1000 years of experience.

12/12/2014

Thank you to anyone who reads my blog. It’s been two months as of today and the visitor count has been high, which has been a source of much pleasure.

The site is a series of reflective posts, which occasionally seek to put current issues into a historical perspective, at least a career perspective. It has long worried me that large numbers of people leave education, after a long and successful career and that’s that. The wealth of expertise and their insights are lost to the system.

Schools are organic and go through phases of development. A settled staff, working together, develops an internal (historical) narrative that is enhanced and becomes more nuanced each year. When significant members, or large numbers, change, there can be a loss of history, with new members who may fail to understand the story to date and their own interpretations may be a shadow of what went before. Of course, it can be the case that the “group think” created by a settled staff can embed practices that a new pair of eyes sees more objectively. Either way, the organic nature of the organisation is to “heal” within the new body, to assume, hopefully, a new equilibrium.

Whether good, bad or indifferent, a school career offers insights into oneself, as a person and a practitioner, into children, as people and learners, parenting habits and management, either as a promoted post or having to deal with management decisions.

Having contributed to Rachel Jones “Don’t Change the Light Bulbs” book, it struck me that crowd-sourcing could be a means of collating a wealth of information. So I extend an invitation, to any reader of my blog, to share their distilled thoughts as succinctly as possible. If we can get to 1000 years, with a corporate effort, I’ll do my best to distil the thoughts further to come up with a collegiate précis.

Below is a contribution from @GazNeedle, who is normally sketching, doodling and cartooning ideas. As it wouldn't copy into the comment thread, I thought it would fit here.
Please Read Gaz's written comment plus those of many other kind contributors below.

My own effort is below. You can use that format, or any that suits your style.

40 year career, Secondary science, Primary, Junior, Primary, Junior, Infant (DH), Primary (HT) ITT tutor, assessor for a range of national schemes, Consultant (isn’t everyone, these days?)

On you, as a person.

Keep things simple; they are then easy to understand and communicate.
Be yourself, be strong and continue to be a learner and thinker. Have a hobby/life!
Be a team player and a leader when necessary. Schools are stronger together.
Organise a class space that supports learning, as well as your teaching.
Resource effectively, for easy retrieval and return.
Be ordered and organised, be strategic in your thinking and communicate effectively with everyone.

On children

Know your children well.

Plan for their learning, over different timescales, make sure the “story” is good and makes them think. There’s a big world out there; open eyes, ears, hearts and minds.
Think with them, talk with them and make adjustments when you see they are not “getting it”.
As you get to know them better, fine tune challenges to their needs.
Parents are essential partners. Harness their energy appropriately. Make home activity count.

On management (working with people)

Humanity should be a byword for everyone. Create a climate of respect. Model it.
You work with and through your team. You are responsible for their welfare. Value them.
Make sure the work environment supports their efforts, with appropriate space, resources and time.
Goodwill works two ways; a “give and take” approach buys extra effort.
Communicate, communicate, communicate; don’t assume.
Strategy is only as good as the explanation and the understanding. You can have all the plans in the world, but, if no-one understands them, they will fail.
Take time to say thank you.

Thanks to Craig Parkinson @cparkie, for the Wordle below, highlighting the key words from eight contributors. Interesting what are the highlights; could be a useful discussion piece. Would your staff room agree the priorities?

69 Comments

Jill Berry

12/12/2014 12:38:09 pm

Love this, Chris. Certainly happy to share my thoughts (from my 35 year career since starting as a newly qualified teacher in 1980) and to use the same format as you. Will give it some thought and then draft something - may need to be after Christmas now, though.

Jean Edwards

12/12/2014 01:05:06 pm

Great idea!
When I was a headteacher, I made a card for each member of staff with the number 108 on the front - it was the collective number of years teaching (small school) that we had to draw upon to survive the OFSTED experience we were about to have.

Ben King

13/12/2014 08:10:00 am

Great idea! Likewise, over Christmas may be a good time for me to contribute from my 16 years of teaching experience. Best wishes.

Bruce Waelend link

13/12/2014 09:14:41 am

This is a great idea. OK Here goes.

30 years in education this year as a class teacher, KS2 leader, deputy head (x3 once in New Zealand), headteacher of outstanding primary school as well as acting head of one on its journey out of special measures., school inspector, education consultant, associate lecturer in primary education and some other things I haven't thought about.

About education

- It represents the only hope that many children have for a bright future. It's a ray of hope and a ladder to higher ground.

- More than this, it is a way of helping people to look at the life, themselves and others in a new and more positive light and to make them want to make a positive difference to their corner of the world.

About leadership
- Vision and values are everything. If you don't have those, then you'll be at the whim of every wind of government policy, fashion and unsound practice.

-My personal vision - To inspire children to make the world a happier place.

- The most important aspect of any school is the quality of its leadership - the ability to inspire others to provide children with an education of real and lasting quality.

- Anything is possible, as long as leaders don't mind who gets the credit.

- Great leadership allows others, including children, to be able to achieve things that they never thought possible.

- Kindness and appreciation are two much undervalued values.

About children
- One childhood - one chance!

- We have a moral imperative to ensure that we do everything possible to provide children with everything they need to flourish in life.

- If it's not good for children, it's not good for anyone.

- If we try and teach children without inspiring them with a desire to learn, we will have a very hard task indeed.

- Books and stories can captivate children's interest like nothing else and allow them to visit places, meet people and encounter adventures that would never be possible without them.

- Children are endowed with untold gifts and abilities and it's our job to help them to discover, value and nurture these.

- Children aren't just young adults. They will be one day, but not yet. Childhood is the province of the young and we had better help children to treasure it.

- As Henry Ford said, if you think children can or they can't you're probably right. Have high expecations.

Chris

13/12/2014 09:33:47 am

Thank you, Bruce, for such insightful comments. Children are a very obvious centre of your thinking, as are the adults to whom you entrust their education.
I hope that retirement offers many opportunities to share your career wisdom. It must not be lost to the system.
Be well and happy.
Chris

Bruce Waelend

13/12/2014 09:52:25 am

Ah retirement. Well that was the plan, but it's not turning out like that at all. And nobody's happier than me. Just not a head any more. And nobody's happier than me.

Im Sporticus link

14/12/2014 09:49:51 am

Hi Chris,

I really do love this idea and look forward to reading the collated version. Best wishes for Christmas.

Here are my thoughts to date:

14 year career (so far) in Secondary Physical Education

On you, as a person

• Practice what you preach; hypocrisy is not a quality we want to teach children
• Read as much as you can, when you can. It can keep the mind open and that’s important in education
• Set routines for yourself and routines for the children, make them habit
• Make time for yourself as well as making time for others
• Be honest to yourself, because if you can’t be honest to yourself who can you be honest to?

On children

• Try not to label them, this will effect how you view them, others view them and how they view themselves
• Be patient with their understanding and progress
• Aim to talk to every child in your class, every lesson, and try to get them to respond to you
• Remind them and yourself of the bigger picture when you can
• Challenge their attitudes, thoughts, behaviors and learning
• Remember they are not yet adults, they need you to model for them how to become one
• Be transparent in the way you deal with children and never have favorites

On management (working with people)

• Be aware that every story has three sides; yours, theirs and the truth
• A failure of someone in your team is a failure on your behalf as well, don’t blame but find the issue and support
• Don’t ask anyone to do something you yourself would not do
• Keep your promises and deal with people with integrity
• If you see someone struggling, take time out of your day to ask if you can help in anyway. Sometimes just listening is all that is required.
• Always support your staff in public, speak to them in private

Chris

14/12/2014 10:57:29 am

Thank you for taking time to put together these thoughts. It can be a salutary experience to stop occasionally and take stock.
I am aware of a number of ex-colleagues who have either recently retired, or are about to. The loss of collective experience to the teaching profession will be huge. To seek to capture some of this thinking appeals to me at the moment.
Have a restful holiday and best wishes for 2015.
Chris

David George King

14/12/2014 11:11:01 am

via Twitter @Davidgeorgeking
I'll give my thoughts here - Teach children where to look for information & inspiration & check your facts

Gavin Boyd

14/12/2014 11:13:42 am

Via Twitter @gavinboyd2012

I work with my "shadow" in order to improve both my teaching practice and student behaviour. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYL9EeBNUdM …" #Jung
Student Behaviour: A Teacher's Journey To Healing http://youtu.be/N9GekP8IIso #Jung

Mark Anderson

14/12/2014 11:20:21 am

From Mark's blog http://ictevangelist.com/what-i-wish-i-knew-then/

What I wish I knew then… 17 years experience

With there being lots of discussion about NQT’s and students starting their PGCE courses, I thought I’d share a few things that I know now that I wish I had known when I first started teaching – hopefully they will be of some help. This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list but just some of the key things that I know would have helped me when I first started teaching. That said, I might be getting it wrong even now. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments…

Support staff

I’ve put this one first because I feel it to be one of the most important things a new teacher should ensure that they do. Don’t underestimate the importance of support staff in school. In terms of your success in your post, they are in many ways more important than the Headteacher or the Leadership Team at your school. They are the people that make things happen, they support you. The advice I would give you is to befriend them as quickly as possible. They are the hub of any school and getting on their good side is a great thing for you to do. It’s important that you recognise the impact they have in every school.

Don’t expect things to happen straight away

When you start your first job you’ll be full of great ideas about what you’re going to do. I know when I first started teaching I was really excited about the prospect of being able to have a positive impact on the lives of young people, I still am! Don’t worry, you will do, but things take time to happen. It doesn’t just happen overnight. So for example, with wanting to start Computing A Level courses as many schools are feeling compelled to do now with recent National Curriculum changes, you can’t just offer the course and expect students to do brilliantly straight away. If the foundations haven’t been built previously, then there’s going to be an uphill struggle for them to learn all of their foundational knowledge and their chances of success are limited too. Better to run courses for younger students so that foundational knowledge can be developed in readiness for the more challenging courses. The same is true with your students – you will need to train them to the routines that you want them to have. This could be related to homework or classroom discussion or in fact anything. Don’t expect perfection straight away. These things will take time to embed.

