've come up, and seeking help when I need it. Never be afraid to do this - this is such a demanding job, and everyone has their peaks and troughs. It can feel lonely in the classroom sometimes, but teaching is a team sport. Lean on them when you need to, and be ready to listen when someone else needs to talk. Otherwise, keeping the basics in focus is also *so* important. Tiredness has a massive effect on my mood, especially towards the end of the week; so I take more early nights than I used to, and having a bath can work wonders for the quality of my sleep. Also important to eat well (and I'm blessed that my lovely wife is such a good cook!), and not overdo other things such as alcohol. They can be an effective short-term fix - but over time, they cause more problems than they solve. Sum up the profession in 5 words. Not easy, so the best I can do is: Be kind, know your subject.
Be brave.
Leading anything takes courage because of the many varied situations it puts you in. You will be dealing with wider issues than before, with a likely wider impact too; that's the whole point of leadership (in my opinion), broadening your impact. You'll be a mediator, a presenter, a point of safety, a critical friend; all of which involve complex emotions. Leaders must take calculated risks, with as much considered as possible. Bravery and innovation are paramount to promoting positive change. Be empathetic. I find emotional intelligence is a dying language these days. In a world fuelled by self-centred excuses stemming from too much enjoyment of playing the victim, often we forget that relationships in life are interlinked and that there are other feelings involved. Part of being visible (above) is to gather the sensitive data to find the most empathetic way to move forward. Having said that, part of being brave is understanding that there will be barriers, but it's the relationship built over time that will help you overcome them. Have a human side that ultimately makes the deciding call, but also calls out the snowflakes when needs be. Be realistic. These lessons further interlink when you consider that absolute clarity - formed from how much you see and engage with - coupled with bravery and an understanding of likely human reactions, all combine to help create a route towards your vision. Knowing what you have, and knowing where you want to go are 2 completely different entities, but one very much relies on the other. Create a plan that gets you moving, but be realistic about the time scale and patience required. Your own communication skills are tested here. Don't forget to put yourself in other people's shoes, consider your own reaction to what you're asking for. Don't turn it into payback for what you may have gone through. Be resilient. The journey towards, on onwards, to leadership can be tricky. You'll face undesirable reactions, misplaced fear and simple playground jealousy. Work hard to keep a level head and find strategies to deal with all eventualities. As part of a comprehensive wellbeing-centred approach, seek out supportive friends and colleagues that you trust. You need honest feedback to move forwards, comments from the ground on things you implement or want carried out. Make good judgements, understanding your definition of good may differ. Be prepared to be wrong, be prepared to be argued with. Count on all the lessons you learn to support you in making the best progress for your school.
Where do you go for personal and professional support or advice?
I was lucky enough to make a great friend at work. We were both NQTs and we started on the same day at the same school in adjacent classrooms. We used to have a daily debrief where essentially we would have a massive moan about everything – from photocopier woes to difficult students. Although it wasn’t, perhaps, a productive use of our time (we could have been marking), it was really important to be able to offload to someone who knew exactly who and what you were talking about. Once a problem was off my chest, I was less likely to think about it when I got home. A huge asset to my professional life this year has been @Team_English1 on Twitter. It was recommended by a friend and it has, honestly, changed my life. The generosity of teachers in this network has amazed me. The resources I have gained have saved me hours and hours of planning time and I am a better teacher for it. In my opinion, the worst part of the profession is lack of time. There simply is not enough time to do the job during normal working hours. I don’t work long hours because I am put under pressure by management or Ofsted or because I am a perfectionist (believe me… I am the very definition of ‘winging it’). I work long hours simply to get the job done. There are teachers who manage to avoid working at home (and I believe that some subjects are more labour intensive than others) but the hours we work are unsustainable. There are small adjustments that managers and school leaders can make to reduce workload but I believe the issue is primarily financial. Teaching and learning would improve exponentially if teachers’ contact time was reduced and we were able to spend more time planning and preparing feedback. Unfortunately, schools are so financially stretched that this is