Every Teacher Matters Network: Recent Episodes
Every Teacher Matters Network
Paul is a school improvement advisor and a system leader. He has supported 50 schools in 4 years.
One of my personal issues with school improvement is that many schools approach it as a must do for external accountability. Not Paul. He inspires and ignites passion and enthusiasm, enabling headteachers to get it right for the students.
Paul is SIP who makes school improvement accessible. In this episode we speak about his recently published book “No silver bullets – day in, day out school improvement.”
‘There are no secrets to school improvement. There are no silver bullets and no magic answers. It is far less glamourous. It is a question of identifying numerous actions and applying effort ‘day, day out’ to improve them.’
Must listen!
Since 1999 the Founders of Rainbow Schools have visited centres in India which support disabled and orphaned children. Some of the centres were well run and resourced, others were not good at all. Other than providing food, shelter and clothing they were not meeting the needs of many and instead of encouraging independence, were making them even more dependent.
Many lacked the necessary knowledge and skills that were needed to meet the needs of special needs children.
Most kept special needs children and adults away from society, many not seeing or knowing what was outside their four walls.
Not ONE had any integration or inclusive education. Not ONE saw a need for a more HOLISTIC approach.
After 9 years of training teachers and parents, holding seminars, workshops, demonstrations on the use of key resources, it was clear that Northern India needed to see and experience what we in the West take for granted… A HOLISTIC, INCLUSIVE and fully INTEGRATED way of supporting the most vulnerable people in society.
It was then the idea of a RAINBOW SCHOOL was born.
This is a candid conversation not to be missed… you must tune in!
Liz Almond is an inspirational and multi award winning Spiritual Teacher, Business Coach/Mentor, Author, and Holistic Therapist. Liz had an accident in 1996 which was a catalyst for change. It led to her having two years off work before retraining to be a teacher and returning to a full time teaching role. Positivity and overcoming adversity have been the theme through her life and Liz has recovered her health dramatically. Having overcome several chronic health ailments naturally, when she started her business, she was confronted with a run of personal bereavements as well as peri-menopause leading her into depression and her business and finances floundered. Having learnt various holistic therapies, she applied the therapies she had learnt on herself to address her health and debt issues and to lift her depression to allow her to guide others to do the same. Liz is passionate about teachers being given the tools to manage their well being and to stay empowered and within the profession, rather than feeling the need to leave as they are so stressed and burned out. This is a candid conversation not to be missed!
A Heart-Shaped Decision is one that is made based on feelings rather than thoughts. It can often take a long time - the first Heart-Shaped Decision Graham made took him five years! How would you feel if your whole life was planned for you? If there was no-one in your life that you really wanted to be like? Perhaps you are being pushed in a direction that you really don't want to go in, and you feel there is no alternative, apart from to do the unthinkable.
Why should you make a Heart-Shaped Decision? Graham believes that until we make a Heart-Shaped Decision, we don't fully understand what direction our lives should be taking. Listen to this heart warming candid conversation – you’ll be glad you did!
Eileen has been a teacher for the past 9 years. She initially trained as a Secondary School Art & Design teacher, and within a few years found herself working within a Middle school, which inspired her love for working with Primary aged children, which is what she does now. Alongside teaching, Eileen has a business in education which focuses on “how can we make this learning fun?”
Her Facebook page, KS2 Lessons with Miss Cowles, is a fabulous free resource available to parents and pupils. In this candid conversation, she humbly shares with us how she gave up a well-established senior position, to start over. This candid conversation will encourage and inspire many… a must listen!
In this special episode of ETMN podcast, Steve Waters and I are speaking to Benjy Rickman, a Secondary school teacher, from Manchester. Benjy is a social media influencer through activity and youtube channel. Benjy is an RE teacher, who also channels his energies into promoting mental health for young people. Alongside being an extraordinary teacher, he uses his youtube channel to hold virtual assemblies in which he makes mental health, relevant and accessible to all young people. His motivator for this work is the tragic death of his 15 year old son, 18 months ago. In this episode we speak to him about his bereavement, how he copes and inspires simultaneously. Teaching after bearing such a personal tragedy can have all sorts of implications. Listen to this very moving candid conversation to understand Benjy’s trials and tribulations. This is a must listen!
Hannah Wilson is a dynamic leader who is passionate about diversity, inclusion and equality. She has a commitment to developing a diverse and flexible workforce, particularly by empowering under-represented groups to become school leaders. This is just a small part of the simply phenomenal work that she does and the difference that she has made to the education sector. This podcast is a candid conversation with this most inspiring ethical leader. Not to be missed!