Another example, this time working with staff – I remember delivering some training to staff about the use of tools to support learning a few years ago. One of the things I suggested to support teaching and learning practice was to join Twitter and to develop a PLN. Staff seemed really excited by the prospect and I looked forward to seeing lots of colleagues start up Twitter accounts straight away. Imagine my disappointment when no one did. I was gutted. Yet, a week later, one colleague did (thank you to @teresatickoo) and slowly but surely, over time, more and more colleagues joined Twitter. Now, a large proportion of the staff are on Twitter, there’s a successful whole school Twitter account and numerous department accounts.

Parents

Not all parents are the same. When I started teaching, my experience of parents were from my own. So when I started my unconscious expectation when dealing with parents on parents evening, they would be the same. Parents wanting the best for their kids, being activity involved in their learning. Sometimes however this is just not the case. There isn’t much you can do about that BUT by being mindful of it you are then able to factor that into how you work with the students, irrespective of whether you know the parents or not you will be more mindful to work from a place where all students are not born equal. This is explained by JWB Douglas, who discussed how parental attitudes are a major factor in contributing to the attainment of their children. Parents who struggled at school, and found communication with the institution difficult as children, will then pass on these cultural assumptions in the form of cultural capital, which then restrict the life chances of their children by curtailing their educational aspirations. Sugarman and Bourdieu agree with this when they note that these children are likely to opt for instant gratification over working for long term goal, as they are driven by a fatalistic attitude to the transformative power of education, and prefer a culture of social collectivism over individual gain, which is emphasised in formal schooling. More on this can be found here and here and here.

SLT don’t know everything

SLT don’t know everything. They are just like you except they get paid more. Don’t get me wrong; they have been heads of department, they have lots of experience, and probably, have a proven tra

Beth Budden

14/12/2014 11:27:09 am

Via Twitter @BethBudden

Teaching is like cooking: be creative; have a basic recipe; taste often,as you cook; know your ingredients.Serve hot

Andy Day

14/12/2014 11:32:24 am

Via @Andyphilipday http://meridianvale.wordpress.com/2014/10/12/testament-of-experience-well-27-of-them/

Testament of Experience. Well – 27 of them. On retiring 40 years

The irrepressible head of English at our place asked if I could make this available, so here it is. It’s the ‘leaving speech’ I made on the last day of term. I’m not really very good at doing ‘entertainment’. Last days of term were never my strong point; when other teachers poured themselves into the eager student challenge of “are we going to do something fun today?”, I built up a library of videos – later DVDs – to reach for. Sorry – always a teacher rather than an entertainer. So after 27 years as head of geography – and slightly fewer as head of faculty – the one thing that I was recoiling from on the last day was giving an comedic, riveting , laugh-a-minute speech. I’d much rather teach a lesson. So that’s what I opted for. Here were 27 things I’d picked up over those 27 years, in no particular order – but they were the truths that revealed themselves to me over that time and humbly offered to the colleagues and family who were there in the staffroom. My final lesson*.

Slide1

My first week as a newly-appointed HoD taught me more useful lessons than I cared for at the time, but they rooted deep. First week of January and Y9 are doing their ‘geography exam’ in the hall. All very formal. Do I wish to organise it, or leave it to the three 40-something male department members? I jump in – me! Me! My job – my role. Chance to be visibly ‘in charge’. Five minutes in and all the students have exam papers in front of them, pens are poised, hall is silent. Seven minutes in the first hands go up. After ten, it is a wintery forest. All give the same complaint: “I don’t know how to answer this – we’ve not studied these topics.” So, how was I to know all three teachers taught their own preferred curriculum and set their own exam? I’d distributed papers making assumptions about uniformity, an alternative to which I hadn’t even thought could be a possibility. Lessons were swift: don’t assume you know what you might not, do your preparatory work; just because you have the role doesn’t mean you are ready to execute it; don’t try and ‘prove yourself’ in areas you haven’t done the spadework for; – oh, and how to manage someone who’s messed up – as my head did, sensitively handling both the parents phoning and writing in to complain about their child’s messed-up exam experience, and his self-admonished new head of geography.

Slide2

We search for ’cause and effect’ so readily. We like to know what’s going on and tease out the lines of process and impact. We often get it wrong. I’ve always had a lot of plants in my classroom; they personalise and humanise (vegetise?) it. I came back one September to find them all dead. Browned and curled up leaves standing in trays full of water. The cleaner had promised to keep them watered over the summer break and had obviously been too enthusiastic, leading to death by over-watering. I said nothing but my tight-lipped response to any further ‘help’ from her over the coming months couldn’t have gone unnoticed. It was two years later, when I was recounting the event to a class, that one of them lingered at the end of the lesson. “It was my brother.” ?? “He was in your tutor group and got fed up with them plants poking his face. So he brought in some of dad’s weedkiller in the last week and poured it into all the pots.” Lesson: we try to imagine we know what’s going on; half the time we haven’t even got close.

Slide3

Ah hubris! Following an unsuccessful interview for a Deputy Head post, I submitted an article under a nom de plume about career trajectories, interviews and being content with remaining in the classroom. The day of publication I got home to my wife saying the deputy editor of the TES had phoned and would I ring him back. Would I!?? As I punched in the numbers I was imagining the forthcoming invitation: ‘What style, what observation – will you do us a weekly column….!’ Apparently the random pen name I had constructed was owned by an actual teacher, who had phoned the TES demanding to know who had written under their name about their experiences. Would I phone him to convince him it was a genuine coincidence. I did – and we compared almost like-for-like teaching situations, failed deputy headship interviews, and similar conclusions. The lesson: we sometimes think we’re unique in experiencing the slings and arrows that we do. More likely as not – we’re not so special as we like to think we are.

Slide4

It’s easy to criticise, a

Simon Knight

21/12/2014 01:49:33 pm

17 year career, 16 as a teacher and one as Teaching Assistant, all in Special Education, all in the same school. Have been subject leader for PSHE, Humanities and Language and Communication, currently DHT with responsibility for secondary and post-16. I do a lot of work beyond the school including work with the National Education Trust and the Oxfordshire Teaching Schools Alliance, promoting the needs of children with SEND an the schools which cater for them.

Reflect on what works well and try to replicate it, reflect on what doesn’t and try to eradicate it, but recognise that it will never be perfect.

Encourage those around you to observe your worst lessons as well as your best.

Film yourself teaching on a regular basis.

Try to contribute to discussions, but don’t forget to listen.

Be aware that the time it takes to do things in the early stages of your career will reduce as you get more experienced.

Recognise that without your TAs you cannot teach effectively, value them and learn from them.

Don’t make presumptions about staff or the children.

Be prepared to change things and to change yourself to maximise the pupils’ potential.

Listen and admit when you are wrong and when you don't know.

Be consistent in everything.

Show humility and say thank you.

Involve others in the things you do to ensure that they get done if you are not there to do them.

Share your opportunities.

Minimise anything that distracts from teaching the children or does not impact directly on their education.

It should be all about the children, always, even when making the hardest decisions.

Be courageous, innovative and take calculated risks to ensure that you provide the best possible education you can.

Chris

22/12/2014 04:18:21 am

Thanks for adding some thoughts Simon. It is a great list of advice to a younger self and applies across all phases and types of school.
Chris

Vincent Lien @fratribus link

22/12/2014 04:19:36 am

1000 Years of Education – Advice to My Younger Self

On Friday last week, the day we broke up for Christmas holiday, I completed my 8th year as a qualified teacher. I kept it quiet. I knew – in comparison with many long-serving colleagues – eight years were like the morning registration of a school day. In the thousands of years of the history of education, my time in the classroom was like the brief participation of a sonorous cicada in a long, glorious summer sonata.

Still, looking back eight years on, I can still remember vividly a few pieces of advice that I was given, and these I would happily reiterate even now as constant reminders to my younger self:

Don’t smile till Christmas This is controversial. I have since heard criticism of such approach to behaviour management. Nevertheless, for a newly qualified teacher, establishing authority is fundamental to an orderly learning environment. Ironically, during my training, “you are too nice” had been a recurring comment in my lesson observation feedback. Eight years on, I am still described as such – both as weakness and strength. So, don’t smile till Christmas, unless there’s a very good reason to do so. Even when you have to, display pleasure judiciously and sparingly.

Develop a thick skin “I have been called every name under the sun, and they are not complimentary,” one of my mentors reassured me that testosterone-fuelled and hormone-raging teenagers would react verbally to almost anything that went against their impulses. Stay calm and follow the school behaviour management policy. In time, you would also develop a skill to disarm hostility with humour. There are limits, however, certain offences must be dealt with officially, for example racist comments.

Don’t take it personally It was hard not to take it personally when you were told your lesson was not good enough for whatever reasons. This happened regularly during my training. The onslaught was particularly demoralising when I spent hours every night planning my lessons. For lessons to be observed, the planning became all-consuming. Yet, each adjustment and implementation of advice was met with further criticism. Still, my supportive colleagues would always try to ease my dispiriting anguish with the same remark: “Don’t take it personally”. You just need to keep going – the process itself will make you stronger if not better.

So there we have it, I reiterate three pieces of advice on practical, mental and philosophical adjustment for my younger self. After all, professional knowledge can be generated through iterative process (Evans, 2008), and the care for self can be achieved through the Foucaultian ascetic practice (1987).

Alex Bellars link

22/12/2014 09:24:35 am

I must echo what everyone else has already said, and say what a wonderful idea this is Chris...

18 year career (so far...), as classroom teacher of French and German in both state and private sector, from Y3 to Y13; part-time teacher of ICT and Games; formerly Head of MFL Department in both state and private sector... until I realised a) management didn't suit me and b) I am all about the classroom.

