leadership

MOT – Motivate Our Teachers…or Mad Old Tristram?

theprimaryhead6 Comments
Image
Image from @MartinShovel

It’s a bloody outrage, how dare he? I’m not a car! I don’t need more hoops to jump through. Yeah, yeah, yeah whatever. As with any idea that could affect how the cogs of education turn, @TristramHuntMP’s suggestion that teachers should have a licence to teach was devoured on twitter and the blogosphere quicker than a teacher’s packed lunch on the first day back after the holidays. It wasn’t helped that his proposal had been abbreviated into an over simplistic idea that provided an easy target for pretty much anyone with access to the internet and at least one opposable thumb.

Let’s get the basics out of the way: There will always be those who feel hard done by and who live their lives eternally bothered by the fact that their job warrants scrutiny by people other than themselves. Those people should largely be ignored. Criticise by finding faults/flaws and suggesting better alternatives not by screaming ‘It’s not fair.’ So if you have read what Hunt has suggested and object in principle to the profession seeking out robust quality assurance and methods of self-improvement then maybe it’s time you just went away.

Now let’s focus on the idea – there are some good thoughts hidden in what Hunt said but in my humble opinion they are either not good enough or facsimiles of what already happens in schools up and down the country.

He talked about teachers being ‘motivated’ and ‘passionate’ as if these were equal to competency in the classroom. It was as if the media-savvy side of his brain was thinking ‘They’re not going to like this so if I just go on for ages about how teachers are important and passionate – and I mean really go on about it – I might be able to slip the idea in and they won’t mind.’ Don’t insult us: yes passion is a great motivator but we all know that sometimes it can count for bugger all. As the saying goes: just because a cat has kittens in the oven, that don’t make them biscuits.

What I’m sure he meant to say is: ‘If you’re not a motivated teacher – passionate about the profession and determined to reflect and develop your skills in order to become a highly effective practitioner so all children achieve when they are in your lesson – then you shouldn’t really be in this profession.’

In fact he sort of did say this too but annoyingly I think the weakest part of Hunt’s statement was introducing this ‘licence’ as the way of guaranteeing teachers engage with professional development: ‘If you’re not willing to re-engage in re-licencing to update your skills then you really shouldn’t be in the classroom.’ This does make it sound like it is the process of the re-licence that will keep teachers qualified which I believe is wrong at worst or a distortion of school’s robust appraisal processes at best.

We already have performance management and now a teacher’s appraisal is linked to their pay. If this is done well the Head will ensure that this establishes a culture where teachers proactively engage with their own development in a way that not only meets the needs of the school at that time but also improves their personal approach to teaching. So…do we need a licence to prove it?

Ah yes, but what about those schools where performance management is just a tick boxing exercise and the teachers don’t respect the views and judgements for the senior leadership team? Well, I hate to break it to you but a licence ain’t going to change either of those problems. The biggest problem there is the leadership: it is your job leaders to create that positive culture where reflections are not attacks and improvements are individualised rather than regurgitating the latest initiative of the week. Putting in an extra layer of accreditation through a teaching licence seems to me to be either fixing a problem that isn’t there or an inadequate way to patch up failing schools.

The most noble part of Hunt’s statement was the notion that teachers should be valued as a profession to the same degree as Doctors and Lawyers. I and I’m sure everyone in education would agree that we should be as valued because we ARE professionals. But surely the point here is the perception of our professionalism rather than the nature of it? If (and I know it’s a big ‘if’) but IF schools are led effectively everyone in that organisation can hold their heads up high. If Hunt has an issue with unqualified teachers working in schools, well, address that issue on its own and leave the rest of us out of it.

So I thank you Mr Hunt for your efforts and you at least gave me something to write about this Sunday.  If you are desperate to develop this idea you can count on me to engage with it positively. But you haven’t got long, the election’s coming soon and I’ve got my car booked in for its MOT next month and that hunk of junk has got less chance of passing than Gove being asked to appear in the new series of Blackadder.

