#TeachingHero

Your next generous #TeachingHero is @fod3! Thank you so much for your honesty, enthusiasm and positive thinking! If you would like to become a #TeachingHero, and spread some motivation, get in touch!

What motivates you to work hard?
I've been a workaholic from a young age so unfortunately it's part of my makeup. I want to slow down but there is always the need to improve what we do to ensure our pupils get the very best and I can't stop until that is the case. Taking our results from 44% A-C to 63% was a stand-out. Now we've just got to do the same with the new specs.

Where do you go for personal and professional support or advice?
For personal and professional support, I come to Twitter. It doesn't matter how long you have been teaching or what role you have, you will find someone on Twitter who will happily answer your queries, guide, advise, support, console etc. I think many more teachers would have left the profession had it not been for the sounding board of Twitter. We are the best of teams. The worst bit of the profession is the sheer volume and the lack of time to do everything (or anything) well. I don't cope too well with this and feel I'm on an emotional rollercoaster most of the year. However, I live by lists and at the moment one main focus each day.

What strategies do you use to manage workload and protect your well being?
To manage my workload I make lists and prioritise with what I'm teaching always coming first. I commute so try to maximise work time then. I never work Friday evenings.

What advice would you give anyone who felt like giving up?
Never give up. Look at things from a different angle. I think the most important thing is that you know yourself. I know when I am losing control and take steps to cope. I speak with my line manager, go for a long walk to clear my head and find some pupils who I know will give me some perspective. Never ever lose sight of how brilliant you are - I'm brilliant but I am working in the hardest of situations and that is going to get me down from time to time...being down is ok - don't let anyone tell you otherwise but as a wise woman once said to me 'You can visit pity city but you can't stay too long.'

Sum up our profession in 5 words.
​Vocation. Love. Knowledge. Life. Rollercoaster. Never the same. (That's six)