I have (deliberately) not read what other contributors have already written, so apologies if this goes over ground already covered by colleagues. I will spend a lot more time pondering this, and writing at more length, Chris... but my initial thoughts are that learning and teaching are all about relationships. If we get that right, everything else becomes a lot more straightforward. Still a LOT more complicated than rocket-science, but hey... ;)

Looking forward to seeing what others have said/will say in response to your call!

Jill Berry

28/12/2014 08:29:43 am

I spent thirty years full-time in education, as a teacher, Head of Department, Head of Sixth Form, Deputy Head and Head. In the five years since I finished as a head I have spent time working as an educational consultant and am in the process of completing a Professional Doctorate in Education, which focusses on the transition from Deputy Headship to Headship. So these are my thoughts following this 35 year career so far....

On you, as a person:

Don't beat yourself up for not being perfect, and be forgiving of your own mistakes and false starts, but think of your life and your career as being a journey towards being the best you can be - as a person and as a professional.

On children:

Tune into the needs of each individual learner, reassuring them that you care about each as a person, as well as caring about their progress. Offer the right balance of support and challenge so that each of them can embark on this journey too.

On working with people/leadership:

Leaders (at all levels) need to work to get the best from all those they lead. You have to be able to see the best in them, and ensure they see you see it. Recognise and make the most of people's strengths and build a trusting, positive relationship so that you can support and challenge them to work on their areas for development too.

Thanks, Chris, for offering the opportunity to contribute to this, and for making me think! I hope others will add their thoughts - this is a powerful mechanism for sharing, reflecting and learning.

Chris

28/12/2014 11:21:14 am

Thanks Jill. I think your point about perfection is very appropriate at the moment. Both in terms of teacher and learner, each is on a journey to " be the best they can be". None of us truly knows where that lies.
Enjoy what life offers.
Chris

naomi ward

24/1/2015 07:26:50 am

Powerfully distilled. I agree with the point about cutting ourselves some slack when things don't quite work out! Thanks Jill

Elizabeth Draper

28/12/2014 08:37:54 am

Brilliant idea. I have 20years experience and wd like to contribute. Lived through a lot of changes but sometimes feels like I am in Groundhog Day. Wd be brilliant if experience cd be recognised, validated and indeed listened to. One of the most valuable things I have learned in teaching is that knowing your students: taking the time to get to know them, listening to their stories and really engaging with them: this is hugely important. Teaching is about humanity; we work with the very fabric of what weaves lives together and it such rich and precious fabric. I feel so privileged when I am in my class, imparting my knowledge and expertise ; igniting young minds through my questions and humour(laughter is essential ingredient ; bring able to laugh at yourself as well as with students )- it's all wonderful when meaningful and relevant. Another essential ingredient is honesty and integrity: don't ever pretend to students : they always know ! - own up when you stuff up!! Recognise that students are indeed 'experts': they have been sitting in classes for years , have experience of loads of different teachers and classroom dynamics : involve them in a conversation all the way through about what is working and what is not working. And, do you know what? I mean CONVERSATION -the goddamn evaluation form( that they are all SiCK to death of). Anyhow I cd go on but will leave this now to carry on with making turkey soup! But wd love to write more formally as you invite folk to. Thanks so much for this opportunity ! Elizabeth ( sorry if this is a bit of a ramble , very post-Xmas thinking!!)

Chris

28/12/2014 11:19:50 am

Thank you Elizabeth. I couldn't agree more with your view that getting to know the children is a precursor to everything in education, at whatever age. Matching their needs and providing appropriate challenge is essential.
Have a good start to 2015.
Chris

George Gilchrist @GilchristGeorge

1/1/2015 10:49:41 am

1000 Years of Experience

I returned to teaching in 1992, having only completed one year when I qualified in 1976. So I have some twenty three years of experience in education and another sixteen years in business and commerce. My last fifteen years have been as a headteacher and I have learned so much, and continue to do so, that I wish I knew when I started in teaching and leadership that I know now. I share these thoughts with you all and my younger self.
I have always been an idealist and a bit of a late developer in everything I have tackled in my career and am still developing now. My first thought would be:

•Stay true to your values and principles. These will develop over time, but should be the touchstone for your practice and the demands placed upon you during your career. Stick with your instincts. If something doesn't feel right to you, it probably isn't. So, question what you are asked to do and whether it is the right thing to do.
•Always remember why you wanted to be a teacher. For me it was to make a difference for all pupils, and because I love working with young people. When times are tough and you are facing challenges try to remember why you do what you do, and the difference it makes to so many lives.
•Stay positive and ignore the negativity you will come across in individuals and some staffrooms. Find the positive people, who feel good about themselves and the work they do, and make sure they find you for the same reasons.
•Remember that in your classroom what is always the most important issue is learning. Not teaching, not curriculum, not the resource, not policy, or anything else, always learning. You probably only have a sketchy understanding of learning, so make it a priority that you get to understand learning and how your practice impacts on this. Everything else needs to be a support for the learning going on. If you find things impacting negatively on learning stop doing them and do something else.
•Understand that career long professional development never ends and has no destination. It is best when focused on your practice and identified by yourself. It should be done by you, not to you. Resist the temptation to copy 'good practice' instead look to understand the principles that lie behind. Context is crucial and there are no 'one size fits all' solutions or magic bullets to school and individual development.
•Beware of 'snake oil' salesmen offering to solve all your learning problems with the latest resource or programme.
•You are in the best profession in the world. But, it's just a job so learn to prioritise professionally and privately. Work hard but play hard and have plenty of you and yours time. Stressed, tired teachers lead to stressed and tired learners who can't achieve their potential. Smile and laugh as often as you can. Accept that you won't get it right all of the time, but understand that is all part of learning. Don't try to hide your mistakes.
•There is not a headteacher or senior leader who doesn't make mistakes or who has all the answers. If you are sat in a meeting thinking you must be the only one who doesn't understand what is being said, you are not.

No-one ever offered me such advice when I first started teaching. If they had, perhaps my development might have been a tad quicker at times, and I wouldn't have banged my head against so many metaphorical and real walls!

Canice (Kenny) Frederick

4/1/2015 08:18:43 am

1000 years of experience – Kenny Frederick

After 39 years in the teaching profession, 17 as headteacher of a large secondary school, and a year as a ‘consultant’, I offer my thoughts and share some of the things I have learned over the years:

I have always said that I did not want my school to succeed at the e expense of the school down the road. I wanted us all to succeed. After all they are all our children. However, Headteachers do not always play fair and some will do all in their power to succeed at the expense of other schools. Some will behave very badly indeed… Such is life but it makes me sad as we should be setting a good example.

In my view Leadership without moral purpose is not worth a jot! Heads need to be clear about their values and principles and hang on to them. Remember them when the going gets tough (and it will!). Big egos have no place in schools…. A bit of humility goes a long way!

Advice for headteachers:
 Always admit your mistakes and always give credit where its due
 Never pretend you know all the answers but recognize there will be somebody in your school or community who does know the answer. Ask them!
 Don’t try to be the headteacher you think people expect. Be yourself -warts and all!
 Schools are about people and people are your greatest resource, invest in them, value & support them. Motivate them and appreciate all that they do.
 Distribute and share leadership across the school and don’t forget support staff who have so much to offer.
 Demystify headship - its not rocket science, and encourage others to aim for that role.
 Inclusion is about children, staff and parents and can be achieved in many ways but it’s never easy.
 Collaboration does not just happen. It needs to start with the head teacher and it needs to be structured and planned but must never be forced.
 Collaboration will only happen when there is trust and openness and understanding that each school/teacher/person has something to contribute.
 Developing the whole child and preparing them for life is what education is all about – not just about passing exams
 Developing children as lifelong learners will prepare them for the future we know so little about.
 A school without emotional intelligence and a caring supportive ethos is not a school…
 Share your vision and adapt it by listening to others (this is where Michael Gove failed…!)

Making the most of your staff who are your greatest resource
 Teaching is a craft that must be learned and developed and nurtured. It will not just happen.
 Take a serious look at the CPD provided for your staff. Is it past its sell-by date? Ask you staff how it could be better and look to Twitter for advice on how to make it more meaningful.
 Everybody in school needs to belong to a union and heads should not see the union as the enemy but work with them. They really can help.
 Only employ teachers and support staff who are flexible (attitude), who have a sense of humour and are solution focused and who are willing to learn and change.
 Really support them by making sure there is time for them to plan, teach and mark.
 Make sure they work in teams and support each other.
 Remember life throws curve balls and staff as well as children may have to cope with terrible problems, which may affect their performance. We need to support them through that.

Making the most of your pupils
 Listen to the pupils and hear their voices especially around teaching & learning.
 Ask them about their experience and their learning
 Make sure teachers ask them for feedback and act on it
 Remember pupils like adults have a range of needs. Our job is to meet those needs so they can thrive and flourish.
 As a school concentrate more on looking at how children learn rather than concentrating on judging what teachers are doing.

What I would do differently next time as a head
I only taught for one year as head and only then because we had a teacher shortage. I really thought it was not the job of a head who was being paid a lot of money to lead the school. However, I think this was a mistake, as I would have had a much greater understanding of what teachers were doing if I had been in the classroom myself.

I would take a completely different approach to CPD and make sure it was differentiated and delivered mostly by staff in the school rather than by experts. Teachers need to take charge of their own development so it is important to involve them in developing their own training and development programme. Teachers learn best from each other and more opportunities to observe each other and to feedback openly and honestly.

I would try not be so obsessed by Ofsted and exam results!

Finally
 Secondary schools need to s

Jill Berry

4/1/2015 08:31:06 am

Loved reading this response, Kenny! Just disappointed the end was somehow chopped off!