I am not an elephant….I’m a primary school headteacher!

theprimaryhead9 Comments

Image

I thought I would stand up and be counted on behalf of all primary educators out there. I hope lots of you have read @michaelt1979’s interesting post on why us primary folks don’t get as much tweet action as our secondary counter-parts. It was suggested that it could be because we don’t engage in the big issues as much as our older siblings; kind of like when the grown-ups are at the big table talking about important things like politics, money and the season finale of breaking bad whilst the kids are lumped on a smaller table a few feet away eating with their fingers and shouting about twerking, sexting and the best place to buy pure Blue Sky.

On twitter you often can’t move for links to dense (as in compact not as in thick) blog posts about pedagogy, skills vs knowlegde, student cognitive processes, learning styles, teaching styles, Ofsted framework updates, behaviour issues and occasionally posts about Bloom’s taxidermy (or some such). Each link is normally followed by even more dense (not always as in compact) arguments that go on for so long I can’t help thinking that Twitter will at some point run out.

And it has to be said that it is often secondary folks who are taking part. Why is that? Are primary people not interested? Are we too busy? Do we not know what they’re talking about? Are the issues not appropriate for primary? If this is the case then maybe we should start differentiating twitter. The secondary swines can follow the ‘blue’ timelines about education reforms and we’ll follow the ‘green’ lines about funny things children say on the way to assembly and the end of season twist in Peppa Pig.

Or maybe we should step up to the plate, set the straw man on fire and engage positively with the issues of the day. Thankfully @michaelt1979 gave us some pointers so I will now try to answer each of his questions in no more than one sentence. (Something a few secondary colleagues could try? #justsaying #onlyjoking #reallydon’twanttostartatwitterwartodayihaveabigcurrytomakelater)

Ok, here we go!

Will ‘scaled scores’ provide useful information at end-of-key-stage tests?

Well it’s always good to have some sort of comparison on local and national levels in order to support schools with their self-evaluation but I wouldn’t think parents would be that fussed and I suspect the powers that be will place too much emphasis on them-oh well.

 How will we assess English and Maths once levels are scrapped?

I think now could be the time to finally get an assessment process that is consistent from Early Years all the way to the top so it’s ‘emerging, expected, exceeding’ end of year expectation statements for me.

Is primary schooling becoming all core and no breadth?

Core is really important and it always has been but give schools and teachers creativity when developing their own curriculum and there’s no reason why we still can’t have a ‘broad and balanced’ curriculum that is right for 21st century learners.

Does the new National Curriculum necessarily mean more rote teaching & learning?

No-not if school leaders work hard  and make sure teachers are supported in teaching strategies that will ensure standards improve.

Will the new grammar requirements in the National Curriculum raise standards of reading/writing?

Probably a bit if we’re teaching children how to read and write better ‘technically’ but don’t believe the hype about standards improving when all we’re using is test results.

Do primary teachers have the subject knowledge needed for the new National Curriculum?

If by subject knowledge you  mean being able to teach skills effectively for every subject then we probably could do better; if you mean do they know all the historical facts about the UK since time began that no, they don’t: no one does.

What does it mean to be “secondary ready”, as the DfE suggests we should be aiming for?

It means that pupils are ready to engage in a Year 7 curriculum and have developed skills such as resilience, independence, responsibility in order to cope in a massively different learning environment .

Is the current level 4b a viable expectation for 85% of students?

No because levels are going.

How is the newly-enhanced Pupil Premium going to have an impact in primary?

It gives me more headaches in terms of tracking but hasn’t really impacted upon supporting pupils as we always do whatever we can to support pupils who need it .

How can we use the new sports/PE funding effectively?

Develop partnerships for long term coaching opportunities at a local level and provide access to quality sporting equipment.

How can research findings about feedback/knowledge/learning be applied in primary classrooms?

