leadership

Convincing the learner they can learn

/ Mr J Dexter / Leave a comment

Dear Reader

You have been to school, so you probably think you know what makes a good teacher (and a bad one) and how to run a good school (and a bad one) this ‘ pontificating ‘ especially if you are also a politician can frustrate teachers themselves. I guarantee though, one space you didn’t know so much about was ……the staffroom! On teaching practice genuinely, I was warned not to sit in Mr X chair! However in my first post staff were generous and kind, they took an interest in how I was doing and they shared and encouraged me (or perhaps they lied) “oh Yes Chris is awful in my lessons too”. This concern was a wonderful gift in my early years in Witney. I often tried to imagine those colleagues, who were sharing with me over coffee, what they were in the classroom. In my naivety I thought everyone had to be young, energetic, passionate etc. I recall a lovely colleague I often helped out of the chair – over the age of retirement slow, measured but still going. We don’t treat older teachers as sources of wisdom, they often treat younger staff very generously.

In my early years there were no MATS, not even many INSET days ( preBaker). Toward the end of my first year I had missed opportunity to analyse and think about what I was doing – not a surprise , my PGCE saw about 50% timetable and I was now over 75%. My reflections were brief as the phots show.

My summary planning notes and even more brief feedback in red JD 1981.
My summary plan and even more brief feedback JDX 1981

I had a very difficult third year class, Y9 – we would have called them low ability. Whatever I did, interesting practicals or care with language, shout or stay very calm, it did not win them over. Discipline was OK actually but they just didn’t seem to learn. Tests often showed deterioration not progress. So one day I asked them who was the favourite teacher and who helped them learn best. Imagine my suppose when with one voice they gave the name of the elderly colleague, an English teacher. I asked her if I could observe her and she welcomed me with open arms.

The class arrived and entered her beautiful room orderly cheerful and keen, they sat down no trouble, they automatically got books and notes out. I was baffled, I mean this was English, activity was limited. Miss S set off by telling them it was spelling test day. Not a murmur, just found their spelling jotters. To honour me they had scientific terms….. out came the likes of aluminium, separate, science etc. they swopped papers, and Miss went through the correct spellings. BUT she didn’t take down the marks. I thought nothing of it. the lesson moved on to study some poetry – even I found it a challenge but they listened, they concentrated, often half the class had hands up at every question. they worked in silence, they asked some clever questions. Towards the end she said it was spelling rerun time and she reran the spelling test, everyone did better (of course). She took the marks down for that test. The bell went, they slowly packed away, no rush to leave, no wild comments, many a ‘thank you’.

As I sat there, a light went on, Miss S had shown them in black and white terms that this class which found learning so challenging, well she had proved they could learn. From initial spelling scores of 2 or 3 correct they finished with 8 or 9 and that made them feel good, made them want more, made them adore Miss S and enabled her to teach them really well because they knew they could really learn.

Teachers finds clever creative, innovative ways to motivate pupils and classes but the best and the lesson I learnt that day is we always have to show, however hard the content is (and listen Chemistry has plenty) with thought and planning, with magic and mystery it is possible to convince pupils they really can learn. This is the hidden challenge and hidden joy of the craft of a classroom. I was indebted to this wise (old) colleague forever.

You are a b***dy teacher!

/ Mr J Dexter / Leave a comment

In 1981 I started teaching and was that new shiny teacher. At the end of my first year, my head of department who was an amazing teacher I was so glad to learn from, asked me to attend a faculty meeting on his behalf. It was a significant meeting because “set lists” were to be handed out.

Hard to imagine a time before a national curriculum when children still chose the majority of their subjects. You might think they could have chosen any 10 or so in any combination but schools were not stupid, so they had little rules like, one subject from option A, one subject from option B plus maths plus English etc. Remember there was no Ofsted but even then we knew what to do to help children.

However, this meeting was to give out the lists of those children who had decided to do your subject in fourth and fifth year or year 10 and 11 in new money. So I went to collect the list of pupils who had chosen O-level or CSE chemistry . It was a scary meeting for me, this was a comprehensive school that not so long ago had been a secondary modern, the pastoral system was a vertical one with heads of house who were frankly formidable characters and I was privileged to learn so much from them including my own head of house Marian Davis. So the lists were passed around the table, hand written and I looked down the list of names recognising some of those whom I had taught. There were of course pupils you were very pleased to see had chosen your subject, in fact these were probably names that everybody would have been delighted to see on their list. Then there was a moment where you looked down to check certain names were missing and yes there were those pupils who I had struggled with and my wisdom at their parents evening to suggest subject X or Y might be better, well that had worked I was quite pleased they decided not to carry on with chemistry (such naivety and inexperience).

