All teachers are learners – All learners are teachers

Swings

When I look back at the last 18 months I have to say it has been a wide wonderful ride.  18 months ago I left teaching to pursue some time in the private sector and work for a IWB/software company.  Over my time in the private sector I have had some amazing experiences, I met the love of my life via twitter, got to travel to many places I would not have dreamed to go to and got to meet the most amazing people in a multitude of settings.

I would not swap any of my time at all, it has been bumpy but I have to say it shook me out of my comfort zone and made me appreciate life and friends more than ever before.  I also came to realise that I work to live and not live to work and part of this realisation led me back to teaching.  Work is not difficult if you love it and it inspires you.  Whilst I have enjoyed my role out of schools I have not LOVED it ! It did not make me want to jump out of bed every morning.

This is because I love teaching more than any job before in my life.  I love working with students and assisting them to achieve their full potential everyday.  I do not think there is anything more rewarding to me than this and as much as the money and the rewards of the private sector are wonderful it is not the same as having your own grade.  So in about October I slowly made the decision to find a school and a position that I wanted to apply for and to try and get back into leadership and the profession that I loved.

I looked high and low, my criteria for a good school had changed over time.  This time I no longer wanted to work at a school where I could be promoted quickly up the bureaucratic ladder, I did not want a MacDonald sized mega school and I did not want to be out of the classroom 100% of the time. The other major criteria which may shock some people is that I no longer wanted a leadership position in ICT and elearning.  I am of the belief that the days of the elearning manager are dead and that modern literate leaders are needed in the core areas of literacy and numeracy.

I wanted a job in a small primary school in the community in which I lived in leading literacy.  I was lucky enough to find a school which ticked all these boxes and I decided to apply and give it my best shot.  My application was a culmination of various people such as Annabel Astbury, Valerie Khoo and Bill Dennis who all helped me in proof reading and via moral support throughout the process.  Well all of their help came to fruition and I got the job that I dreamed of.  Thanks to all !

Now the school I am going to is not perfect and I am not going in with rose coloured glasses.  I have a grade prep/one for the first time ever and for the majority of my students English will be their third language.  I am positive this will be a hard road, much harder than private sector life but it will be immensely rewarding and once again I will feel like I am making a real difference in my profession.

The other wonderful part of this decision is that I will be back in a supportive community where I can give as much as I get back.  I look forward to sharing my journey with you all as a returning leader with a new found focus and love for literacy in all its wonderful forms.