If there is research that would support a particular area of development in a school then the person/people responsible for improving it should find ways of applying it and measuring on a small scale and then develop it across the school.

What impact are small cohorts or small sub-groups having on Ofsted inspection outcomes?

Small cohorts and sub-groups are always going to be a problem – the solution is to know the ‘story’ of every pupil in that group and evidence everything you have done to increase their chances.

Are stand-alone primary academies viable?

I don’t know.

What is the professional view on baseline assessments for children on entry to YR?

If we’re going to develop consistency in the method of assessing pupils starting in Reception then why not but if it’s going to be detached let’s not bother.

What are the issues related to the proposed free school meals programme for infants?

Huge…I don’t even know how I can get every infant in one hall eating a hot lunch without staggering lunchtime over three hours: I’d rather use the money to provide a free breakfast.

What does constitute effective use of teaching assistants?

TAs who play a part in assessing the pupils they work with alongside the teachers and also help set up IEPs and are held accountable to their progress: that way they will make sure that whatever they do is effective.

And I’m done. I did it. I managed to drag myself away from planning my assembly to answer the big questions of the day. Have I managed to show that primary professionals can engage with the best of them or have I shown the world exactly why I work in primary education? Who knows but at least I tried and in my school that means that I get a sticker!

Motivation! Motivation! Motivation! The 3 Ms of leadership.

theprimaryhead5 Comments

leadershipMaybe it’s the pressure of performance related pay or the higher expectations of the new Ofsted framework; or maybe it’s because performance management meetings have started or maybe it’s because some schools are being led by unqualified individuals who wouldn’t know about the complexities of running an effective if school even if they were hit about the head with the latest copy of ‘A Dummies guide to running a free school’; or maybe it’s because the state of education is in chaos with government consultations suggesting terrible ideas to move things on popping up more rapidly than a series of regional NUT strikes; or maybe it’s because it’s nearly half term and everyone is knackered: I don’t know…but for some reason, this weekend, school senior leaders have got a hammering online.

First there was @TessaLMatthews blog on ‘What makes a good school leader?’ which offered up her highly unpleasant experience of an SLT encounter http://tabularasaeducation.wordpress.com/2013/10/19/school-leaders/ . Then @oldandrewuk gave us some sound advice on ‘How to be a bad SMT’ (which can be found at http://teachingbattleground.wordpress.com/ ). Now, you know you’re onto something when even a teachingbattleground post doesn’t divide opinion: judging by the comments that followed both posts they have either only been read by colleagues at the same schools (this is possible but highly improbable unless the school employ a combined total of about 8000 staff) or (and this is more likely) many school leaders are either a) not very nice; b) not very competent; c) both a) and b).

So here I am to defend us poor school leaders because do you know what? You lot…you teachers just don’t get it! All you’ve got to do is come into school and teach but us, we have whole schools to run. We have a million things to keep on top off and getting you lot to do your bloody job shouldn’t have to be the hardest thing to do every bloody day. For once could I just ask you to do something and expect you to get it done? For once could I tell you how we’re all going to teach without having to see your eyes roll and your arms fold with the old teachers sardonically wittering things like ‘oh, we’re going back to that way are we, I remember when we tried that in 1972..ha!’ and the young teachers crapping on about Ken Robinson and moaning how I don’t know what it’s like to be in the classroom anymore-I do actually so shut up and try taking some advice rather than just expecting to give it all the time. Seriously-do your job and no one gets hurt: Got it?

