Blog

Is leadership and knowledge in schools as unique as we are led to think? School leaders often talk about domain specific knowledge and how running a school relies on having gathered this knowledge in a school. Some assert that schools provide the domain where the knowledge required to successfully lead in this sector is learnt. This is a premise that I challenge. The school is not the domain, it is the setting in which domain specific knowledge is applied – this is fundamentally different.

How does sweating the small-stuff make for a better environment for all in our schools? Read on to see how dealing with the broken windows in our school communities with consistency will provide us the breathing space needed to focus on improving our practice in the classroom.

What are the qualities one needs to be a leader? This is a question I have reflected on much in the past, and more so now I am in education. Just as in the corporate world, education has its own share of “leaders” who can quote the latest book they have read; which often comes from someone who has shared a bunch of twee Pinterest quotes pulled together like “Live Laugh Love” transfers on the wall of life. The best leaders will be the ones that embody these values, and strive to be better through constant reflection.

OR “How EduTwitter and Networking threw me a life-line” To understand where I am coming from with this blog, you need to have an outline of my last three years in education – humour me, please!

The title of this blog refers to some ‘unofficial feedback’ I had from someone when I said “I’m just a gobshite”. This is a blog for everyone out there who has struggled with impostor syndrome; felt like they didn’t fit in, and why we should embrace it. It’s the reflections I have made after three years in teaching, based on conversations (often tellings off) with people around me.

Back when we started what led to the three BrewEds in Derby, Mansfield and Nottingham, Steve and I always saw them as more than just Saturday CPD. Both of us trained through Teach First. We moved to a region where we hadn’t existing links to serve some of the most socially deprived areas in the East Midlands. We knew we wanted to do more in the region than just teach, we wanted to engage with the communities outside of our classrooms, even outside of our schools.

With the incoming of the 2019 cohort of Teach Firsters, we thought it would be perfect timing to outline what our first lesson looks like (or at least provide some general pointers). We all present slightly different ideas, and as with all teaching and natural variation between teachers, there is no steadfast rule to ‘how to do your first lesson’. In this blog post, I presents my ideas for my first lessons with new classes.

With a drive by the government over the last year to recruit career-changers into teaching, it is important for school leaders to be ready for older, and more experienced trainees coming through their doors. Sadly, it is my experience that many are not prepared for managing the challenges and opportunities this brings to the table.

‘Those that can, do. Those that can’t, teach”. Untrue, isn’t it? Surely there has to be a kernel of truth in there somewhere? I mean, if you were a real scientist (insert career-choice related to your degree), then you’d be working in a lab saving the world, surely? Teaching is for those who got a ‘Desmond’ and couldn’t get a proper job, yeah? I mean, I went to school, how hard can it be? Plus you get all those holidays! Feeling riled up yet? Fingers itching to bang out your response on your keyboard like you’re jabbing your finger in my chest? Good! I’ve achieved my goal here.

I was an NQT after a year in the classroom, because I trained with Teach First. So how do I know those PGCE students, heading into their NQT year are ready? Because you really are, whether you believe it or not.