Silence dropped over the meeting as people viewed the lists handed down from the deputy head. Then there was a muttering which came from the head of PE, with a bit of sighing, a bit of umming a bit of ‘somebody not very happy’. As that continued one of those heads of house spoke and we all looked at him:

“What is the matter Tony?” said the head of house, a man who maintained outstanding discipline and who we all knew a majority of children absolutely adored.

“Well”, said Tony “I’m just looking at this list. The first time we’ve tried to get PE as a qualification in this school you all know how hard I’ve worked to get this off the ground and I am so disappointed by the names of people you have allowed to choose PE.”

The head of house looked directly at Tony and said “give me an example”

“Well down here is Richard James … he can’t even swim how am I expected to get him any sort of qualification in PE?” I sat there and thought to myself: that’s a fair comment I wouldn’t really like to have anybody doing a serious chemistry qualification with me, who did not know how to handle basic equipment or understand the basic rules in a laboratory or who had done Ok in those first three years at secondary.

However the room dropped to silence …”Tony” said the head of house “ you’re a bloody teacher, teach him to swim”

This was a phrase which rang so true it lasted with me the remaining 40 years of my teaching career.

I was so glad that somebody nailed it, that day.

Whatever we think about the way young people behave or young people take to our subject, do or don’t conform, we are teachers and it’s our job to find a way to teach them.

There’s a kind of question I and many others are asked at first introduction to a stranger in company…..“Oh what do you teach?” to which the answer is …. geography chemistry English etc though the clever answer is “I teach children”. I think that day seared into my mind was that I teach children wherever they come from, whatever their experience, and my job was to do my best to inspire them and …. teach them, to help them learn my subject it was a deeply profound lesson. Thank you Tony and that extraordinary pithy Head of House.

Politicians – party or people?

/ Mr J Dexter / Leave a comment

Seeing so much from Westminster lately I couldn’t help reflecting over my time as a teacher, school leader and director. I have been fortunate to have met many MPs and Councillors.

Mostly local but when labour were in power Graham Allen MP often brought ministers to meet us in Nottingham North. NN is the constituency that historically send the fewest young people to University of all constituencies [Trinity moved from Nottingham North to Nottingham South at a boundary change]. I have always had huge respect for our local MPs – Lilian Greenwood ( whose constituency the school moved into and who always took time to visit her schools) and Alex Norris, sill a school governor and in Nottingham East Nadia Whittome who helped with many projects and programmes and of course my home MP Vernon Coaker although not the present incumbent.

Our own MPs responding very positively to support local heads in the pandemic and taking the trouble to thank them via video or other messages.

Many Conservative education secretaries I’ve met at school conferences (Michael Gove) or through RC heads (Nicky Morgan) or just occasionally a visit to Nottingham (Damian Hinds). Others like Estelle Morris came and spoke at Trinity; Ed Balls listened to our choir when we were invited to sing at the launch of ‘faith in schools’ at the British museum.

Although Nottingham City is a majority Labour I’ve worked with some significant Conservative councillors too including teacher colleagues; some I would count as friends.

So that’s both main parties, local and national, ministers and backbenchers; official business, visits or sometimes campaigning.

To a person they have been polite, thoughtful, and nearly always willing to listen and take time to explain policy or reason. Sometimes I’ve disagreed about their policies including those on education.

The best…. know their ward or constituency very well and keep talking and listening to all their voters (and non voters) whether in power or opposition. They listen to local professionals and many, rather than have a second job are school governors etc , using their time effectively and yes working very hard. They ask good questions and many are extremely good at remembering names and concerns – they are genuinely ‘bothered’ . Of course some have been in power, some have been in opposition

And when in power those who absolutely represent their ward or constituency not just their party are frequently respected and often returned at elections.

Those in opposition willing to recognise helpful policy and to try and nudge and influence on behalf of all of us are respected and yes often returned at elections.

We understand their preference for (and probably their duty for) fulfilling a manifesto but on taking power they change from being single minded party political to thinking and acting for ALL locals. They kind of move on from ‘Party’ to public though with one eye on ‘Party’.

Clearly some never learn and think their job is to run things like they are the only party or people who are right, that they can choose mates and nepotism over sharing fairer representation – diverse views. That they are still campaigning not running government. They ignore public over ‘Party’

Thank you to our local representation when you do ( as you do so often) represent us, thank you for your work on all our behalf, however challenging be it in power or not.

Most of all think of the vulnerable, the disadvantaged, those who struggle who have little power or voice – the neighbour we all should love. And those of you who do – which is a majority on my list – thank you.