impossible. What strategies do you use to manage workload and protect your wellbeing? In my fourth year of teaching, I was completely burnt out. I was exhausted and it was affecting my health. I was working every weekend and also in the evenings. My solution was to search for other jobs because I just couldn’t sustain the hours. The problem was, I didn’t really want another job. As I’ve already preached – I love teaching. So, I decided to go part time. This was not an easy decision. First of all, I was worried about money. I did some rudimentary maths and worked out that if I went to a 0.8 contract, in my fifth year of teaching I’d be earning roughly the same as I’d earned in my first year of teaching. If I’d managed on that salary then, I thought I could manage on that now. Another concern was, well, embarrassment. In fact, I was so embarrassed that when I put in my part-time request, I made up a lie – that I was going part time to support my partner’s business. Looking back, I should have been more honest. I would recommend anyone in a similar position to talk to your school’s management about how you’re feeling so that they can support you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then others will be too and management need to know this. Despite my concerns, reducing my hours has changed my life. The question everyone always asks, is ‘do you work on your day off’? Of course I do. In fact, that’s when I do all my school work. What do I get in return? My evenings and weekends back. I know there will be teachers shouting at the screen as they read this. I agree with you. The fact that I had to go part time in order to do my job is ridiculous. I’ve been told that part time teachers should do nothing on their day(s) off – that by working on these days, part-time workers are actually responsible for the pressures put on full time teachers. My response? If that's the case, then full time teachers should do nothing at evenings and weekends. It’s unfair to blame part-time teachers for unfair expectations placed on all teaching staff. We're all in this together. What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up? I know that reducing hours isn’t for everyone. I agree that teachers and school leaders should come together collectively to address the problems of workload. In the meantime, if anyone would like to chat about going part time, feel free to DM me on Twitter (@HannahHGO). Sum up our profession in 5 words. I wouldn’t do anything else.
#Exercise
Running has gone especially well this month! Followers from Twitter have been so encouraging, and I'm very grateful! May has further shown me the benefits for my mental health; I find - quite simply - that a day with some physical exercise is just plainly better than a day without it. Running is a great start to my day and genuinely has a guaranteed positive impact on my week! Join me! #Notice My #TeachingHero posts will be coming to a close fairly soon, after an unbelievable response! Check them out in previous blog posts, and there's still time to add your own advice that we can share across our growing community! Get in touch to be involved! #Learn This month I am reading 'Making Every Primary Lesson Count' from Jo Payne and Mel Scott. It's a handy guide of simple classroom practices, organised under the same headings as a secondary education equivalent. It's presented well, without jargon, and I'm excited to write a review for you once I'm done! #Give Once again, I have a bunch of friends taking part in charity events in the coming weeks! It's my goal to donate to all of them in some form. Supporting charities is good for the soul. I also received a great response from many of my kids regarding the games I told you about before. There's something challenging about being a child these days and, as key adults in their lives, we're going to need to keep a better handle on the messages we send to them. More on that soon.
I think the worst part of the profession is that despite working with people all day, that is can be terribly lonely. Stuck in a classroom, or sat alone marking. Colleagues and networks are essential. I absolutely believe in @womened and the work the amazing national leaders do, those women are beyond fabulous, and the network has introduced me to many wonderful educators. It challenges me to be 10% braver and inspires me to have a voice. Another thing I worry about is the negative narrative surrounding education. I always say that I’d rather invest in hope than spend energy moaning. It is through that ‘If not me, then who? If not now, then when?’ that I became a trustee of the Chartered College of Teaching, contributed to Flip the System UK and have built a wonderful network of passionate teachers who inspire me, support me, challenge me and pick me up when I’m down. People like Hannah Wilson, Jaz Ampar-Farr, Amjad Ali and Matt Pinkett are all amazing role models, who have become good and trusted friends. Educators such as David Weston, Ian Gilbert, Hywel Roberts, Debra Kidd and Vic Goddard remind me of the need for humanity, when I feel like my integrity is compromised or a tiny cog in a huge corporate machine. These people will probably never know how much they have helped me- well, maybe they will if they read this!
