[Music] [Applause]
there’s an elephant in every classroom
there’s an elephant in every classroom in the UK and we all know that we
in the UK and we all know that we
in the UK and we all know that we struggle to get teachers into our
struggle to get teachers into our
struggle to get teachers into our classrooms and once they’re there we’re
classrooms and once they’re there we’re
classrooms and once they’re there we’re struggling to keep them and I have
struggling to keep them and I have
struggling to keep them and I have first-hand experience of that as leader
first-hand experience of that as leader
first-hand experience of that as leader in a school where I once was flicking
in a school where I once was flicking
in a school where I once was flicking through 1215 different applications for
through 1215 different applications for
through 1215 different applications for a single post I’m now struggling to get
a single post I’m now struggling to get
a single post I’m now struggling to get one applicant after advertising two or
one applicant after advertising two or
one applicant after advertising two or three times we also have a problem with
three times we also have a problem with
three times we also have a problem with the way in which head teachers and
the way in which head teachers and
the way in which head teachers and schools are held accountable and the way
schools are held accountable and the way
schools are held accountable and the way individual teachers are judged on their
individual teachers are judged on their
individual teachers are judged on their performance it’s really sad for me to
performance it’s really sad for me to
performance it’s really sad for me to see great teachers leaving the
see great teachers leaving the
see great teachers leaving the profession because their me to feel they
profession because their me to feel they
profession because their me to feel they goods just isn’t good enough I’ll
goods just isn’t good enough I’ll
goods just isn’t good enough I’ll forgive you for thinking I’m here Timon
forgive you for thinking I’m here Timon
forgive you for thinking I’m here Timon I’m not I’m here to tell you that we and
I’m not I’m here to tell you that we and
I’m not I’m here to tell you that we and by that I mean myself and all my
by that I mean myself and all my
by that I mean myself and all my colleagues the teaching profession we’re
colleagues the teaching profession we’re
colleagues the teaching profession we’re aware of these problems we don’t need
aware of these problems we don’t need
aware of these problems we don’t need outside agencies to tell us that they
outside agencies to tell us that they
outside agencies to tell us that they exist we’re living them every day and we
exist we’re living them every day and we
exist we’re living them every day and we want to address them we want to solve
want to address them we want to solve
want to address them we want to solve them but we need your help we need
them but we need your help we need
them but we need your help we need everybody’s help one of the problems we
everybody’s help one of the problems we
everybody’s help one of the problems we have one of the problems we face is the
have one of the problems we face is the
have one of the problems we face is the fact that everybody has an opinion
fact that everybody has an opinion
fact that everybody has an opinion everybody has an experience of Education
everybody has an experience of Education
everybody has an experience of Education and everybody has been a student at some
and everybody has been a student at some
and everybody has been a student at some point or another and good or bad your
point or another and good or bad your
point or another and good or bad your experiences are coloring the way you see
experiences are coloring the way you see
experiences are coloring the way you see us as a profession we need you to
us as a profession we need you to
us as a profession we need you to realize that we need you to recognize
realize that we need you to recognize
realize that we need you to recognize the fact that your perception of us
the fact that your perception of us
the fact that your perception of us might be part of the problem the media
might be part of the problem the media
might be part of the problem the media doesn’t help us
doesn’t help us
doesn’t help us education is frequently in the news and
education is frequently in the news and
education is frequently in the news and often is negatively portrayal portrayed
often is negatively portrayal portrayed
often is negatively portrayal portrayed whether it be an expose on head teacher
whether it be an expose on head teacher
whether it be an expose on head teacher salaries or a criticism of an individual
salaries or a criticism of an individual
salaries or a criticism of an individual schools choice of lunchtime arrangements
schools choice of lunchtime arrangements
schools choice of lunchtime arrangements we’re frequently in the spotlight I must
we’re frequently in the spotlight I must
we’re frequently in the spotlight I must have been teaching two or three years
have been teaching two or three years
have been teaching two or three years when I got a call from my mom one night
when I got a call from my mom one night
when I got a call from my mom one night and we’d been on strike that day and
and we’d been on strike that day and
and we’d been on strike that day and she’d gone home and watched the news and
she’d gone home and watched the news and
she’d gone home and watched the news and the reporters were out in New Castle
the reporters were out in New Castle
the reporters were out in New Castle city centre and they were interviewing
city centre and they were interviewing
city centre and they were interviewing the public and they were asking the
the public and they were asking the
the public and they were asking the public do you think that teachers
public do you think that teachers
public do you think that teachers deserve this day off
they were also asking the public do you
they were also asking the public do you know how much of a verage teacher earns
know how much of a verage teacher earns
know how much of a verage teacher earns and this is why my mom called me she was
and this is why my mom called me she was
and this is why my mom called me she was outraged because the figure that they
outraged because the figure that they
outraged because the figure that they were quoting was in her words ridiculous
were quoting was in her words ridiculous
were quoting was in her words ridiculous clearly taken into account all the
clearly taken into account all the