Thank you Nottingham

/ Mr J Dexter / Leave a comment

I had only a vague awareness of the Goose Fair Dinner and so to get an invite from my friend and amazing colleague Nigel Cook was a genuine surprise. To then find myself receiving one of four awards was incredibly special. The tribute from Cllr Cheryl Barnard was just lovely and like all those kinds of speeches you wonder how someone can say all the nice things but omit your weaknesses. 

I appreciated the reminder to my commitment which continues for “learning” in science, in the City’s Cultural standing and especially to literacy.

To receive an award of recognition is always special BUT to receive from your peers, from colleagues you have worked with is genuinely the absolute best. I cannot thank the City Council enough – not just some recognition of my time working with them but my time in the City as a teacher and school leader. It was genuinely overwhelming and today, the day after, is slightly more overwhelming as I cannot keep up with the Facebook messages, private messages and Twitter. Yes, you read that right even I can’t keep up with twitter. I don’t feel “Unsung” at all – that stays in my mind with the likes of school receptionists who had to make difficult calls to families about closures or positive tests in a pandemic; to cleaners who went the extra mile and quietly double checked the cleaning; to heads who often worked through the night to make sense of plans and of Gov last minute changes; to fellow NCC officers who went to visit the homes of families in need – the vulnerable those with SEND………I could go on.

So I hope then that this will do – thank you for all the comments/likes/retweets etc It does mean a lot. At the dinner were very many of the genuinely great and good of the City; many of whom I have worked with, many I have learned so much from (I will post on this in due time). Officers, leaders, politicians – and the DNA thread is the double thread of Nottingham and Service – where else do Council leaders go and pick up litter, where else is the voice of the City handed to an incredible young poet Ravelle-Sade Fairman and a young musician Ellei Stainsby where else is service at the vital personal level the ethos – right from those at the top?

Last night I was very proud of Nottingham City, and stood amongst more deserving winners. I was very touched by the recognition and very grateful for the help and support of so many people present there including my wife Jane. As I said when I left the City Council if anything was achieved it was thanks to the team, the shoulder’s of others and TEAM – you know who you are

John Dexter with an audience again
– the thing you lose when you stop teaching

As we left,  one of those City ‘Fathers’ a big character and yes a great servant to the City asked for a photo with Jane and I to send to his daughter who I taught, he asked another  person who is also a very significant prominent and effective local leader if he would oblige.  ‘Of course, how do you know John?” ‘He taught my daughter’. “Well that’s fascinating as he taught my son!”


Job done. QED


If you are interested the picture of Goose fair is by Noel Denholm Davis (1876–1950) painted in 1910 primarily a portrait painter, Davis was born in Nottingham, where he studied at the School of Art for five years in the 1890s and was then at the Royal Academy Schools. He painted  the likes of Sir Jesse Boot; Captain Albert Ball; General William Booth; and he painted the incredible frescoes in the Council house

These are historical names from our City, each a great servant and I’m proud to have worked with many local leaders who continue that tradition. Thank you

Ive now had three amazing send offs……. promise no more

Saturday period 3 – Creating a silk purse from a pig’s ear of curriculum change

/ Mr J Dexter / 4 Comments

The old story goes of the man who asks the way to Liverpool and the bystander says, ‘if you want to get to Liverpool mate I wouldn’t start here.’It’s how I feel about curriculum design or lack of it, with the changes to A Levels. BTecs and GCSEs. At the last major revision of A Level in 2000 at least stuff hanged for everyone at the same time, but this time we have the proverbial ‘pig’s ear’. Some ALevels have changed and their AS count for less and need doing at the end of two years even if done after one. But hey shiny new Year 12 students it’s not all your subjects. So schools and colleges grapple with – shall we just do three now, shall we forget the AS for all, for some etc. Meanwhile some subjects have changed at GCSE, well two to be precise Maths and English who will see new grading of 9 to 1.Yes but reporting for the present y10 comes soon – we need to explain that carefully to pupils and to parents, oh and we aren’t really sure what really will happen to the grades. ( Check out the Ofqual postcards -they help)

INSET and training back in 1999 allowed all staff to look at their subjects, advise SLT, think about the best way ahead for the students and discuss together the best way to make decisions. So as I stare at this pig’s ear not of my making I am looking to create a silk purse from this. The big structural stuff is out of our hands but there are still important decisions to make about which courses for the best

Simplistic_Refined_11. Don’t pick for grades. We don’t know about the grades but we do know ofqual take charge.  Boards subjects apparently achieving higher numbers of A and A* isn’t “easier” it’s about the profile of those taking the subject with that board. At A Level the highest number of A* and A are from Maths – it doesn’t mean Maths is easy or your heads of sixth form recommend everyone does Maths as it’s the best way to get an A.