Canice (Kenny) Frederick

4/1/2015 08:45:50 am

Editor error; somehow didn't add this... :-/
Finally
 Secondary schools need to stop thinking they know – they don’t and can learn a great deal from primary schools
 Poverty is a real issue not something made up my whinging teachers…
 The expectations of teachers, schools and children are huge and are not healthy
 Government policy comes and goes and heads have to help teachers circumnavigate the more extreme big ideas to come in with each government.
 Schools always make sense of even the most obscure government policy and make it work despite the problems. Government then take the credit and rubbish teachers! That’s the truth but it should not deter us from doing our jobs.
 Resilience comes from within and it’s about having eternal optimism and a belief that things will get better. Heads need to model this and help others develop their resilience but must never think less of those who appear to be less resilient than others. It takes time and support to develop.

I have been very lucky to have had such a brilliant career as a teacher and headteacher and now I am able to visit schools across the schools as a consultant. I am still learning and am in awe at the work schools are doing. In fact I am so enthused I am just about to embark on a PhD with Brunel University looks at new form of CPD called Instructional (Teacher) Rounds. Once a learner, always a learner!

Kenny Frederick

Cherrylkd link

4/1/2015 08:21:59 am

A few weeks ago the wonderful @ChrisChivers2 published his post which gives an insight to his vast experience as an educator. You can read Chris’ post here. Chris is seeking educators who are willing to share their knowledge of teaching and learning. He has extended an invitation to anyone to share their thoughts on education as succinctly as possible. This is my attempt at sharing some of the things I have learned.

As a leader build a happy school. This is not as simple as it sounds. Trust is key. Trust everyone to perform their jobs to the best of their ability. Everyone wants the best for the children, trust them to provide it. Try not to micro manage. Do you really need to check plans? Trust that they are done. Do you really need to observe 6 times per year? In a successful school there will be an emphasis on coaching, team teaching and mentoring of each other. Talk to the children, look at the data, you will see that the children are being taught well. A developmental, supportive approach to leading staff is far better than constant observing which is often seen as threatening.

If its not for the children, don’t do it! Seriously, don’t be sucked in to following every new strategy and initiative that pops up. If there is no impact for the children, don’t do it. Remember, things should not be done solely for Ofsted, often they don’t want it.

Protect the teachers. Remember they often have a 90% teaching load. Ensure if possible that their non contact time is sacred. I know this is meant to happen but sometimes teachers do lose their non contact time and this leads to pressure.

Encourage your teachers to be the best that they can be. Encourage them to take advantage of CPD. If your school can afford it match their needs to the courses, send them out and ask them to disseminate their learning on their return.

My old HT used to say that it takes 7 years to become a good teacher. I think he’s right. I continue to learn new things every day, I continue to develop my practise and I hope to continue to share my thoughts and findings.

Keep the children firmly at the centre of everything you do. Trust your staff and this will lead to a happy workforce.

Happy staff equals happy children which leads to a successful school.

Ray Wilcockson @raywilcockson link

6/1/2015 10:20:14 am

Reblogged from Ray's blogsite.

http://altamarkings.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/days-of-dignity-or-what-you-will.html

Days of Dignity or What You Will.

My contribution of 35 to #1000 years' Experience.

Education establishments: 11-18 Secondary selective technical school; 11-16 Comprehensive schools; Sixth Form College; 16-19 & FE combined college and Supply including Special School.

Posts: Assistant English (+ school librarian); Head of English (+ Director of Creative Arts + Director of Language and Communications); Lecturer in English.

Subjects: English Language & Literature to 'A' level; Drama & Theatre Arts; General Studies to A level; BTEC Communications & (as needed) some French, Latin, EFL, E2L & Remedial English.

[This is, I think, the first of two, related education posts. Forthcoming is "The Readiness is All" under the thematic umbrella #Nurture1415. My thanks to @ChrisChivers2 for inviting me to contribute.]

Days of Dignity or What You Will.

Twelfth Night, and a new school term. At my own grammar in the 1960's we would gather in the first assembly to sing:
"Lord Behold us with thy Blessing
Once again assembled here."
The hymn's third verse opens thus:
"Keep the spell of home affection
Still alive in every heart."

In retirement I have no assembly to attend but I take this opportunity to write with affection about what essentially still lives in my heart and so, surely, is that which I most value from those years in the profession.

Olden Days.

I think now that I was blessed to work (from 1969) in a system, with a local authority, advisers, HMI's, colleagues and (especially) Head Teachers who trusted professional autonomy. Moreover, I am crystal clear this was the crucial factor in the generation of that sense of personal and communal dignity I now value above all else in the practice of education. It is thanks to them that the sub-title of my career may be so Shakespearean: "What You Will".

For me, there have always been two significant units in a school: its individuals and its communities. The former addresses the uniqueness of each person, adult or child; the latter is that living nest of Chinese boxes, incorporating local folk & parents, the whole school assembled and such constituent, overlapping, fluid communities as houses, year and form groups, classes, sets, sports teams, orchestras, play casts and staff.

Only in retrospect do I settle on dignity to christen the most gratifying feature encountered. Only now with time and energy for reflection is the beneficent connection patent between teaching English with autonomy and a perennial impulse to engage outside the class room. I can most usefully illustrate with reference to one 1970's 11-16 Comprehensive. With respect to teaching English with autonomy I'll focus on the currently topical matter of setting v mixed ability. I'll then recall a July afternoon that seems now to encapsulate all I wish to say here. But first...

Dignity.

There is about this term a measured, quiet poise I do not detect in the more hackneyed pride we associate with wearing the school uniform and the broadcasting of achievement to the world on school websites or bannered gates. It is in fact the more dignified by its implicit, unspoken influence, palpable to those who sense it and enduring in its impact long after childhood. Where pride is a blatant flag, dignity is a modest pennant. You can't teach this abstract any more than you can character. Those who go about their business with dignity leave something wholesome in their wake born of self and reciprocal respect. With it, failure and success are 'imposters just the same' and it's engendered by trustworthy acknowledgement of the intrinsic, unique worth of individuals and groups.

The English Group.

It never mattered to me overmuch whether any age-group was 'setted' or 'mixed-ability'. Whatever the theoretical basis of the exercise, practicalities such as staffing levels, equalizing numbers and managing pupil relationships affect the equation. I never put much store in feeder primary grades or (at 6th form college) GCSE results, partly because (this is not a criticism) they often displayed disparity, but mostly because for an English teacher they told nothing like the full story. In addition, to be frank, it was more fruitful to set aside the past as soon as maybe because (like human development) English isn't a linear subject. Hence an undue consciousness of earlier performance was both irrelevant and counterproductive (especially with older students prejudiced by depressing grades).

My instinct has always been to get to know pupils as they present themselves and welcome the group as a nascent society. Apart from confidential pastoral information, the pupil before me is the embodiment of whatever data I need. Why look elsewhere when I have the living subject? My job is to observe and assess daily this ever-changing human data and respond to its ultimate benefit in real time, authen

Ray wilcockson link

6/1/2015 10:22:29 am

Ray Wilcockson
Part two

My instinct has always been to get to know pupils as they present themselves and welcome the group as a nascent society. Apart from confidential pastoral information, the pupil before me is the embodiment of whatever data I need. Why look elsewhere when I have the living subject? My job is to observe and assess daily this ever-changing human data and respond to its ultimate benefit in real time, authentic encounters.

In the absence of a National Curriculum, targets, outcomes, lesson objectives and the like, I taught what and how I wished in the 1970's. Apart from discussing individual students, internal exam arrangements, external syllabi & capitation the most regular item of departmental interest was the expansion of resources, especially literature. The English Scheme of Work was a guiding reminder of that spectrum of matters with which an English teacher is properly concerned and (as with the best use of text books) not to be followed in its necessarily linear publication order.

Richness of resources was of paramount concern. Of course these incorporated specialized texts graded by reading age but I mean to stress the importance of variety, depth and breadth in effectively fuelling lessons, whose thirsty engines were Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.

I'd have found it prejudicial and self-limiting, either to advertise a lesson objective or prepare differentiated work. An English teacher who commits to articulating an objective must not be surprised if: (a) that is all that's accomplished ; (b) multiple unpredictable opportunities are preempted and (c) fluid, in-lesson, individual differentiation is rendered impossible.

For me, the lesson's content is a fresh, varied stimulus open to all that dignifies the group as people who matter equally and who may respond according to each one's lights. My job is to conduct a running exercise in subtle differentiation, an exercise that will have been ongoing on multiple levels since I met the group and contribute to awareness of objectives for group and individual I'd not flag up to either because I've long been convinced students learn more naturally when they forget they're being taught.(Indeed, at all levels, I've taught some of my most effective 'lessons' in dinner queues and playgrounds).

I have a lot of time for rank orders. The least useful, practically, is the received list of last year's exam grades which usually inform me only how a student read and wrote under exam conditions months ago. I ignore these into the same oblivion as the name of the group or set. My teaching is the more immediate if I view a given group as the only one in the world rather than the 4th of 6 sets.

The reality is that every group has ranges. Exam grades are one of many. I'd maintain that knowing your pupils means you can close your eyes in the staff room or late one night in bed and think: "Listening. Rank order most receptive to least, my Year 7's. Go." I think it the English teacher's job to maintain such mental and fluid rank orders for significant aspects of the subject, from ability to deploy the colon to poetic language sensitivity, imaginative engagement, and reading aloud. I'd not write these down - as a pupil is his or her own living data base, I'm the dynamic data processor. What else should occupy a teacher's mind but student and subject?

I'm only appropriately interested in grades external to a given group when end-of-year or external exams seek to compare my students with others. The only time I'd mark to external standards would be in mock exams, as part of my duty to prepare pupils for this special task. My teaching would change radically likewise. Training to perform in written examinations calls for directed, objective-led lessons of advice, familiarization, technique, revision strategies and realistic exercise.