Phil Sharrock (Please note: There were some minor technical issues with this recording).Phil Sharrock, is another kindred spirit of mine. A former head teacher himself, with an approach which endorses that your people are your greatest asset. He has been described as “Inspirational” by Ofsted but I know, that is not important to him!
What’s important to him, is to live by his values. He is one of the kindest, most sincere and caring educational colleagues I have the pleasure of knowing. In this candid conversation we speak about his experiences of taking staff along with you in the school improvement journey.
Compassionate leadership is integral to staff wellbeing and we talk all about it, in this episode. Tune in!
Sarah Hall is a former SEN/D teacher of 12 years. She left teaching within school settings 17 years ago and set up her own business due to having her baby. However Sarah candidly speaks about her real reason for not returning was due to mental health difficulties.
Instead, Sarah set up her own business – Willows Sensory Service, which is a mixture of special educational needs with complementary therapy.
In this candid conversation we speak about alternative, complementary therapies and how helpful they can be in supporting the wellbeing of teachers. Many people see going to the spa as a treat, but you can create similar experiences at home on a regular basis which beats going to the spa! When you do this, you can benefit significantly physiologically, physically and emotionally and understand that it is not a treat but a much needed part of your daily routine.
Small tweaks in your day can result in huge gains with your wellbeing… a must listen!
You know that moment when you feel you’ve met a kindred spirit? That’s what my connection with Connie feels like. Connie is a Teacher in Ohio, USA. Her teaching methodology is deeply rooted in Mindfulness for the whole school community, students, teachers and parents. She shares some wonderful insights into how a mindful approach, using the CARE acronym can lead towards very enriching and uplifting benefits. There is also a short, three-minute exercise that listeners can participate in order to align with a state of calm.
“When you change just a little something, make small tweaks, become present, be aware, notice and be grateful… everything changes.”
We speak candidly about Mindfulness in this podcast and talk about how the science based evidence and research backs the effectiveness of this approach. Mindfulness is a way of life which has incredible benefits, learning them and applying them should be statutory!
Juliet Adloune has over twenty years of experience in Primary Education as a teacher and leader. She is a qualified Instructor for Adult Mental Health First Aid [MHFAEngland], alongside working for Cambridgeshire Local Authority as a Professional Development and Improvement Adviser. In this candid conversation, we talk about the importance of promoting mental health in schools, particularly when supporting our schools leaders and teachers. With 52% of all educational professionals having considered leaving due to pressures on their mental health and wellbeing, can we really afford, as a profession, to overlook this need for not only training but more importantly, reducing the stigma?
Juliet is a delightful, knowledgeable and passionate educator, who deeply cares for her colleagues in the profession. Another must-listen candid conversation!
You can find her here: LinkedIn Profile here www.facebook.com/mhfa.julietadloune
Catherine Hulme is an advocate of Pure coaching. Her passion for person centred approaches which is founded upon trusting relationships, teacher’s inspiring self-change and autonomy are the tenets of this candid conversation.
“Schools are communities and not factories!”
Her commitment to enable and empower others to develop and reach their potential in her teaching and senior leadership role has ultimately been the catalyst in her own career transition.
She shares the difference coaching made to her personally “I felt heard, believed, advocated, encouraged to meet my potential and enabled to maintain my own self-belief.”
We also take this opportunity to share all about about ‘Leadership Edge’… Find out more!
Emma Cann is a former Primary School teacher who left the profession after nine years of being in the classroom due to suffering burnout. She raises some very thought-provoking points around how we normalise our own less than satisfactory standards as teachers.
Is it really ok that we normalise working 60-70 hour weeks? Why is it ok for a colleague to make us feel guilty for leaving at 5pm? These unrealistic expectations are exactly what drives us out of the profession!
Her personal story of burnout is incredibly powerful as it is deeply disturbing. She takes from it, the positive fact that she is still in the profession giving back to colleagues. Her mission is to talk about this honestly and openly, in order to help other teachers avoid burnout. This is a candid conversation not to be missed!
Description for Vicki Maguire
Vicki Maguire is a former highly experienced deputy head teacher and head of department. Now head coach at Transform Education Coaching. She set up her own business to coach teachers and leaders in education. Her own “We Lead Well” podcast is full of insights into perceptions, views, controversy within education is well worth signing up to!
She understands the challenges that leaders and teachers face and has through her own experience learnt the importance of wellbeing. In this podcast, we discuss the power of coaching in relation to managing our own wellbeing and recognising stressful situations. “Coaching creates that space to give yourself time and understand why you’re doing, what you’re doing and what your values are. In teaching we don’t get that space, so we need to create it!”