2 Look at content. Carefully examine the content, does it suit your pupils, does it suit your teachers. How does it compare to past content. My guess in most subjects is that its much the same – Science subjects especially but there are twists – do you like them. In Chemistry if we have a chunk of nanotechnology do we welcome that or not? In some subjects this may not be the case so do you welcome the content or gasp in horror. Think about delivering content by all your teachers and across all the abilities.

Autumnal fruits

Autumnal fruits

3 Look at assessment. It’s not the standard of specimen papers etc it’s the style, the type of questions. The assessment model should test the content but look carefully and think about your pupils. All the pupils the brightest and the weakest who will be studying. In the end, assessment models deliver the fruits, or not.

 

 

 

4 Look forward and backwards. How does this course prepare your pupils for what they do next. if this is KS4 how does it prepare well for Btec or A Level and then beyond into the worlds of work and further study. downloadLook back at your KS3 courses. Of course these may yet need a tweak but if you love the content and outcomes of your KS3 then how well does this dovetail. This is a bit more pig’s ear than silk purse at the moment as you are changing GCSE but not KS3 -however the decisions you make at KS4 will stay for several years and no one likes a change of spec-worth a careful think. To some extent the definitions of KS3 4 and 5 are artificial – think like that to help you decide. AND don’t forget the added complexities of post 16 funding as some BTec are weighted in different ways. [Paul Hanks @The_Data_Adonis is worth following at the least and worth contacting for advice on funding issues post 16 too.]


imageimage5 Resources. It would be naive to ignore your bank of resources or the resources on offer from the Boards. I guess this means a default starter being the spec you study now. However your job is to teach, help the pupils  learn and a massive desire to inspire. Do those results or your creative juices excite you – do they make you want to teach this tomorrow?

6 People You probably aren’t making this decision on your own , you have to bring other staff in your dept along with you. So check the dept view, check the other networks you are in; maybe professional groups like the ASE or local networks or teaching alliances. Also think about using twitter; you can create a list and add those other ‘history teachers’ to it and get chatting. Perhaps you attend teachmeets and ask trusted people what they are choosing and why. Remember it’s your call so don’t decide because someone with 2400 followers says so, just pick a few brains and move from the foggy grey to a black and white conclusion.

Patron Saint of lost causes - St Jude

Patron Saint of lost causes – St Jude

Finally then jot down your reasons. Get ready to share with the dept with SLT, the Headteacher and possibly governors. You need two or three reasons why you chose them and two or three why rejecting the others. In fact not just for the dept for your conscience and for the pupils to be rocked and rolled.

In the end whatever “others” do to us as teachers, we must use the tools we have to do the very best for the children and young people we teach, and do you know what? We usually do.

Friday period 0 – “Hope” in the head’s office

/ Mr J Dexter / 7 Comments

web-Balloon-girlAs a new head back in January I chose a theme for 2015. We are a church school and the previous head had been at the school 28 years as a deputy then as a head. He often told the children he “loved” them and they genuinely agreed. SO I long pondered on faith, hope and love BUT decided on…..

hope for a number of reasons but three compellingly convinced me:

1) I genuinely believe we need all need hope, and I ordered a copy of the Banksy shown here -well a copy not the original, for the office. “There is always hope” I wanted it up on the wall to point to and present for anyone who came my way be they upset, coping with tough stuff or on the edge of bad stuff. A daily reminder that we all need someone to have hope for us, in us and standing with us. A parent, a friend, a teacher can and perhaps must bring some hope in an age where we continue to worry over the health, especially the mental health and well being of each other.

2) This happened – I had taken a Y13 class a few years ago and it was the day all teachers so love when mocks are handed back. Their scripts were pretty bad. In those days I just went through he paper, we discussed exam technique BUT frankly they just didn’t know enough, understand enough and then applying tha weak gasp in a new situation as Salters’ demanded was impossible. I think few scored very well overall , some scraped an E or a D. There was me their committed energetic Chemistry teacher ( who had clearly taught them well) and their was me as Head of Sixth form having written great references as I did believe in them –  did they not see how they had done the proverbial ( let me down let their families down let the school down BUT worst of all let themselves down). Wow was I let down and wow did they get both barrels and although I was as nice as I could be and didn’t pick on individuals I made the points any reader knows well in the post mock debriefs. The class packed away and as the last Y13 left I just said “Are you OK with all that?” “Yes Sir” she said but her face told a different story full of angst and worry. “Go on ” I said “something is troubling you.” “well yes Sir – however bad it gets and you were dead right to tell us this was bad, you can carry on if you have hope, if you think someone still believes in you. ” She smiled and left. It was a critical moment, after that whenever I needed to deliver the same news (ie annually!) it was  a case of “you have a problem what can we do about it”.