Children are like adults. We tend to be more forthcoming when we feel valued. We are Billy Caspers all our lives - suddenly, amazingly fluent when our personal 'kestrels' are appreciated by a group peaceful in its achieved dignity. And I pray, are we Rogers on this Lord of the Flies island, civilized in the belief every man woman and child has the right to take the conch in hand and enjoy fair hearing however apparently inarticulate.

One July Afternoon.

The scene is a school hall I came to love. The time 1977.

I'd returned to the school that January as Head of Dept (after secondment and a year elsewhere) taking on a 4th year (Year 10) CSE group. Having realized by then that the quickest way to get known in a school is to produce a play, I dramatized a spin-off paperback of the hit of '76, "Bugsy Malone", secured Alan Parker's permission, got the green light from the Head and announced auditions in assembly.

I could have cast the play fully five times over, such was the response, including all the boys in my CSE set who, on hearing I had a script of a film they'd loved, asked to read it in class. Wes

Ray wilcockson link

6/1/2015 10:24:23 am

Ray Wilcockson

Part three
I could have cast the play fully five times over, such was the response, including all the boys in my CSE set who, on hearing I had a script of a film they'd loved, asked to read it in class. West Midland (rough-cut) diamonds to a man, they'd never acted before, but read aloud in class with a surge of imaginative engagement never before evinced. I knew I had the makings of Fat Sam and Dandy Dan's gangs.

Limited as they were academically, these lads had street and sport cred which they deployed to draw in others. Faced with an embarrassment of riches I doubled up on the female leads and Bugsy who would perform alternate nights.

I can't remember why, but that July afternoon, members of the cast had gravitated naturally to the centre of their world. I can see them now. Costumed, they sit or stand about the darkened hall, talking fitfully, glancing now and then up at the illumined stage. And I too, unusually, find time to reflect.

How far had we come since Easter! I thought on the groundswell of support from every quarter. Of the music master who composed our songs. Of the design department's weeks of experiment to invent and then replicate splurge guns that worked, turning the playground into a firing range. Of the depth of trust and validating insight from a management that understood this was curriculum on a par with the most academic of classes.

Mostly I mused on transformation. I chose the word dignity for this celebratory post because that is what I perceived in the bearing of some boys become young men, awaiting the evening's performance with a grace in the step and a song of self-esteem in fearless hearts.

Here are some of them, caught in aspic, from my late dad's scrapbook. I wish all teachers in service and students at school similar legacies of dignity from doing what they will.

Just some of the Gang

Jules Daulby link

11/1/2015 11:13:00 am

The wonderful @ChrisChivers2 has been collecting experience from teachers. I feel a slight fraud here as the ones I have read are not only excellent but from the ‘grandetwitterers’ such as Chris, @raywilkinson and @Jillberry102. But as I created #genderedcheese which criticises the lack of women’s voices in education, I must practise what I preach – I have been asked, and although I don’t feel worthy, I will add my contribution.

Me

First an English and Drama teacher from Year 9-13 – taught up to English Literature and Theatre Studies A’Level. Deputy Head of Sixth Form then went to Falkland Islands. Although I taught an English A’Level adult group at night school, my day job was Assistant Editor of News at the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Station. On returning I was pregnant with my first child so did a bit of supply teaching then became a Parent Partnership Officer (supporting parents of children with SEN in education) and a part time lecturer of English, Maths, IT and Skills for Life at a land based FE college. I then became a 1:1 tutor for students with specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia) at the same college supporting students up to HE level before I returned to the Local Authority and joined the SENSS team. Now I visit various types of schools in Dorset, teaching, advising, assessing and training. (what I write below is personal however and does not reflect my employer’s views)

Before teaching I was a spring onion peeler, typist, receptionist, Assistant Organiser for an Exhibition company at Earls Court, Chalet girl, then Group Leader, Instructor and Ski Rep for PGL.

What I reckon
•differentiate through language and outcome not worksheets
•be kind to staff and students – always put yourself in their shoes before acting
•person first admin second (once I profusely apologised to one of my tutor group for asking for his sick note before asking if he was feeling better – I was horrified with myself)
•be good enough – aim to teach one great session a day, the majority OK and allow yourself one not so good – just mix these up through the week so different children experience the great one
•all students are worthy of your time not just the clever ones
•find the glitter – did you know John who can’t read and write very well could somersault on his BMX?
•parents have hunches about their child and they are usually right – they are worth listening to and will have great advice about how best their child learns
•quality first teaching is knowing your students and adapting to suit them – this is not differentiation/SEN/Teaching Assistant’s role – just good teaching
•Less is more – an essay with bullet points and one superb paragraph maybe preferable to a terrible essay
•Alternative assessments can allow some a chance to shine
•The hardest to love are often those that need loving the most
•Start each lesson afresh – try not to say ‘you always do this’, or ‘let’s see if you can do better than yesterday’.
•Catch them being good – it’s easy to ignore challenging children when they are being good out of sheer relief but this is exactly when a hand on the shoulder, a quick nod of recognition or a smile can be most effective – they get to experience what the ‘good’ kids get
•OK, Professor Coe says effusive praise is not effective but I think it is not the effusiveness but the genuineness – whether they believe your praise – you need to mean it

It’s really hard, I know, but keep the joy of learning a priority – working hard and being happy can go together

Gaz Needle link

13/1/2015 01:18:12 am

After an invite from @ChrisChivers2 to participate in his collection of thoughts about education #edn1000years, I decided to have a good long think.

Chris' blog explains:

'It has long worried me that large numbers of people leave education, after a long and successful career and that’s that. The wealth of expertise and their insights are lost to the system... So I extend an invitation, to any reader of my blog, to share their distilled thoughts as succinctly as possible. If we can get to 1000 years, with a corporate effort, I’ll do my best to distil the thoughts further to come up with a collegiate précis.'

So I had a think. @HeyMissSmith said that her style of writing doesn't fit the format Chris gave and he replied by saying that we can use whatever format we wish. I love a good visual and, as I was a teenager in the '90s, here is my contribution:
Ed note; please see Gaz's visual contribution within the main post.

Naomi @naomi7444 link

19/1/2015 05:57:13 am

In response to @chrischivers attempt to gather 1000 years of experience, I have thought about the 15 years that I have had in education so far. You can find Chris’ original post here. So, after 15 years of training, classroom teaching, management and a smattering of consultancy, here we go!

On you, as a person.
◾Plan, plan, plan. End point planning is useful, start with the finished product and work backwards
◾When you come back from maternity leave, don’t expect to be the same person who worked until 10pm each night. You can’t do it. You can still do the job, but differently and maybe more successfully.
◾Stick with it through the hard times. You will get through and be stronger as a result.
◾Surround yourself with people who inspire you, in school and out. An energetic conversation can revitalise and sustain!
◾Set and structure your own goals, personal and professional – a road map so that you know where you are going.
◾Overall, you are probably better than you think. (Evidence suggests that this dislocation between perception and reality is greater if you are female.)

On children
◾Be kind and happy
◾Be surprising and creative and silly
◾Emphasise the positive: rewards, letters home, stickers, silly prizes, certificates
◾Be consistent
◾Emphasise student talk. Always ask them to think more deeply and challenge them to develop their expression.
◾Know them well and know their strengths as individuals. If they are confident, they might take more risks.
◾Forget targets and try to make all students believe that anything is possible with hard work

On management (working with people)
◾Don’t try to change people. Look at their strengths and emphasise these. I spent a year trying to ‘support’ a teacher to become less ‘chalk and talk’. I see now that this worked for his students and he was a fantastic teacher.
◾Get in the biscuits, remember everyone’s birthday, bring in breakfast from time to time.
◾Manage your time. If someone is using it all up, diarise a regular meeting with an agenda
◾Protect your team from the admin and pressure from the top. They need to be inspired and think about teaching. Not buried in colour-coded spreadsheets.
◾Look for informal opportunities to intervene and support. A brief, supportive, timely chat at goes a long way.
◾Invest in learning about coaching, NLP, transactional analysis – learning about how we communicate will make us better communicators
◾Keep a batch of thank you cards in your desk and use them generously!
◾Share everything and make it clear everyone is expected to do this too.
◾Communicate using all possible channels. Not everyone is brilliant at reading emails.
◾Don’t do admin in meetings. Just don’t.

That was useful – thanks Chris! How many years to go?

Chris

19/1/2015 11:36:28 am

Many thanks Naomi, for such an insightful commentary on your career to date. A lady of many talents, you have a great deal to build upon over the next part of your career, as well as bringing up children well.
Be well and happy.
Chris

Craig Parkinson @CParkinson535 link

19/1/2015 11:14:00 am

25 years employed, 11 years in education. Secondary Maths teacher, product of GTP, mature graduate. Now working as a Consultant and Trainer for Visible Learning through Osiris Educational.

On you, as a person.
• Remember what the important things in life are. They’re not always the same as the urgent things.
• Avoid contradiction.
• Don’t try to short-cut a system. It’s designed to be used properly. If you don’t follow the protocol and you get away with it, you have made the system fail.
• Be professional. It takes hard work to achieve QTS. It should be respected.
• Ensure that you have an understanding of the world that your pupils are going to be entering. If you haven’t worked “in industry” don’t forget that the outside world is bigger than your classroom.
• Be honest.
On children
• Be the silver spoon in their mouth that they weren’t born with.
• Give opportunities for children to own the learning process.
• Try to anticipate their misconceptions. Think like a learner.
• Praise honestly. Criticise fairly.
• Share in their learning. Feel privileged to be the one who will teach them. You are the adult.
• Reinforce the love of reading. With a book you are never lonely.
On management (working with people)
• Be objective. Never criticise the person.
• Be honest.
• Listen. Welcome comment and feedback.
• Understand how teams form.
• Increase the capacity of your team to improve.