And breathe. Relax. Breathe again and before you click the ‘report abuse’ button, count to five and believe me when I say: only joking. I just wanted to try it on for size and see what it would be like to be ‘that kind’ of leader. Doesn’t really do it for me never has. Tried it once and I just felt like a bit of a prat and it didn’t get me anywhere except made at least one person thought I was a prat (well two if you include me)

However, I was genuinely thinking a couple of weeks ago about my approach to leadership in terms of am I too nice – which is normally a euphemism for too soft – which is another euphemism for ineffective. I had a meeting with a local authority school improvement officer (who I like) and they were challenging me about my ability to ensure the effectiveness of a member of staff. As they were talking I was reminded of ‘The League of Gentlemen’ character Pauline, the job centre re-start officer, who maintained that you should treat people like pens: ‘If they don’t work, shake them. If they still don’t work, bin them.’ I was trying to get across my slightly different approach of utter transparency, lots of support and lots of reviews. ‘Don’t worry I have a system’ I kept saying, that allows me to be nice, fair and could actually allow this person to succeed and if it doesn’t work we also have a system that will take care of that in a way that is professional, fair and impossible to disagree with. ‘But how long will it bloody take?’ was the comment getting repeatedly fired back at me.

Time is important you see. Everyone wants impact in the shortest possible amount of time. HMI want impact within six weeks of RI which means the local authority want it by five.  Headteachers therefore want impact by four weeks which means subject leaders have to show it by three. This leaves teachers with the rather hard task of making impact within a fortnight. If anyone challenges this time frame then they get accused of having low standards and a stubbornness that is a barrier to improvement.

What this then does is create pressure and as we know pressure can make some individuals behave in appalling ways. The buck however stops with the headteacher and simultaneously, the example, should also start with the headteacher.

The most effective way I have found to achieve this is by being transparent, honest and actually quite nice to the people I work with. I want people to want to work in my school as much as I want them to know what we’re all up against. There are no hidden agendas. Schools should be exciting places to and people should feel proud of their achievements. If they are struggling I want them to feel supported – not shamed into it but actually helped along the way. Challenging conversations occur all the time – but they’re so much easier to have if you have shared your direction, expectations, vision at the very start. Now if you hate my vision my direction of the school then your heart won’t be in the school I’m leading anyway so you’re best off out anyway. But even then – we can be nice about it.

I was talking to a teacher the other day who had once worked for a really horrible sounding headteacher. Everyone was terrified. Public humiliations at staff meetings, throwing of stationary, staff crying daily in the staff room. I naively said that I can’t imagine that kind of leadership is tolerated any more. From reading some of the blogs this weekend it seems as though I was way of the mark. I pity the leaders who are this stressed and frustrated that they take it out on teachers and support staff but more so I want them to stop. Stop and think about the damage they are doing.

I know, I know the pressure, the pressure! Pressure does not equate to being able to act like a shit. We get paid more – suck it up. The more pressure a school is under the nicer you should be – seriously. The more you should work with the leaders beneath you to make sure they have a handle on how to improve their areas. Doesn’t mean you can’t get frustrated. My office often sounds like a dock-yard as my potty-mouth is quite frankly disgraceful. Never AT people you understand – well maybe at them occasionally but certainly not while they’re in the same room. When I am working with people however, at the back of my mind is the question all leaders should have: am I enabling this person to operate at their highest level?

If the answer is yes, then it is normally because I have them on my side, I’ve been honest with them and supported them and they recognise that I am actively investing in their development. Okay, that’s what I’d like them to think I’ve done, it may a be a slightly ‘heightened reality’ version but it certainly isn’t because I’ve stabbed them with a pencil, called them a useless **** and told them to input all that data again because at the moment it’s about as helpful to me as teats on a boar. (Like I said earlier, tried this approach once and it didn’t work)

Maybe I’m a coward – I don’t like confrontation and between you and me I try to give people want they want (within reason) as I’ve learned that’s quite a motivator and bargaining tool. But I do have my non-negotiable terms I have my expectations and so far no one has suggested that they are unreasonable and so far no one has left. (one member of staff has even requested to go back to full time since I started my school – and bearing in mind we require improvement and I’ve got them working harder than I’ve ever seen any school work, I think that’s quite good).

Because no matter how ‘up against it’ you are, keeping the troops on your side is the best weapon you’ll ever have – and if I need to take out a second mortgage to keep the staff room cake levels at a constant high, well that’s a price I’m prepared to pay.