What strategies do you use to manage workload and protect your well being? I learnt the hard way; hospitalised, anaemic, exhausted and broken by the system. Now, I do what I need to, I prioritise tasks and love a to do list. I spend time with friends, and I ask for help when I need it. I’m not a superhero, I’m human. I admit my mistakes and marking still overwhelms me at times, but I stick by the belief that if it doesn’t make a difference to the students in my classes, I will challenge it, I’ll ask why. I don’t reinvent the wheel anymore, twitter accounts like #teamenglish and @GCSE_Macbeth are absolute god sends for English teachers. I’m utterly endebted to them! What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up? Having been there myself I’d tell them to get in touch! Follow other teachers like Emma Kell, Stephen Tierney, John Thomsett, Tom Starky, Tom Rogers... these are really good people. They exude hope. When I quit, charity work took me to France, and introduced me to Spider-Man, a 6 year old refugee, who reminded me of my passion and reasons for teaching. I blogged about him, found my voice, and that led to so many wonderful opportunities- TEDx, TeachMeets, and got me back into the classroom. Sadly, after winning the TES award, it led a fair amount of criticism- sometimes it is darkest before dawn and you just have to keep plodding on. On twitter I try not to engage in the negativity or futile arguments, it’s a waste of my energy. There are some keyboard warriors out there, who wouldn’t dream of saying such things to a fellow teacher’s face. Yes, I like to be challenged, but I don’t need hostility. When all else fails, I’ve found that a mute button works wonders! Ultimately, I think what it really boils down to, and what we must remember, is that there are many truly great schools out there, and there are sadly some pretty soul destroying ones too. It shouldn’t be about leaving the profession, but instead we should have the confidence to leave a school that we can’t align your ethos and values to. Walk away from toxic leaders or situations, but do so with professionalism and the confidence that there are other inspiring, innovative, brave leaders, and many other schools, who will invest in you, build you back up and help you to thrive. Be true to yourself. It just comes down to humility, integrity, bravery and authenticity. Sum up our profession in 5 words. Best flippin’ job in th’world. (I know I’m sort of cheating there).
Where do you go for personal and professional support or advice?
My husband, himself a teacher, has been my personal support for the last 23 years and is irreplaceable. Professionally I have been blessed with some amazing colleagues and we have always supported each other. At a very grim time in my professional life I was grateful for my Union who were fabulous. The Twittersphere has been huge for the last year or so for me. The worst bit of the profession has always been those who think they know it all and try to impose ways of working and those (mercifully few) who have bullied children or staff. What strategies do you use to manage workload and protect your well being? Wellbeing was not on the radar for the first 20 years or so of my career, but then the pressures were not so great then either. I am not in school now (I work in ITE at CCCU), but the most helpful thing my last school did was to introduce the idea of planned abandonment - if we want to introduce something different/new what will be give up (abandon) to make time for it? I have always made time for family, I love reading and the theatre and I have always had cats - do not underestimate "the presence of another beating heart" in wellbeing! I have more recently been influenced by "Eat that Frog" by Brian Tracey. it is a book on time management and although it doesn't all work for me the idea of Eating the Frog" does. Let me know if you need me to explain this more fully! What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up? As far as advising anyone thinking of giving up is concerned I think I would ask them first not to make a decision in the heat of a particular moment, but, if they are sure they want to go, to plan their exit so that their dignity and self esteem can remain intact. I would also always refer them to one of the free and confidential teacher support helplines. If I knew their school/circumstances well I might also know how to coach them or help them find ways to ease the load. I am a cup half full kind of person and struggle with negativity - it perpetuates problems and makes things worse for others, so I would normally nudge those who are negative to offer solutions to the problems they see and to take control of their own classroom/environment to make it a beacon of positivity. Sum up our profession in 5 words. In no particular order. . . transformational, rewarding, challenging, incomparable, pivotal.
I'll leave you to peruse the rest of the chapters yourself. Ideal for almost every stage of the journey in teaching, this book will open your eyes to the experiences of others. By this I mean, alongside offering advice, it's also useful for even the peachiest of school leaders to gather a sense of the behaviour of staff in other schools, to forward plan and prevent future difficulties.
Thank you so much to Omar for sending me a copy; I'd highly recommend it.
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