Chris

19/1/2015 11:34:16 am

Many thanks Craig. It has been quite inspirational to see the different insights into thoughts on teaching and learning.
Thank you for contributing.
Chris

@Nichola80 link

25/1/2015 03:56:33 am

There is a thing going round on twitter at the moment about thinking what you might say to your NQT self or others just starting out now you have experience behind you. http://chrischiversthinks.weebly.com/blog-thinking-aloud/1000-years-of-experience
I qualified back in 2002 so look back now with nearly 13 years experience. Still early days as as it stands with pensions I have as many years to work as I have lived so far (34!)
So here are my thoughts.

Remember what mum told you? Yup. Stick to it. It does help your sanity. No work on a Saturday night and choose a time at night where you will always say enough is enough. There is always more you could be doing.

Every career change, no matter how difficult they seem, are for the better. If you feel you have to change, go for it. It will work out. Don’t be scared.

It’s ok to be emotionally involved in your job. It is a big part of what makes you the teacher you are. Yes there will be tough times and you will cry a lot but it is nothing to be ashamed of.

Continue doing what you believe in, even if everyone doesn’t always agree with you. Stand strong. It is good to have strong beliefs.

Network! Be nosey, get involved. Talk to others. You can always learn from people.

Never lose your enthusiasm for being with the children. They are why you are there.

Sheep2763

25/1/2015 04:28:06 am

Teaching for 14 years - now a SENCO
* Be consistent - don't let bad behaviour slip just because it is by a normally "good" child
*Use plenty of specific praise
*Praise effort as well as achievement
*Remember all of the children are individuals and try and get to know something of each of them
*Get to know the name of the cleaner, the secretary and the caretaker - they are an important part of the school team and there are days when you will need them
*Say thank you to children and adults if they do some thing helpful
*Apologise to children and adults if you have made a mistake
*Display children's best work not just the best children's work
*If you are bored teaching it the children will be bored learning it
*Have high expectations of everyone
*Set work at an appropriate level so that all children can achieve success
*Most children want to please you and understand what you are teaching
*You are not there to be their friend; if they like you , great, if not, never mind
*Read like a writer and write like a reader
*Every lesson matters and should aim to be at least good - would you be happy if a pilot said that only 90% of landings were good

Tania link

25/1/2015 07:55:20 am

WOW! So many wonderful reflections and lessons. Thank you all. Wish I could get you all in a room and just learn, learn from you all...
Mine for the bucket - keep the bucket full.
On you, as a person.
• Remember its just a job - remember who and what the important things in life are.
• Don't beat yourself up -
• Stay fair and consistent.
• Laugh
• Take time to chat, coffee and lunch.
Keep the bucket full
On children
• Remember the individuals....
• Remember every child is someone's child
• Praise, praise, praise
• Celebrate
• Have high expectations and hold them accountable.
• Be fair, honest and be there.
Keep the bucket full
On management
• Be there - be visible
• Listen to understand
• Appreciate and thank
• Have high expectations and keep yourself and others accountable
• Strive to be the best - and push others to be their best
Communicate
Break / question the barriers...

Keep the bucket full

Chris

25/1/2015 09:12:02 am

Hi Tania. Thank you for this, very poetic contribution. Are you @Taniaf77? Link didn't work.

Tania mansfield link

21/2/2015 06:18:59 am

Just read through all these again. Is a wonderful collection of thoughts from educators who care

Kristian Still link

28/1/2015 01:59:41 pm

http://www.kristianstill.co.uk/wordpress/2015/01/28/1000-years-of-experience/

Chris Chivers was, for a long time, a smiling avatar on Tweeter. A voice of common sense and thoughtful provocation, and I anticipate, persuasive prowess. Walking in opposite directions, down the corridor at #TLT14 (Southampton University) we paused and offered our, I-recognise-your-face-from-Twitter introductions. Chris smiled, we chatted and we went on with our conference.

A few weeks ago Chris shared his ‘1000 years of experience’ project. Here I am, with my 17 years. I purposefully haven’t yet read any of the other contributions, and one of the key drivers for writing my response, is the opportunity to read the others.

17 year teaching career and 10 years coaching. Supply teacher, coach, teacher of PE (Secondary), Graduate Assistant, teacher of PE (Sixth Form College), Head of PE (Sixth Form College), Head of ICT (Secondary), Assistant Principal (Secondary), Vice Principal (Secondary) – current.

On you, as a person

This question is not as to answer as it is to read, to write about even. I am acutely aware, that the way I see myself, is not the way others may see me. That is, in its self an important reflection. And with that, acknowledge that the way others see me, should not move me too far from my own moral due north.
•Know thyself.


I must first know myself. To be curious about that which is not my concern, while I am still in ignorance of my own self would be ridiculous.
•Know your own moral due north. When you are most tested, and teaching will test you, you need to know what it is you stand for.
•One of the most powerful ways to improve your pupils, is to improve yourself. Invest in yourself.
•Getting the answer right, is more important than how quickly you draw that conclusion.
•If you wouldn’t get up early to finish “it,” don’t stay up late to finish “it.”
•When an unreachable or difficult pupil stops in you Tesco’s and thanks you, as an adult – two parts surprised, one part humbling.
•Teaching strategies should not be discard just because they didn’t work first, second or third time.
•Planning and prioritising is much easier with my trusted decision making matrix.

Decision Making

On children
•Children are unpredictable. Doesn’t that make our working days so much more interesting.
•Sarcasm is not a teaching tool. Nor is shouting.
•If you say you will – make sure you do. And make sure you do.
•The behaviour is not the child.
•Expect their A game. Expect their very best work. Expect their very best behaviour.
•Expect them to get it right, even after they have got it wrong.
•Equal is not fair. Fair is not equal.
•If you ask the pupils, you will find that they have plenty to say, suggest and recommend.
•Make the difficult decisions. The pupils will respect in the long run – you may have to wait until an impromptu meeting in Tesco’s to find this out for yourself and enduring short term vitriol.
•Model resilience. Make the classroom a safe place to fail. Failure as fertiliser.
•Parents are essential partners. Harness their energy appropriately. Make home activity count.

On management (working with people)
•Lead to your moral due north. Vision. Courage. Resilience. Humility.
•Discretionary effort – is a key indicator of how successful your organisation is and will be.
•Pay it forward.
•Friday afternoon is not an appropriate time to hold a professional conversation.
•Never assume you are in a position to offer advice without asking permission to do so first.
•You get what you tolerate.
•a) Important conversations require and deserve to be planned. b) Before holding the conversation, consider how they will most likely respond. c) Review the plan.
•Listen carefully. There is no greater way to respect your colleagues.
•Never attend a meeting with an agenda.
•“First rule of leadership: everything is your fault.” – Bugs Life.
•Everything you say is on the record. Simple. There is no, off the record.
•I was always impressed by the fact that Ian Knights (my Secondary Headteacher) knew and remembered my wife’s names, and even my son’s name. I will not forget that. We have not worked together for 5 years now and I still occasionally drop him a phone call.

Now, having written my first draft I am feeling a little apprehensive. I anticipate Chris will have responses from the great and the good, the wise, the Been-there-done-it and he best mate, Got-the-t-shirt. Let’s hope it stacks up, thank you for asking me to contribute.

Chris link

30/1/2015 01:59:09 am

Many thanks Kristian, for such a delightful read. Each contribution adds a little to the collective narrative. There are significant commonalities, but also individuality, which is what gives teaching and teachers such interest.
Chris

Ben King link

8/2/2015 04:06:28 pm

Chris,

Almost two months after I stated my intention to contribute to this project of yours, here's my contribution.

20 years of experience (a half-Chivers): Tutoring of University undergraduates (Stirling and Exeter Universities) and then teaching in four secondary schools; currently in my fifteenth year of teaching in a wonderful Devon school that you have fond memories of, Chris, from your own childhood; Head of Year responsibilities have given me the greatest sense of job-satisfaction, before non-teaching Heads of Year were brought-in (understandably) for budgetary reasons, fundamentally changing the role as I knew it.

I have fifteen things that I would like to say about what makes a great teacher:

1. A teacher who thinks young, stays young;

2. A teacher who lives a balanced and fulfilling life, doing what they love to do (for me it's music performance that makes me feel fully alive); fulfilled teachers spread love to their students much more than teachers who 'live to work';

3. A teacher who remains true to themself, rather than playing a role to fulfil a perceived need; it takes a variety of teachers to educate a child in a balanced way;

4. A teacher who perseveres and works consistently hard, always prioritising students' learning;

5. A teacher who recognises that we are preparing students for an unknown future; therefore equipping them with knowledge, understanding, skills and values that will give them appropriate choices in life;

6. A teacher who enjoys whatever the working day brings and who thrives in seeing the silver lining in situations that may at first appear particularly challenging;

7. A teacher who recognises that Listening is the most important skill when interacting with hundreds of people each working day;

8. A teacher who gives compliments freely and who receives them gracefully;

9. A teacher who trusts their intuition and who listens to what their body tells them to do at least as much as (if not more than) what their mind tells them to do;

10. A teacher who avoids excessive planning - as such planning is often driven by fear of the future - and who relaxes into interacting with their students - in the moment;

11. A teacher who understands that, 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy', who learns to prioritise and to say 'No' to unreasonable demands, understanding that by saying, 'No' to one thing, they are actually saying 'Yes' to something better;

12. A teacher who has managed to become more selfish, in order to look after one's own happiness - as, with all good intentions, this only serves to spread happiness to others;

13. A teacher who makes time for 'mental health days' - despite the enormous workload pressures and the danger of slipping into feelings of guilt when doing so; I admit that this has become easier for me by becoming temporarily part-time this year;

14. A teacher who realises that Parenting is the most important and rewarding job that they will ever do - saving the time and efforts of many teachers (and others) in the future;

15. A teacher who recognises the fundamental importance of cooperation and collaboration between all members of a school community, for the mutual benefit of all within that community.

Thank you, Chris, for starting this process - and for being so patient as I awaited the head-space to contribute.

