What’s your story as a teacher?
Hi there, you probably came here from my first post about We Are In Beta? (If you haven’t read it yet, please do check it out and let me know what you think?)
We’ve all faced challenges in our professional lives in schools. Some more than others. Many have left teaching as a result. But what we all share is that when we face those challenges head-on, struggle through them and come out the other side, we learn a great deal and are much, much stronger for it.
The trouble is much of that learning goes unrecorded and unshared. The stories that chart our pains and feelings, and map our resolutions and paths to success go untold.
On the surface, this may not seem like too much of a problem, especially if these stories remain well-kept secrets because you don’t know what you don’t know. But when you hear these stories, which I’ve been lucky enough to do over the past couple of months in a series of interviews with headteachers, you begin to realise how much learning we are missing out on.
If we don’t tell these stories and share the learning, history can repeat itself too easily. We’ll be left to face the same challenges over and over again, all on our own.
When you think about the last challenge you faced, it may seem like an unpleasant series of events that you’d rather forget. But actually, your story may inspire others. It may hold key to help them navigate theirs more easily. It may prove to be the difference between someone forging ahead with greater resolve and leaving teaching forever. It may even change the lives of young people in our schools.
Over the next few months, I’ll be telling these stories and sharing the learning of incredible school leaders who’ve faced these challenges, overcome them and become stronger because of it.
At a time of political uncertainty and financial insecurity, our education system faces some huge challenges. But I know from speaking to incredible teachers the solutions are out there. It’s time to share them.
So that’s why I am asking: do any of these questions apply to you or colleagues you know? If they do, I want to tell your story in a series of podcasts. I’m looking for 3 school leaders per episode — if that’s you, let me know (They’ll be done remotely, so just need you to be in a quiet room when we get in touch to record the episode)
Are you a school leader who has made flexible working work in your school?
Are you a BAME school leader who has turned a school around?
Are you a school leader who’s lead by making mental health a priority?
Are you a school leader who is dealing with knife crime in an impactful way?
Are you a female school leader who’s been held back by the system but come out smashing through it?
Are you a school leader who has driven entrepreneurial thinking to transform school finances?
Are you a school leader who has challenged unethical leadership and inspired change?
Are you a school leader who has inspired parents to back your vision?
Are you a school leader who has placed students’ individual backgrounds at the heart of your strategy?
Are you school leader who has transformed the outcomes of students with SEND?
Are you a school leader who has created an environment where no teacher is overworked?
Are you a school leader who has turned around a failing school?
Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be running a podcast series that explores these issues and tells the stories of the people who have tackled them successfully.
If any of these questions strike a chord with you and you want to tell your story to help others who may be in similar situations, I’d love to hear from you here. Please sign-up here.
If you know someone or a school who has a story to tell you can recommend them here.
I’ve been working in partnership Teach First, the Young Foundation and Super Being Labs to build a community of teachers and senior leaders who are solving big challenges in their schools.
We are calling it We Are In Beta — an online space where we can all grow together by learning from each other. We can tackle challenges by sharing learnings and solutions, we can share stories to build bridges with parents and policymakers, we can experiment together, we can make education the place we all want it to be.
Subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter here and be the first to get our latest podcast and a shot of positive news to set yourself up for school.
Thanks, Niall!
