Hands up, I don't blog enough. I probably don't partake in enough of the debate on Twitter and social media around teaching (although some of it is ludicrous). However, that in itself is why I've felt the need to get some thoughts down here.
I'm currently reading Mark Manston's The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. The title alone probably guaranteed his book a level of success- a level of success that wouldn't have been sustained had it not contained humour and substance in equal measure (I highly recommend it). Manston argues that it's not so much about not giving a f*ck about anything, but rather about being more selective about what we give a f*ck about. There's a couple of things he mentions in the early stages of the book which I think are really quite pertinent: 1- The issue of the vicious circle Often, if we want something (and chase it) it will more likely that not lead some kind of positive or negative reinforcement loop that will mean that we chase something else. In my own book, I've talked about the problem with defining a school by results alone- it's a beast that feeds itself. I'm a shocker for spending money- when my anxiety increases, so does my credit card bill. In recent weeks, agonising over which smart watch to buy or which Robot Vacuum to buy (I'm not joking) has - in truth - been a distraction from some other huge things going on in my life at the moment (impending child #2 and not being able to get to my brother's wedding on foreign shores, for example). What's my point, exactly? I think - whether on an individual, departmental or school level - it's vital to know the narratives and values that underpin our actions. Thinking about this as a Head of English when I comb over all results (including my own) I know I won't be held over a barrel in some kind of inhumane way as my school is an exceptional place to work - and one that understands the realities of teaching life (which makes me want to work harder and strive for those results... go figure). It is with this in mind that I will be using the results analysis as a springboard to inform conversations with my team in September. That's because I want to be someone that develops and leads through honesty and integrity - and I don't care if that does make me sound like David Brent, because I mean it. My analysis and conversations will be keeping in mind how I can make my team more than the sum of its parts, and not how I can cover my arse. Frankly, I think schools/leaders/HoDs that chase results as an end in itself at any cost are undermining the very institutions, staff, children and communities that they claim to serve. Things to ask yourself: - what am I really chasing? - what aspects of my role am I prioritising and why? Is it me? My school? My line manager? 2. Choosing what to give a f*ck about Manston discusses the oft-told story of the Japanese soldiers in a forest refusing to believe that the war was over and fighting on regardless- irrespective of messages from their leaders/friends/families because they thought they were just all a ruse to trick them into come out of hiding. They wouldn't let it go. Looking at myself, my own family think it's a cute quirk that I watch The Dark Knight Rises and Ghostbusters a few times a year. And also, anyone looking at my 'heavy rotation' on Spotify would think I'm a very odd person indeed. People would also think I'm a bit odd for reading and researching gadget reviews for hours on end before making a purchase, just as I think it's a bit odd that my father in law searches for cars for months in end before driving hundreds of miles to pick up a random second hand motor. My point? I think it's about choosing what to give a f*ck about. Let's take results for a second- of course I give a f*ck about them as they're an important indicator of overall performance, but I only give a f*ck about them as much as they will inform my next steps and driving questions. I think once we take the time to realise what we think is important and what we give a f*ck about, then things become much less cluttered and confusing. Things to ask yourself: - When I get my results (or my department's results), what are the next steps? - How can I approach the objective measures of the results with a positive mindset? What qualifying factors go hand in hand with the data?
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AuthorAndy Sammons Archives
August 2019
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