Best wishes,

Ben

Rory Gallagher

20/2/2015 08:21:18 am

My contribution: http://staffrm.io/@rorygallagher/OqQ39wgTp8
:) Great project Chris!

David Rogers link

20/2/2015 09:15:15 am

Hi Chris,

Great idea and have been meaning to get around to this for a while. I've been teaching for 11 years and would boil down ideas to these relative few. I hope that they are worthwhile:

1. Children are children. Yes, they have different starting points in life and different levels of support and experiences, but teachers exist to expand those horizons of knowledge, experience or social ability.
2. Ask for forgiveness rather than forgiveness - if you see a problem in your school, do something about it and talk to your leaders. Empty criticism without action in empty and not very useful.
3. Take charge of your own CPD - get out there and do stuff. Ask for stuff, get involved in projects, get out of your comfort zone.
4. Well being is important, but accept that a certain amount of stress and excess workload is inevitable. Take charge of your workload and prioritise. Manage up as well as down.
5. Embrace curriculum change - make it a feature of normality and then it's easy to adapt to change. Relish the new learning opportunities presented.
6. Learn something yourself and make the time. I run now. It enhances work - stop making excuses as there's no one the blame but yourself.
7. Be human - you'll make mistakes, especially as you strive to do new things, but that's what makes it so much fun!
8. Connect with other teachers. - within your school, face to face in your local area, subject associations and online - filter out the stuff you don't agree with (why worry about it?)

Best wishes

David

Chris

20/2/2015 11:26:19 am

Thanks so much for your insights David. I think the human aspect is something that we should all hold to, if we are to bring up the next generation with humanity. Mistakes are inevitable, but that's real life and from them we learn, if we are self-aware.
Best wishes,
Chris

Rory Gallagher @EddyCation link

20/2/2015 11:21:49 am

I was inspired by Chris Chiver's post about trying to capture the wealth of experience of education that exists around us, in the organic institutions that are our schools.

This is me: my 3rd year as a full-time teacher, after doing the GTP in 2011-2012. Survived mulitple reincarnations including TEFL teacher, holiday rep, lumberjack, boatbuilder, and running my own business as a painter and decorator. I have only a few years teaching experience to add to this collective project, but my other experiences inform and enrich my ideas on teaching.

This is how I see teaching:

On you, as a person:
There is no such thing as an outstanding teacher. Being a good teacher is about always trying to be a better teacher. To do that, we must listen to ourselves, our colleagues, our students.

On children:
Never underestimate the impact you can have on children's lives. Your smile may be the highlight of the day or they may not give a toss. You don't really know what they are thinking. Act like you are changing lives for the better, and you will.

On working with people/leadership: Make time to speak to people around school. Make time to connect with people. Listen to others. Learn from others. Do not be afraid to speak out when you think something is wrong. Don't wait for change to filter down from on high. Be the change. Become a leader simply by being yourself and by working with those around you.

Sounds easy? It is some days. Other days it is hard to just be yourself. But the more you try, the easier it becomes.

Be yourself!

Rory Gallagher link

2/3/2015 09:50:47 am

Thanks for posting this for me Chris. My twitter handle is @EddieKayshun :)

Chris

2/3/2015 09:53:51 am

Hi Rory,
Sorry if I've made a Typo. Will alter before any further postings.
Chris

Chris

20/2/2015 11:23:48 am

Thanks Rory, for your kind contribution. It sounds to me as if life has been a significant teacher to you, so you have unique insights to share with your learners.
A great teacher in the making; believe.
Chris

Lisa Pettifer @Lisa7Pettifer link

5/3/2015 11:10:34 am

This is my 25th year of teaching. Here's what I've learned.

On you

Never lose it. Emotional outbursts are memorable, so a two minute rant might take you two years to live down!

Rarely put off until tomorrow what can be done today - you can save time in the long run, just don't try to do EVERYTHING a today!

Sometimes do things differently. Don't get stuck in a rut and repeat previous habits just because you haven't stopped to reflect and evaluate for a whole. Try to see the benefit in someone else's way of doing something.

Often think about family and friends who might be missing out on your time and energy because of the amounts of both that get sucked into work. Draw the line.

Always listen to your body, your partner, your children, your inner voice.

On children

Never be mean to a child. You are the grown up and whatever behaviour you exhibit, a child somewhere will emulate you.

Rarely raise your voice to a child. If you have to, do it with control and demonstrate very soon afterwards that calm is restored. Use a slow, low tone to get across serious messages.

Sometimes call for reinforcements. Enlist a parent, TA, colleague or a peer of the children to help out in a tricky situation.

Often remember that the children we meet are not the 'finished product' yet. Even as teenagers, they can say and do daft things. Don't hold it against them and they will grow through it.

Always listen...to all sides of an argument, to all their questions, their dreary weekend news. You never know, one day you might be the only person listening.

On management

Never do nothing. Always act, whether in thought or word or deed. Never live with regret. If you owe an apology, sort it sooner rather than later. And mean it. If someone owes you one, understand why why it might be hard for them. And move on.

Rarely leave things unresolved. In exceptional circumstances, defer to a later discussion, but not without checking your current understanding and finding points of agreement for next steps.

Sometimes we have to admit that we'll have to ask for help on that one. Be open about what you can and can't do. Recognise and acknowledge those who have given support.

Often delegate to others in their areas of expertise and then show your appreciation for their input. Leaders need to grow more leaders and give more junior colleagues chance to shine.

Always listen...as much to what is not being said as to what is. If you ask "so, that's OK?" in a meeting and no one responds, they're not telling you that it's OK!

Chris link

5/3/2015 11:13:37 am

Thanks Lisa, for taking the time to reflect and write your thoughts. I especially like your comments on children, to remember that they are still developing. It is a recurrent theme, I think, among contributors.
I'll now try to find a suitable picture to go with an extract, as I have done for others.
Best wishes,
Chris

Lisa Pettifer link

5/3/2015 11:30:21 am

Thanks for commenting, Chris, and for giving us a reason to take stock of where we've come from and what we've learned.

Jill Berry

7/3/2015 12:35:17 pm

Love it - and love you both!

Kathryn Solly

6/3/2015 01:39:06 pm

My early days teaching in the sun of PNG on VSO created a foundation to my learning how to learn and teach. Primary years and PRU before I found my feet in early years.

The priviledge of teaching the youngest children also builds a firm respectful relationship with their parents too. The pinnacle of teaching and learning is the early years where lifelong learning is nurtured.

The joy, the wonder, the challenge and fascination- I have never regretted going up in the world to the early years.

Chris

7/3/2015 08:38:08 am

Thanks Kathryn, for taking the time to comment and add to this thread. From the start it has been an amazing project, as different people added their own personal insights.
Best wishes.
Chris

Lisa Pettifer link

7/3/2015 01:23:49 pm

Chris, I'm really enjoying browsing all of these over again. Keep it rolling- so much wisdom and belief in the value of sharing.

@jordyjax link

9/3/2015 04:20:39 am

Reblogged from @jordyjax 's blogsite.

This post is inspired by @chrishildrew who recently posted a letter to his NQT self. It made me think…what have I learnt from a quarter of a century of teaching…and what nuggets of wisdom could I pass on to an NQT ?
My first job was in a primary school as an EAL support teacher and it was a 12 month contract. At the interview I blagged a couple of questions on ethnic minorities and later discovered that the HT was a highly respected expert in the field with several books under her belt!
Rule 1: Do not pretend you know something that you don’t. .you will quickly be found out!! ( fortunately she was very kind about it and gave me a job)
I learnt an awful lot that year and some of my preconceptions were turned on their heads! One thing forcefully hammered home was that racism is not confined to particular groups of people! One poor child who was different to the rest had his food spat in daily by others and eventually left the school. Sadly, this is a lesson which is being played out across the globe, with devastating and fatal consequences!
I also discovered my limitations in terms of classroom management but had some good role models to teach with and learn from…I learnt that not everyone will love you and it’s up to you to be positive, upbeat and able to rise above brickbats in the pursuit of bouquets.
My second job was in a medium sized primary school in a mixed catchment area.
Rule 2: Be a diplomat and keep your head whilst all about you are losing theirs!! In this school there were many competing factions which wasn’t helped by the geographical separation of the school building into three discrete areas overseen by competitive and diametrically opposed members of the SLT! You needed the wisdom of Solomon to navigate these treacherous pathways; my advice today would be to keep your head down and get on with your job…involving yourself in inter- necine rivalries can only end in tears!
These years were categorised by learning the art of negotiation – with pupils, parents and colleagues. Initially I was overwhelmed by positivity from all the above..which leads me to..
Rule 3: Nothing lasts forever. Don’t rest on your laurels when things are going well. Don’t assume you’ve cracked it. This may sound negative but I have learned the hard way…The minute something goes wrong everything goes wrong. In my case it was an OFSTED. It was in the days of the clipboard inspection…frowning miseries who, in the words of one of my Y2 children, were ‘scary’. I had, as perceived by teachers and parents, the ‘class from hell’ and boy did they play up when the inspector came to call!! People may moan about TAs but then there were none! You were on your own in classes of 34+!! So there was no one to fight your corner…or deflect…or remove..! I nearly had a nervous breakdown after a distinct lack of support from those who should have known better! They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and thanks to supportive friends/colleagues I came back from the depths…not forgetting supportive parents who showered me with gifts at the end of the year! This all happened the term after my mother unexpectedly died; I would like to think no one would have to go through this now but I have heard of horrifying recent incidents. Rule 4: NQTs. …Please, please join a union!!
Since then I have had a variety of experiences which have made me the person I am today. So how have these shaped me ? Well, at my third school, a lovely little village school, I really found my feet. I had a fantastic head who believed in me and wonderful colleagues who I still see today, six years after leaving. My head gave me so many opportunities to develop and try new things.I became an advocate for SEN and built links with a local special school; I promoted gifted and talented, parents as educators, better reading, early years’ play….and on and on. Ofsted loved us and thought we were outstanding. I also completed my NPQH and was told I was an outstanding candidate for headship…which has eluded me….but has proved a blessing in disguise.q
During this period I was seconded to a large school as deputy and worked with challenging children. Again I had preconceived ideas about behaviour and the sorts of children who presented issues.
Rule 5: Learn a range of strategies which encompass the needs of all your class. I was regularly called upon to address difficult children in a particular class; I was seen as a ‘saviour’ by the teacher but this wasn’t a healthy strategy. Yes, SLT have a role to play but it shouldn’t be a ‘rescuing’ model unless it’s an emergency. Some families can see this kind of tactic as excluding and one mum saw my championing of her child as extraordinary and gave me an angel figure because