She is authentic, humble and on a mission!
In this special episode Steve Waters interviews Suneta Bagri the founder of the Every Teacher Matters Project about her latest initiative. The Teacher's Pet is a diary, planner and self development journal all in one. It aims to provide a systematic approach on a daily basis to help teachers plan for their own well-being before they plan for their students'. There is no pupil well-being unless there is teacher well-being. Let's put that oxygen mask on first!
Ivy Wong is an inspiring teacher, originally from Australia. It was an absolute pleasure to speak to her about her wonderful experiences of teaching. She candidly shares the not so wonderful reality of what can happen when anxiety takes a hold and how this influences the teacher’s overall mental health. As a life-coach herself now she reflects on what made her reach out to a coach when she was a classroom practitioner.
The coaching experience realigned her to her values, reconnected her with why teaching was her calling and gave her back her confidence, ultimately bringing her back to her purpose.
This is a must listen!
In this episode I speak to Chrissy, a retired teacher with a wealth of experience, knowledge and expertise in teaching and coaching. “As teachers, we are givers!” She explains how coaching is an essential tool for wellbeing and how as teachers we can get way-laid. Chrissy, eloquently describes that those teachers who embark upon coaching, can prevent burnout and reaching a point of total break-down. Coaching also keeps us connected to our “why” – our passion and our purpose and creates a “win-win” situation!
If you are curious about coaching – must listen!
This candid conversation with Steve Waters, is a real pleasure to listen to!
Steve is a former teacher with over 40 years of experience in the teaching profession. Now he champions the well being of teachers through supporting schools to implement a systemic and cultural change towards improving wellbeing within the organisation. Steve is founder of the Teach Well Alliance.
Personally, Steve is a mentor, supporter and partner to me in many areas of my work. Professionally, he is an inspiration and an advocate for us all in the teaching profession.
A must listen podcast – where you will find out all about his “why!”
Dr Victoria Carr starts by sharing her values, of which two are ethical leadership and integrity. Throughout this candid conversation, we hear her echo these characteristics in what she shares, passionately and honestly, displaying her servant leadership style. It is with these noble attributes she shares her personal experience of navigating COVID-19.
Everyone working in a school should listen to this podcast, there is so much to be learned from this inspiring leader!
In this conversation with Alan Beale, headteacher of an inner city school in Birmingham (an area with high deprivation) speaks about the need to support the real issues facing his school community. This interview truly captures the experience of a headteacher fire-fighting on a daily basis, concerned about ensuring his staff's wellbeing through this pandemic. He shares how this is not the time for competition, comparison or controversy. Instead, an opportunity to think about collaboration, consistency and cohesion.
Raw and honest. A must listen!
I personally have been very concerned that the pandemic is going to exacerbate an already fraught profession. Just weeks back at school and teachers and leaders are dealing with untenable situations, increasing in complexity on a daily basis.
I'm reading tweets which are stating that Headteachers are feeling now, already like they would usually in the last week of term. They are tired, worn-out and some even report feeling like imposters. In this special series of podcasts, I'm talking to the Headteachers themselves, the captains of the ship!
What is the reality of leading a school right now?
Listen in to my interview with Dr Kulvarn Atwal - Executive Headteacher and author of The Thinking School.
Experienced teachers like Sarah Andrews, have so much wisdom and advice for our colleagues int he teaching profession. Listen to her share her highlights and her low lights. The highlights filled her with passion and the low lights with deep regret. I know that you will really enjoy hearing this conversation from the heart with Sarah and listen to her advice as to why you must prioritise yourself and be heard!
Jean Ramsay is an inspiring retired teacher who has touched the lives of so many young people. She literally spoke to my heart during the whole of this conversation. The good old days! Where staff teams operated like families. Where we supported one another and went out for pub lunches on a Friday! Listen in to this delightful conversation where we recall fond memories and hope sincerely that education can do a 360 degree turn back to the good old days, in the near future!
We are so fortunate to have such excellent teachers in our profession, who totally understand how to nurture the development of children. Rachel, is one of those teachers who sadly came out of the profession due to pressures that took her away from what she loves most. She has found an alternative way of contributing to the teaching and learning of children, but i'm sure you'll agree, her talents are inspiring for teachers who could learn so much. Listen to us speak about what she loves most about teaching.
Listen to a candid and open conversation by secondary school teacher, Chris Misselbrook. He speaks about how he reached burnout and what he now does to mitigate any risks of that happening again.By saying "no" to others means saying "yes" to yourself!