3) When  I did my NPQH I have written elsewhere it wasn’t much help buntitledut I came across the writing of Alan Flintham. if you are a leader and have not read his book you should. “Reservoirs of Hope” The case is simple but profound. Heads and their offices should be places of hope, reservoirs of hope BUT what if the reservoir runs dry – what causes it to run dry and what can we do to ensure our own hope is “topped up”. That’s a gross oversimplification but read it and tell me if it isn’t full of wisdom from his time as a headteacher – yes as a headteacher not an inspector or advisor but sitting in that same office offering hope – and seeking ways to top it up.

If you are in a church school:

Hebrews 6:18, 19 that we can take hold of the hope set before us and may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

Isaiah 40:31   but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Psalm 71:14    As for me, I will always have hope;

No Questions this week a few quotes:

To live without Hope is to cease to live.         Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.  Helen Keller

Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours. Swedish Proverb

Iconic image of the 2008 Presidential campaign by Shepard Fairey,

Iconic image of the 2008 Presidential campaign by Shepard Fairey,

Walk on, through the wind
Walk on, through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone
You’ll never walk alone

 

You might like to read other posts from my timetable of teaching – each is set out from lesson in the school week, before or after school or at the weekends, appropriate to the time of day. I have also started a  class lists or “set lists” which was to answer the questions: “why be a teacher?”or “why have other responsibilities in a school?” Shortly I am starting a new area about progress from one role or experience in teaching to another with hints and tips about successfully moving on in the job and your teaching career.

Saturday Period 2 – A Conference? Really? What use is that?

/ Mr J Dexter / 1 Comment

imageSo, what is so good about conferences. When you have a stack of work to do and a family and heck there is all that stuff on work life balance, why oh why attend a conference in London Thought I might try to justify this to myself as I return home from ASCL 2015 or #ascl2015 as we tweeters say!

1) Networking – well with so many people this felt fairly tricky. However by nature you meet people, at meal times, over coffee and in sessions. I like to somehow benchmark my own thinking on topics. So as an example when I was at a session on Ofsted, did I know:

  • “most” of what we were hearing?
  • do I understand and comprehend it any better?
  • what does it mean to me and my school or staff or pupils?
  • am I clearer what we have to do next?

That is less easy when the sessions come thick and fast. So in the informal conversations with the colleagues i just looked out; are their worries mine, are my concerns and therefore my energies pointing the right way?

2) Inspiration. I do love conferences when a speaker you havent heard about shows up and blows you away. The session by Dr Vicky Phillips was like this. Forget about taking notes, forget about nuance and what it might mean for the work we do, just be reminded exactly why you came into the job. BE inspired again to go back and make a difference to children’s lives.  This session did that for me. Then there was the inner chimp. I’ve come across this at a bit of a distance but the talk from Professor Steve Peters was just so uplifting, funny, clever, and made the points so well. This made me want to consider what that all might mean for my school and me and children and so on but it also cheered my spirit. It reminded me what great people there are out there – and if I am honest, it’s probably another book to buy an not read through a lack of you know what.

3) Focus. As a relatively new head but quite a long-in-the-tooth school leader I still struggle to ensure that someone has the big vision, when you are busy with the needs of children, teachers, support staff, and…… ( I really don’t want to make a list starting with Ofsted, Governors because it reminds me of all the responsibilities) So having read the ASCL documents on their ideas which I tend to read over on a Friday evening with a nodding head ( Oh OK yes and a glass of wine). So to hear two ASCL people bring the whole thing to life and begin to capture their vision and therefore hone my own gave me a focus. staring at the slogan “Trust to transform”. It also helped me reflect a little and therefore adjust my own thinking and vision. Actually I think I could have called those sessions ” more inspiration but with a massive dose of common sense”

image4) Confirmation. This may not be the right word but the session by Sir Michael Barber was good-humoured, and insightful and gave hints of life in the midst of government. It is so refreshing when you learn something knew – Well I never knew that about Anthony Blunt! But it was also clever it showed ASCL how it might actually help government and how leaders might influence very positively. It showed their ideas in the blueprint are doable, in fact he said Congratulations to ASCL ( his words n ot mine) on the work they were doing. But there were nuances which also rang true for example his points about “getting routines right” in government apply to us in schools. Much of our work day-to-day isn’t clever or smart it is routine, it is a system working. Schools are complex organisations and so routines we have such as those concerning communications need to be dependable, reliable and proven to work and not changed every five minutes. You can find a copy of “Leading the Way:Blueprint for a Self-Improving System” here.

