My Pledge: Connect

Connect
The biggest piece of advice I could ever give anyone in teaching is to connect.
And not connect as a fad or because it’s a popular hashtag but because connecting is at the root of everything I do as a classroom Practioner.

The ‘Others‘
Before starting out as a teacher, I was once told to become friendly with admin staff, TAs, site team, IT team etc… as these are the people that make the school tick. These are the people that can help you in times of need and will be the ones that can help if your blinds break causing absolute pandemonium on an apocalyptic scale or your monitor won’t turn on to show that 30 second clip which provides the creative spark to infuse your Monday morning students. This being said, I make it my mission to connect with as many people as possible in every school environment I am placed in. I even branch out to Maths and Science (I know, wild right?!). This has made my teaching and life in secondary schools more fulfilling and, ultimately, a happier experience.

The Ryhme of the Failing Teacher
I once heard of a teacher who changed careers after following advice given 10 years previous. They sought a different, more challenging life in order to fulfil their potential and develop some natural skills they had talking to and dealing with children.

After a short, fairly successful apprenticeship as a TA, they undertook a tough, gruelling route into teaching, quickly realising they knew nothing of teaching and how to manage a classroom. In a very difficult environment, they managed to connect with enough people to survive despite not having an NQT mentor and being left to their own devices for most of the two years. Survive is most certainly the operative word. Their formative years were hindered by some people’s inability to connect and see the purist motives this person had. They never claimed to be the best teacher, nor will they ever be, but they did have some innate skills to connect with students and people and an intrinsic desire to learn.

Following this bumpy ride, a new challenged beckoned after a number of failed interviews (one of which they were told they didn’t fit the school’s profile – i.e. They weren’t middle-class enough!).
With renewed belief and optimism they sauntered into a new environment, desperate to prove themselves and connect with the new hierarchy and realise their potential.

Unfortunately, another nail was hammered into the splintered coffin of this failing teacher and, although, they made some vital connections, a shock exit followed. After two schools, various failed interviews and some harsh words, the failing teacher had decided to quit.

They never thought they were a quitter. Never thought they were that person who would walk away from unfinished business but there’s only so many times you can go to the well and tell yourself you are good enough. Morally, they no longer had the drive to continue to fail students. Some people will amble defiantly forward bludgeoning their way through the daily grind without a thought for the students they teach but the failing teacher didn’t want to be that person.

Instead, they gave up…

When I say ‘gave up’, I mean they gave up on that particular school and elected a different path.

Fast forward to today. The failing teacher still has daily struggles and still has doubts, especially after a tough day in the classroom, but the connections they have made make their job both enjoyable and, importantly, doable. With the support of an exceptional, diverse department and friendships forged on the front line, the failing teacher can rest a little more easily and finally look students in the eye and believe they are doing the right thing.

What does this little anecdote have to do with connect you ask?
The answer is: everything.
Everything that they have achieved is an indirect result of the connections they have made.
Epilogue
They’re not dead but here’s some practical tips I know they would like to share:
flash a smile, spend time listening to someone’s problems, go for that drink after work (God-forbid!), make someone a brew, help someone with a door, take an interest in someone’s weekend: these are all easy wins to enrich ones life in school.

The pressure cooker never stops boiling but you can control the release valve.

I pledge to continue to connect and engage with the people and environment around me.