the way back - nervous breakdown and all that

On 25/05/22, I mentioned an article in which the governing body of my previous school stated: “During the last four years, an expected number of staff have left the school due to promotion, relocation and changes in family circumstances” rather than due to the toxic leadership and poor treatment of its staff: clearly the main reasons. To add insult to injury, it added: “We are thrilled when our highly trained teachers go on to leadership roles elsewhere. The governing body is committed to supporting staff and ensuring healthy engagement with staff is maintained.” Thrilled ? As stated before, none of us went onto higher leadership roles. A couple of sideways moves maybe. Supporting staff ? Four of us had breakdowns. Most of us who left were poorly treated. There was no support from the governing body at all in my experience. Healthy engagement ? There was never any engagement with us. After many years of loyal service to the school, getting good results, being feted by parent...

I have written at some length about the narcissism of the person who -for a good long while- made my life so miserable. Below are few of her more peculiar and spiteful idiosyncrasies (witnessed or recounted.)   o     Library/computer suite After our esteemed head retired in 2018, the school library was closed for refurbishments. As was the computer suite. Our school espoused the credo of reading for pleasure so we looked forward to seeing the changes that would be made.  We waited.  And waited.  The library did not reopen while I was a teacher there.  Neither did the computer suite: who needs computers in this day and age anyway?...   o     Books I have already detailed the new head’s careless view of other people’s personal property in a previous post: ‘In the Bin’ (30/05/22); the next two anecdotes are related. When she retired, our previous head told the PTA that she would rather any tokens of gratitude were made to the...

On 01/02/22, two articles were published about the school. I have previously posted an anonymised version of the article about staff issues (25/05/22). Here is an anonymised version of the other one about parent issues followed by online comments left on the newspaper’s website.   ____________ Parents of pupils become increasingly frustrated at lack of action at (…) School A school which has lost almost a third of its staff in almost four years has denied staff were victimised and parents ignored. Teachers and families have spoken to the  [newspaper]  about a deteriorating relationship between [the head] and the school community since she arrived. But the governors say she has been commended by Ofsted and that the staff losses are normal wastage.   Parents at a school were shocked to hear the headteacher is going on maternity leave – just as the [newspaper] asked for a comment about her regime [1] . The announcement was made in a letter to families circulated...

If you don’t follow @the.unteachables on Instagram, please do.  The post below outlines pedagogical truths that certain heads and governing bodies would do well to pay heed to.  "We simply can’t do the best for our students, if we don’t do the best for our teachers. That’s why on my page, even though the very clear mission is supporting vulnerable students with their behaviours, I post so much content advocating for teachers. The two are completely and utterly intertwined. Staff morale, support and wellbeing needs to be intentionally placed in the very heart of the culture of schools. It needs to be constantly measure, and staff need to feel safe to feedback and have forums to do this regularly." https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch0JmLRsNPW/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Today, I am 50 years old. Just a number I know, but traditionally one is supposed to do some self-reflection. So here goes.    A couple of weeks ago, I went out for pre-50th birthday drinks with a lovely set of friends that I had worked with happily at my previous school. It was a glorious evening full of laughter, animated chatting, embarrassing dancing and some rather good natural wine. It is astonishing to me that most of these lovely friends had been labelled as the old regime by the current head teacher - including my much esteemed ex-head teacher, supposed purveyor of the 'Dark Ages'. You could not really wish for a more nurturing, creative and rigorous team of fine pedagogues. I have now come to the end of my second year at my current school. I have become a part of its community: close to my pupils, their families and the staff. I am a union rep and yet am on fantastic terms with my current head. I am blessed to count her as a friend. I have even been promoted! I am in...

A few more reasons to be thankful - and very happy: God, I love this job.

This is why I teach 👆. I have been through traumatic events, but I have found a school where I am happy and can continue to teach children and bring happiness to them, families and staff.  Life ain’t all bad.  I’m lucky: I’ve survived, landed on my feet, and found joy.