@jordyjax link

9/3/2015 04:22:38 am

@jordyjax part 2.
Rule 5: Learn a range of strategies which encompass the needs of all your class. I was regularly called upon to address difficult children in a particular class; I was seen as a ‘saviour’ by the teacher but this wasn’t a healthy strategy. Yes, SLT have a role to play but it shouldn’t be a ‘rescuing’ model unless it’s an emergency. Some families can see this kind of tactic as excluding and one mum saw my championing of her child as extraordinary and gave me an angel figure because she saw me as her son’s ‘guardian angel’.
This brings me on to my current role as DHT of a primary PRU. Here we have to be large scale ‘guardian angels’ because our children operate on the fringes of society. Since I have started blogging I have received a particularly poignant message from a secondary teacher who I feel is relatively new to the profession. This was following the ‘they love us really ‘ blog in which I outlined the anxieties of children who were about to leave us this summer. The poster said she was going to try particularly hard next term to engage her more challenging learners because she felt the angst of those who struggle in our system. My blog had brought those difficulties home to her. I sought to reassure her that you can only do what you can do but this can be disingenuous.
My final thoughts are these: my early years of teaching have been constructed from trial and error. I am not a natural ‘wonder teacher’ like some. I am not a product of academic brilliance like @daisychristo. I have not written a book -acclaimed or otherwise – or written for TES like @tombennett71; I am just an ordinary member of my profession. As a tweep I do not expect to be heralded for fabness or greatness but I do hope to transmit a little piece of what I am about. My advice for today’s NQT would be to be yourself. Be professional, productive, passionate and stand up to be counted. Good luck!

@bethben92

11/3/2015 01:38:36 pm

Well, here it is, finally, my first blog. I have read a lot of great blogs recently but it was reading the #Edn1000years collection that @ChrisChivers2 is putting together that finally made my mind up to do it. Surely with 27 years of teaching and learning experience behind me I could find something to say.
So, in the spirit of nothing ventured and all that, I give my 27 years younger me the following, using the medium of expressive dance...only kidding...the medium of song lyrics.
“Any way the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me”. Queen
Actually it does matter because a day, an hour or a minute can change in the blowing of a breeze. Take it from me, wind changes children in ways you would not believe. Go with it, nature is not a force to be reckoned with, no matter how painstakingly you planned your lessons. IT IS NOT WORTH IT!
“Honesty is such a lonely word” Billy Joel
Be honest with yourself and others, admit your mistakes and move on. It may be very difficult at times, but it really is the best policy.
“You say it best when you say nothing at all.” Alison Krauss
Bite your tongue at the right time. Although I just said that honesty is the best policy, sometimes saying nothing can also be the best policy. Choose your moments and audience. I have said so much to no-one at times just to say it out loud and be done with it.
“At the age of 37 she realised she’d never ride through Paris with the warm wind in her hair.” Dr Hook and the Medicine Show
Do not have regrets. Do not put things off. Do not wake up one day thinking what might have been.
“Should I stay or should I go?” The Clash
If you took my previous advice about being honest with yourself then you will know the right time to move on and not outstay your welcome.
“If it wusnae fur yer wellies, where wud ye be?” Billy Connolly
I would still be on a Year 5 residential from 2001, stuck in a muddy field in Hornsea (3 shoes are still there in their earthy time capsule. BE PREPARED.
“It’s not often easy, and not often kind, did you ever have to make up your mind?” Loving Spoonful
You will constantly have to make decisions. Sometimes you will have to act and it won’t be easy. Sometimes you will have to support children through tough decisions by others that change their lives forever. More often than not the decision is the right one but the consequences are long lasting and this means...
“I get knocked down but I get up again, you’re never going to keep me down”. Chumbawamba
You need resilience. You need space and time but you never give up.
“Train whistle blowin’ makes a sleepy noise, underneath the blankets go all the girls and boys” The Seekers
A blast from my childhood, this tune. Get as much sleep as you can. Sleep is good.
”Ha ha ha, hee hee hee, I’m the laughing gnome and you can’t catch me!” David Bowie
Laugh, laugh, laugh. It really is the best medicine.
”And I’m thinking about home, and I’m thinking about faith, and I’m thinking about work,
and how good it will be to be here some day on a ship called Dignity.”. Deacon Blue

Two simple messages here...keep your dignity (unless it is for charity) and...
have a dream

Chris

12/3/2015 12:49:05 pm

Thanks Beth, for contributing such an uplifting post. The use of music titles was inspired. I have, myself used song titles as the premise for writing. There seems to be something for any occasion.
Having started, you have to keep going now.
Hope you like the extract and the photo link.
Chris

@bethben92

12/3/2015 02:04:59 pm

Thank you. I love them. Had been thinking about blogging for ages but with lots of different ideas, I wasn't sure how to start. Reading the inspiring posts on here and agreeing with your initial premise about lost experience, I finally got the thinks joined up.
I intend to blog more and not leave it so long.
Thank you for the sticky tape.

"I am a beggar, sitting on a beach of gold"
Mike and the Mechanics

Claire Doherty

15/3/2015 01:37:16 am

On you

Be kind to yourself - look after your health, and your family. No job is ever worth a sacrifice. As I read today, teaching seems to be the only profession that having time off sick creates you more work to do!

Have a list of priorities, to do lists and stick to them. My husband and I leave school most Friday's at 4 for coffee and cake with the children, that is sacrosanct!

Don't sweat the small stuff - it really doesn't matter if you trip over when an inspector is in the room!

Ask for support if you need it - teaching can be very isolating and lonely at times.

We are all replaceable don't grind yourself into the ground for a job - as I was once said in the past, "that headteacher will not sit by your deathbed. It will be your family."

Forgive yourself.

On children

There are sooo many children that have to put up with so much shit in their personal life, remember a simple smile and hello can mean the world. I didn't realise this impact until I met a student I taught 15 years ago the other day.

Remember with every child there is always hope and if we all give up on a child then we really must shut up shop. It is really rare to find a child in a school who has no connection with any colleague. This may be the cleaner or the warden, use this connection it could change a child's world.

Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself, or even cry infront of children. This happens at times especially in my job watching children in poverty brings a tear in my lesson, shows your human!

This job is all about building relationships. Your most challenging child has an interest, one of mine recently was into fishing so I brought him a fishing magazine. What a difference that made to our relationship. He has left school now and I am grateful to know him and he always says hi miss when I see him.

Management

Communication is the key to any misunderstanding in a school - Take time to listen.

Always have integrity - I have seen too many who have had none.

Don't create a them and us culture - your staff are your greatest commodity and often not treated that way.

Being pragmatic in a crisis is essential, helpful and solves issues quickly.

I'm adding a general note....

This is the most privileged job in the world. It is very rare in employment that you get to watch so many people grow into adults. For such a short but poignant time you are part of someone's life. You will never know your impact so be careful with your words and how you make people feel.

As Vic Goddard says it's the best job in the world and you make the weather!

Chris

15/3/2015 04:10:48 am

Thank you Claire, for such a humane, insightful and personal contribution to 1000 years of experience.
I particularly like the advice to keep everything in perspective. You're right; the world does go on without you. Having left headship on the death of my first wife, it was a case of "the king is dead, long live the queen".
Be well.
Chris
Ps. Would DD like to contribute, too? :-)

Becky Luxton

16/3/2015 07:56:55 am

On you:
Be kind
Be honest
Care, for yourself , your family, your work, in that order.
Look well to this day.

Lisa Pettifer link

1/9/2015 09:57:35 am

Jill Berry

1/9/2015 10:20:08 am

Great advice here, Lisa!

Mary Isherwood link

13/9/2015 05:03:14 pm

I have finally taken up the challenge set by @ChrisChivers2 and added to by many others to reflect and record some of my thoughts as an experienced educator as part of his collection of '1,000 years of experience' So here goes......................

I have over 20 years experience as a teacher and senior leader in Special Education ( Early Years, Primary and Secondary). I have been headteacher for a total of 14 years in two different special schools.

On you as a person:

- Be consistently Passionate, Respecful, Organised, Understanding and Dedicated. PROUD of what you do.
- Stay strong to your moral purpose - know what you believe in and stick to it!
- Do the right thing for the right reasons
- Always have that quest and thirst for learning more - challenging yourself to go that one step further, make things that little bit better.
- Have a life outside of work making sure you take care of your health and well-being too

On children:

- Know the children really well - think carefully about their holistic needs
- Spend time observing, talking to and listening to the children
- Know that they must be at the heart of every decision - always ask yourself the question - what does it mean for them?
- Recognise that we learn as much from them as they learn from us
- Make use of professional dialogue with colleagues and most importantly with parents / carers to reflect on how best to work with the children

On leadership and management ( working with people):

- Treat people as 'they' would want to be treated - don't make assumptions
- See the 'other side of the beach ball' when working with people - what does the situation look like for them?
- Use emotional intelligence ....... with abundance!
- Listen .................and hear what is being said
- Don't always feel you have to respond immediately to queries / issues - sometimes you may want / need time to reflect.

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1000 years of experience.

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