Month: April 2010

Challenge, Instinct and Resilience

Featured, LeadershipPublished onUpdated on13 Comments on Challenge, Instinct and Resilience

My first week in my new post as Deputy Head Teacher has probably been the most challenging five days of my career. Unfortunately I cannot be as candid about my experiences as I normally would be, due to a number of reasons, including some legal ones. Let’s just say “a baptism of fire” would be an understatement.

The week has been all about firsts. When you are starting somewhere new, everything you do will be for the first time. Learning about the routines for assembly, end of playtime, dinner routines, seeing behaviour policies in action, dealing with incidents. When you are thrust into situations where you are a little unsure or even completely unsure, it is a huge challenge.

Carrying something to write on has really helped as things to do, information and names have come thick and fast. I have also punctuated so much of my work with a smile, a joke to lighten the air with colleagues.

Strangely enough I have walked away from the last 5 days with a better understanding of myself, my resilience and ability to adapt. I understand the importance of my open mindedness and have a clearer appreciation for the inner strength you need to stray way beyond your comfort zone.

I have learned that you cannot plan for every outcome in certain situations and that sometimes you learn a lot more about people and yourself when all you are able to do is react. No time to think, just react. With everything stripped away, you are just left with your professional instincts.

This week I have learned that I can be visibly calm under intense pressure and the impact this has on those looking to me to lead. In fact I have surprised myself with my ability to think with clarity when pressed, it hasn’t been an act, but simply how I approached situations this week.

No other 5 day stretch has ever examined and pressurised my professional facets as those just gone.

I know for certain that I am lucky to be part of an amazing staff, a fantastic group of professionals who have supported and helped me through a tough week. I am very grateful to them for that. It is a week to be included in the memoirs one day.

Photo by Markus Spiske

If Fish Were Ideas

Leadership, Networks, TwitterPublished on1 Comment on If Fish Were Ideas

Pete and Chris, an assistant head teacher and a newly qualified teacher, enjoyed sharing ideas for learning with me. But it was when I showed them Twitter and where to find future ideas that they saw the potential of online networks.

Give a teacher an idea and you spark an interest for a week. Lead a teacher to a community and they will have ideas for a lifetime.

Whispering Change

Blogging, Curriculum, Leadership, NetworksPublished onUpdated on6 Comments on Whispering Change

1348695144 5ff9e097c8 mIs the sun beginning to set on a cumbersome educational landscape? One that is too rigid to quickly adjust to what leaners need and what they want from the future. A system that looks on as grass roots spread wider and wider beneath it.

I am in revolutionary mood as I return from some inspiring conversations with people at #BectaX.

Can those of us who recognise the need for change, rise above the cynicism? Rise above the barriers and the blocks. Let us be determined and positive, and make change happen in small ways, where we are, where we can.

Perhaps it is wrong of us to ever have believed this change will occur from policy. I am sure you are like me in that you have never waited for policy to define your practice. Each of us has a certain amount of influence, an ability to change 1 or 5, 30 or even 500 students’ experiences of school. If we believe it should be done, we need to make it happen in every small way we can.

I have stood in a room with hundreds of people whispering. It is very loud.

If we all make a small contribution, a small effort of change – if we all whisper, our voices will be heard. Here are some whispers:

  1. Talk to your students, to your classes about technology. Find out how they use it at home and what they enjoy. Plan to do it again soon.
  2. Take what you find out (formally or informally) to someone else in your institute. Better still get your students to explain it.
  3. Show someone how you use Twitter or other online tools to connect with teachers. Do it as often as you can.
  4. Write a blog post about your ideas. (Or even start a blog for your ideas!) Share your experiences, frustrations, successes and hopes for your work.
  5. Share an interesting blog post you have seen with someone who may never see it.
  6. Ask on your blog or on Twitter for other schools to connect with. Share the process with your class and give them an insight into what is happening at schools in other countries.
  7. Help someone on Twitter by retweeting a request for assistance. You never know where that ripple will stop.
  8. Let your children or students teach you how to use something.
  9. Find ways to help parents better understand what you do in school and how their children are using technology.
  10. Find out what your students think of blocking websites. What do they think is “safe” internet use.
  11. Consider managing your own internet filtering. At least have the conversation.
  12. Ask your local authority to unblock useful websites. Keep asking.

Whatever form your whisper takes, raise your voices. We are louder together.

IMG_9566.JPG by fabola – Attr-NonCom-NoDerivs Lic