5) Political. Any conference with three political party leaders in Education speaking just prior to a General Election must be political. we heard from Hunt for Labour, Laws for Liberal Democrats and Morgan for Conservatives ( Morgan of course being SoS for Education). I missed one but I am not sure I missed much. They tell their audiences stuff which felt to me in my cynical way electioneering so my parody ” we love teachers, we love schools we love heads and we appreciate what you do” I think every politician I have hard at such a conference says ‘we have the best generation of……’ Proof of pudding and all that though – are they listening to us? Nicky Morgan made an important point at the start of her speech along the lines that everyone you meet has a view about education ( probably because they have been through it or are in it) and no two people seem to agree. WHilst that is true I still think some of the people in the room today know a great deal about Education rather than because I once went to school I am an expert” we all have lots of views on lots of matters – try a google search for Clarkson! It did cross my mind there was a lot of very expensive people in the room and most are highly professional and deserve ( collectively if not individually) to be heard, listened to carefully and consulted. It would be naive to think those of us who work day by day year by year with children do not want the very best for them. I will judge this after the election, when we will see if the concerns expressed over these few days on serious matters like school budgets are answered in the black and white and not the vagaries of politicspeak ” there is no silver bullet etc”

6) Practicality. I guess we school leaders are practical people so a round of sessions on performance management, Ofsted, the new A Level and many others hands over sound advice and ideas. Once agin they allow a leader to think where they stand in the discussions and maybe adjust priorities or resources. I have thought a few times that a revolutionary reaction to many of the policy changes isnt helpful, in fact even my favoured evolutionary change may not be right ( albeit better or less worse than revolutionary). However a conference gives chance to have a think again.

7) The crowd and me. Well there were a lot of people in most of the meetings 800 -1200, they applauded stuff I applauded and when they laughed or muttered so did I. I have to think if that means I followed the crowd but I suppose It offers reassurance in the complex world I often feel I inhabit. I went with a colleague this year and this allowed lots of conversation about our school, and I really enjoyed that opportunity. Some supportive conversations, some challenging ones, much agreement with direction, some definite confirmation and some ‘Oh hang on’ moments. Also the definite start of a plan for this, a shelve the ideas on that. A chance to visit the exhibition together and pick up information on relevent topics and aspects of school improvement or on stuff you just hadn’t thought of in the daily hurly burly.

I don’t think organisers can plan to promise to deliver any of these outcomes and the infamous feedback sheets or these days feedback on the app probably don’t cover some matters here. So this school leader just says thank you for all that organising, inspiring, confirming, challenging and supporting – kind of glad you are there, no actually I’m very glad and gladerrer I was able to join you.

imageQuestions

Q1 What did you gain most from this conference if you were there?

Q2 Why do you go to such Conferences?

Q3 What is the best bit of going to conferences?

You can read the speeches and catch up on presentations here.

Going up and down - with various stops on the way!

Goig up, going down with various stops in between! Hmmmm

Nice hotel but soent a lot of time waiting for or in, one of these 🙂

11 YBA Head Guest post by @jillberry102

/ jillberry102 / 2 Comments

Head2In the early years of my teaching career, I couldn’t really see the appeal of headship (or, in fact, senior leadership) at all. I was aware of the pressure, the responsibility, the stress – dare I say, the unpopularity? The heads I knew (and I worked for 10 heads over a period of 20 years in five different schools) usually didn’t teach. They seemed to have relatively little contact with the students which, to me, was the joy of teaching – though it was often, of course, the root cause of the challenges too. These heads were, in the main, relatively remote figures (one was nicknamed ‘the hologram head’ by the pupils). I remember watching the head and senior team dancing at a school Christmas party in my first school, and consciously thinking, “I’ll never be a head. I really can’t dance like that.”

In retrospect, in the arrogance of youth I think I was over-critical (teachers tend to be – have you noticed?) and lacking in real understanding and empathy. Over the years, as I moved to be second in department, Head of Department and then Head of Sixth Form, I worked more closely with the heads and senior teams and developed my awareness and appreciation of their role and how different individuals fulfilled it. I learnt from some good examples and, arguably, I learnt even more from negative examples. And over the years I honed my vision of the kind of head I would be, were I to get that far.

As a deputy head I was fortunate in the two heads I worked with, from whom I learnt a good deal. It was when I was a deputy that I realised I really did want to be a head myself one day. I recognised that when the head was out of school and I was ‘it’, increasingly I enjoyed the challenge and the opportunities that gave me. The experience of being a deputy also helped me to decide what type of school I would like to lead. After five years as a deputy I moved to lead such a school, and over my ten years there I have to say I had a ball.

