On teachers
This week I have been reflecting on teaching and teachers, especially as we had open house to welcome the families of our learners into our classrooms.
"So the working hours are 40 hours a week on your contract (awkward cough). But there's that bit that says other related responsibilities. So you might find yourself planning through weekends, occasionally working 15 hour days as a normal practice. You'll be 'live' in front of an audience doing your job the majority of each day, and if you don't do it well, that audience will start to make your life very difficult within approximately 1 min. You can also expect that even if the majority of things are going really well, you will fail somewhere, sometimes and people will complain about you. In your spare time, you will be thinking about planning for your work time, or concerns with individuals. You may suffer anxiety dreams frequently related to your job. (Broad smile) So, would you like to sign up?"
Why would anyone say yes?
The answer to that question has come in a variety of ways this week. "I want to be the kind of person who changes lives", "I want my learners to understand the power of the gift I am giving them", "I love my subject, and I want to communicate that love to my students", "I want to form relationships so they know they are safe and cared for, and ready to learn", "I love the community we have, all focused on helping children to thrive". These are just a few of the things I have heard during my professional goal conversations with staff at ISA recently.
I am a little bit resistant to the sentimentalised pro-teacher mugs with 'Best teacher in the world' or 'Teaching is the best job in the world,' written on them. They seem so rosy-tinted and missing the intensity and emotional energy it takes to teach. I often think 'you literally could not pay someone to do the things teachers have to do; you can only find someone who wants to do it, and then support them with a salary'. The energy to teach comes from the sense of purpose and vocation heard in the statements above.
So if it is not money as a motivator (although we always strive to have the best possible pay and conditions in place) what do teachers need back? Again the answer also came this week, with an email from a student who had left ISA long ago. She had written to a generic account to ask if there was any way she could find the contact details for the teachers who had taught her many years ago. She just wanted to say 'thank you'.
And that is my message also as principal. A sincere 'thank you' to our teaching staff for all the intense hard work, the care and the emotional energy.
I hope your enjoyed Open House, and we look forward to a great year ahead.
P.S. The mugs are not entirely wrong. It is the best job in the world.
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