Through the mirror of my mind, time after time, I see reflections of you and me (The Supremes)

Photo by Kevin Noble on Unsplash

Reflective practitioner (I am a).

I see that description on CVs that come my way (actually, I think it's probably on mine), but what does it mean?

For many, it means analysing an incident and changing something as a consequence.

Wikipedia have a pithy description: Stepping back from the action permits critical reflection on a sequence of events. 

For me, it means writing these posts on my blog, in an attempt to be BTB (better than before); my reflections are much more haphazard and of the moment.

As that Wikipedia article also indicates: The emergence in more recent years of blogging has been seen as another form of reflection on experience in a technological age.

Wahoo. I'm cutting edge!

I've noticed I spend a lot more time reflecting on experience as I go on (there's a lot more to reflect on for a start).

I've spent some of this week helping out our young Head of English. She's brand new to the role and feeling her way.

Takes me back to my dream team English departments over the last 34 years of teaching. I've been in and lead some doozies.

Of recent times, honourable mentions to the mighty earth shaking Woodford House team (2013-2016), and the King John School's rock steady crew (Essex 2004-2006).

Apart from me, they all had equally passionate, funny, and dedicated teachers. Some of the other teams I have been associated with have had individual superstars but lacked cohesion.

Reflecting on that, I put it down to individual personalities and strengths.

After all, teams are all about relationships and communication. Being in one and leading one. Relationships and communication. Full stop.

Curiously, of my senior management teams the King John School was large and had disparate personalities but somehow coalesced well.

In my current role I have a great management team made up of a Junior Lead Teacher, three Community Administrators from the Brethren community and me. 

The mix of personalities, strengths and skills is widespread but effective. Within the school there is no professional leadership team as such because the flat management structure doesn't allow for one. This hasn't been a problem or concern.

Not sure what to make of that - some distance and reflection required!

There's no one as normal as me (Skyhooks)

Things I've missed by not being in a NZ classroom for three years (a random sample):

Assemblies (yes really) – I've experienced two so far at Woodford House and they have been wonderful: a group of girls performing some theatre sports; an inspirational speech by a Y13 girl (she had her right leg and left foot amputated as a consequence of swine flu in her Y9 year); a performance by a visiting group of percussionists – Ginger Baker eat your heart out!

It's such a relief not having to be responsible for the assembly any more; instead I can enjoy them again from the staff rows.

Staffroom camaraderie – it's a small staffroom for about 50 staff (including all the office and ancillary workers) but everyone has been very welcoming and friendly. A staff quiz happens at 1pm each day (after the staff has visited the staff dining room) and it's a lot of fun.

My own classroom – I have been a peripatetic teacher in my schools since moving to senior management positions (the last place I had my own classroom was as Head of English at Mt Albert Grammar in 1995, then a gap until King John School 2004 to 2006). I can put up posters, arrange the desks as I want and have a home at last.

A desk in the staff workroom – I have had my own office at schools since 1989 (Head of English at Waimea College) so I haven't shared a work space since I was at Maclean's College (and before that at New Plymouth Boys' High School). It's where I am right now as I write this post.

Having an office is fine and dandy but it can also be quite an isolating experience. I've had some doozies over the years – the broom cupboard at King John springs to mind (no windows and a swinging cat would have suffered massive concussion).

A sense of belonging – my pronouns will soon shift from 'they' to 'we' as I begin to understand and embrace the culture of the school. It's been three years since I've felt that. In the Middle East I was an adjunct to Ali bin Abi Taleb school. I was advising and critiquing and all the while I was part of Cognition Education – not a teacher on the staff. Don't get me wrong, I was certainly made to feel a real part of the school but I was still a foreigner and an outsider.

The sense of belonging has been dormant for some time. I certainly didn't have it as a Principal - too isolated and too solitary a position. The last time I truly belonged was The King John School in Essex; a magic staffroom and wonderful people.

Busy and tired at the end of the day – nothing like mental exhaustion to make you sleep all night. I was busy and tired in China but I've not worked in a classroom since the end of January so I feel refreshed and ready to go.

So raise a glass and drink with me. Here's to being Head of English again and here's to normal and here's to stability!

And here's to the teacher profession! Hurrah!!