Yes, it is challenging, the responsibilities are considerable, and you have difficult days and demanding situations to try to find a way through. You are a public figure and if you get it wrong (and, inevitably, there will be times when you will) it will be obvious and you will attract criticism – sometimes unfair criticism which you have to be able to cope with. You have to develop your resilience, keep your integrity intact and remember what your core values are, even when (especially when) they may be sorely tested. You will work harder than you have ever done, and you can never complain about that – who would sympathise? You have to be aware that the job is potentially overwhelming and all-consuming and you have to protect yourself (and your family, friends, and your life beyond headship – you really do need one) from that. For me, ten years as a head felt like enough, much as I had enjoyed it. I paced myself throughout the ten years and was ready, at the end of that time, for a different challenge and a different balance in my life. I have no regrets about making that decision, and know that my life is richer for all headship taught me.

It was definitely the best job I did over a 30 year career, and I recommend it to anyone who has the temperament and the drive to do it. The skills will develop (you “build the bridge as you walk on it”, as Robert Quinn says) – you can prepare in a number of ways, practically and psychologically, but ultimately you learn the job by doing the job. And you never stop learning – you have never, in my experience ‘cracked it’. This is part of its appeal.

I do think it’s important that heads (and senior leaders too) consciously try to be positive role models to teachers who are at an earlier stage of their career if they are to encourage and inspire future generations of school leaders. We need to be mindful of how others see us, and if we never smile, seem constantly stressed, unapproachable and remote, we risk giving the impression that headship only has a downside. I wouldn’t want to mislead anyone into thinking the role is easy, but I have to say I found great joy in it, and considerable satisfaction when you DID resolve an issue and move forward. As head you have the capacity to make a difference on a scale unlike anything you’ve ever known before. You have the opportunity to improve teaching and learning, to protect the well-being of the staff (teaching and support) and to lift others. You can support parents and make a positive difference to some of their lives, too.

You won’t win them all, and you have to accept that. It isn’t a popularity contest and, although you need a degree of strength and self-confidence, you have to be able to leave your ego aside and recognise it is about the school and all in it (past, present and future) and not about you. Towards the end of your time, in particular, you have to think about the legacy you are leaving and what you can do to ensure the school continues to grow in strength and success after you have moved on. We are all, in fact, caretakers of the vision for a finite period and there should be a degree of humility that comes with that. We should do all in our power to try to leave the school a better place than we found it, and that involves supporting, encouraging and inspiring leaders of the future.

That’s a privilege.

head1Jill Berry

Former head

Here are some additional posts to add to this one on why be a head

  1. The Head’s briefcase.

December 2014

 

Thursday Period 6 – Purposefulness or just a meeting

/ Mr J Dexter / 5 Comments

Dictionary definitions ->

“The meeting” = The act of coming together; an assembly or conference of persons for a specific purpose; the body of persons present at an assembly or conference
; a hostile encounter; an assembly for religious worship, especially of Quakers.

Meetings. Do they happen in all work places or are they just a huge part of the mystery of how schools work? I have sat in so many over 30 years and I have even contributed to some, yawned in many, played EduAcronym ( hey and won!) and led some. I can recall teaching many great lessons and frankly a few poor ones but can I remember any meetings…not really. Does it matter? I think it might.

Staff meetings, dept meetings, pastoral meetings, SLT meetings, governor meetings, Ofsted prep meetings, Ofsted feedback meetings. All those initiatives I have long forgotten TVEI, Diplomas,GNVQ Exam Board in fact just writing this I wonder how much time was spent there…….oh its exhausting just thinking of my life and energy ebbing away. I recall an “Excellence in Cities” meeting locally with every school given an extra INSET day whilst the project was launched with “At least you don’t have to teach today”. Just how uninspiring was that to be? No wonder that died a deserved death. After all I am a teacher and I love teaching, school might be different when empty but it’s not what the job is truly about.

I propose two things which I am going to look closely at in my school

Do we have too many? and What quality and impact do they have?

1) Perhaps we can all get rid of as many meetings as possible. It is 2014 and we don’t need to meet as much as we used to in 2004 or 1994 because information can be accessed so many other way and it is! There is email, learning platforms ( meeting platforms), conversation and of course bits of paper. In fact if we are not careful we tell each other the same information in every conceivable way via notices, email, platforms and of course the message in a pigeon hole and then in case people might miss we tell them too. Actually we do this because some colleagues don’t seem to listen or hear or follow the plot. But I am yet to be conviced a plethora of meeetings gets the message through as these people often don’t listen to any forum. In fact, maybe, there is a lot of meeting noise in their lives. We need some meetings, we have profession duties to do so, we share about children, we share what works in our subject. WE have training, its a vital lifeblood : child protection, sims, first aid etc But do we need a meeting about assessment or appraisal or levels or no levels? Did a committee design a camel? Can we find better ways? Evolve stuff, not just bringing in more stuff. Get someone good to design say assessment, talk with other colleagues, maybe pupils, maybe governors and then test those ideas with respected staff, talk informally to people, pilot with a well chosen group, not just the keen staff but representative of all of our views. It’s harder work, has a greater impact but avoids wasting precious time.

We all have busy lives, just becuase someone rushes home at 3.30 does not mean they are not interested, they have other responsibilities and tasks and are under pressure. They fit in work when children are in bed or elderly parents checked up on. hang it we are professionals and as twitter often reminds us: “some people have complicated lives….be nice”

2) Make sure as far as possible we aim for those attending our meetings to leave most of them uplifted, something to encourage us, challenge us, something to think about, something to help us improve. Or having listened to someone who passed on a great idea. Even boring planning can be like that! Many teachers ( at least many of those who are effective in the classroom) worry and bother about their work so the encouragement is pretty vital, and distraction by tedious time wasting meetings is little help. Realistically there is occasionally a meeting with bad news at its heart so we cannot always be uplifting, the meeting is called perhaps with sad news about pupils or colleagues or families or redundancy but lets overlook those exceptional meetings and consider those planned ones. I think even training sessions can bring a lift….”we are going to be able to do  (this) better”

Staff meetings- why? Once per term, 15 mins a week? Check your meetings schedules and ask why? Middle leader meetings, senior leader meetings, are they training sessions and sharing sessions, do people come along vaguely excited or watching their clock ready to leave? How much work goes into agendas and minutes or action points compared to some serious thinking about purpose and impact. Let’s look for a clear reason to meet, and tackle that wholeheartedly. Choose the topic, lets have some of the research on the topic, maybe even read up beforehand. Some briefing from those in the know, those with some wisdom and then a hearty discussion. Pertinent questions asked or raised and some solutions or suggestions created. Some simple actions which we can all trial or pilot and come back and report on – or just blog about or just post a summary on the learning platform. It’s then somewhere we can find it to go back to when we have time or need or both. Much of the recent twitter noise on research ed just shows we are good with endless ideas of what might, should, or ought to work but we just struggle with feedback, lets work that feedback into our school structure if it is important. In fact we might start with some feedback about our meeting’s effectiveness.

We also need to encourage better contributions and show everyone’s views or ideas are valued, from the most experienced to the new colleague, then mash that up and take away something which positively helps. This might help to move us all forward, confirming what we thought was the right direction. I am conscious some of you will think it’s your job to lead, you are HoD etc I am paid to lead, yes you are paid to lead, not to waste time, not to talk all the time, to have impact. So it might be your leadership job to gather the ideas and bring the policy to birth

My favourite meetings aren’t even on the calendar [which I spend so long planning for at our school] they happen spontaneously, often with unlikely combinations of colleagues. They focus on children, often certain individuals, they pick up on general themes but concern a given situation, they end up bringing clarity and thoughtfulness. They drop out of something which happened in a classroom and so bring an added interest. They help me see what sort of teacher, with what sort of philosophy other staff are and help me think what sort I am. They are conversations which usually lift , inspire and show much humour. They make me think. I love this time of the year (summer) when this happens a little more. I love overhearing those conversations, before school lunch or after school or in a free. I love zipping through the staffroom and observing these conversations, or hearing my science colleagues sort out “how to teach this better”. I know many a reader is thinking hey ho typical SLT with their light timetables and time to chat – sure agreed, the job is delivered by you ( well and me) in a classroom. We do need the occasional whinge, the job has many challenges not helped by the beloved SoS or Ofsted or Ofqual or the decision to go to progress 8 or ditch levels, that useless parent..hey this could be a long list….. but we are in the job because for better or worse we all #loveteaching. Establish a culture where these spontaneous chats happen more and more. Maybe I should ask Ofsted to “observe” meetings and grade them? Then count those vital golden nuggets of staff chat.

Classroom teachers do not have a lot of time, there are endless blogs about work/life balance and stress. Can we aim to help with our meeting programme and not worsen that workload? Let’s not waste each other’s time in meetings with endless agenda points which depress but instead clear the decks and get something inspiring, uplifting, purposeful – hang it we are intelligent people. Science meetings could ditch the agenda and in 45 mins do three “classic’ inspiring demonstrations that others might use; English can share new ways to introduce Shakespeare to the weakest learners; Design can show off what pupils have done and look at how they can be pushed to be even better…..there are lots more ideas, I’ll call a meeting to tell you.

image

Some questions to ponder:

Q1 What are the most effective meetings in your school and why?
Q2 How might meetings help in the workload stakes and work life balance for the conscientious teacher?
Q3 What ways can you find to encourage and capture those intimate uplifitng good humoured conversations?

For those (like me) in a faith community
The importance of Christian fellowship for growing th faith and the warning about meeting for a purpose (the Eucharist) without abusing the true reason for the meetings

Hebrews 10:25
do not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more……
1 Corinthians 11:17
In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.