clearly taken into account all the southern waiting and all the head
southern waiting and all the head
southern waiting and all the head teacher salaries there’s no way the
teacher salaries there’s no way the
teacher salaries there’s no way the average teacher Newcastle’s earning that
average teacher Newcastle’s earning that
average teacher Newcastle’s earning that mount and of course she was right and
mount and of course she was right and
mount and of course she was right and she saw through that height we need you
she saw through that height we need you
she saw through that height we need you to do the same we need people to
to do the same we need people to
to do the same we need people to question what they’re being told by the
question what they’re being told by the
question what they’re being told by the media and we need you to help us paint a
media and we need you to help us paint a
media and we need you to help us paint a more positive picture of Education
more positive picture of Education
more positive picture of Education because ultimately we need more people
because ultimately we need more people
because ultimately we need more people joining our ranks there’s been a whole
joining our ranks there’s been a whole
joining our ranks there’s been a whole shift in the way teacher training is
shift in the way teacher training is
shift in the way teacher training is happening and more of it more of it’s
happening and more of it more of it’s
happening and more of it more of it’s been placed on the on schools and
been placed on the on schools and
been placed on the on schools and initially we were fairly cynical of that
initially we were fairly cynical of that
initially we were fairly cynical of that I certainly saw it as another way for
I certainly saw it as another way for
I certainly saw it as another way for the government to add something to our
the government to add something to our
the government to add something to our already laid in shoulders but we’re
already laid in shoulders but we’re
already laid in shoulders but we’re embracing it because you know what we
embracing it because you know what we
embracing it because you know what we can do it we can do it really well
can do it we can do it really well
can do it we can do it really well actually and that’s not to say that my
actually and that’s not to say that my
actually and that’s not to say that my own university training wasn’t good it
own university training wasn’t good it
own university training wasn’t good it was fantastic I got brilliant grounding
was fantastic I got brilliant grounding
was fantastic I got brilliant grounding in educational theory I learned lots
in educational theory I learned lots
in educational theory I learned lots about psychology and pedagogy but
about psychology and pedagogy but
about psychology and pedagogy but there’s certain things that the
there’s certain things that the
there’s certain things that the university training couldn’t provide me
university training couldn’t provide me
university training couldn’t provide me with and ultimately because I was based
with and ultimately because I was based
with and ultimately because I was based at a university I always felt like a
at a university I always felt like a
at a university I always felt like a visitor in the school and I always no
visitor in the school and I always no
visitor in the school and I always no matter how welcoming the departments
matter how welcoming the departments
matter how welcoming the departments were I never quite felt like I belonged
were I never quite felt like I belonged
were I never quite felt like I belonged there and there was limits to what the
there and there was limits to what the
there and there was limits to what the university teachers could give us
university teachers could give us
university teachers could give us these unfortunate couldn’t prepare me
these unfortunate couldn’t prepare me
these unfortunate couldn’t prepare me for the boy
for the boy
for the boy Josh who my first year teaching who
Josh who my first year teaching who
Josh who my first year teaching who without fail got into the cupboard and
without fail got into the cupboard and
without fail got into the cupboard and you know what I’ve looked for this
you know what I’ve looked for this
you know what I’ve looked for this chapter there is no bill Rogers chapter
chapter there is no bill Rogers chapter
chapter there is no bill Rogers chapter on how to coax him back out again they
on how to coax him back out again they
on how to coax him back out again they didn’t provide me or they weren’t there
didn’t provide me or they weren’t there
didn’t provide me or they weren’t there to be fair they weren’t there at seven
to be fair they weren’t there at seven
to be fair they weren’t there at seven o’clock in the evening when I was crying
o’clock in the evening when I was crying
o’clock in the evening when I was crying with frustration when Brooke had once
with frustration when Brooke had once
with frustration when Brooke had once again derailed my lesson the clever and
again derailed my lesson the clever and
again derailed my lesson the clever and articulate boy who was devious and try
articulate boy who was devious and try
articulate boy who was devious and try as I might to blame him I couldn’t
as I might to blame him I couldn’t
as I might to blame him I couldn’t because I knew his really troubled
because I knew his really troubled
because I knew his really troubled background and I knew that a couple of
background and I knew that a couple of
background and I knew that a couple of months earlier he had been a person to
months earlier he had been a person to
months earlier he had been a person to find his mother when she taken her own
find his mother when she taken her own
find his mother when she taken her own life my university tutors were fantastic
life my university tutors were fantastic
life my university tutors were fantastic in terms of encouraging me to try new
in terms of encouraging me to try new
in terms of encouraging me to try new things they I’ll never forget the first
things they I’ll never forget the first
things they I’ll never forget the first time I tried a circus of activities and
time I tried a circus of activities and
time I tried a circus of activities and what they didn’t do though what they
what they didn’t do though what they
what they didn’t do though what they couldn’t tell me is the logistics of how
couldn’t tell me is the logistics of how
couldn’t tell me is the logistics of how to make that work with my bottom set on
to make that work with my bottom set on
to make that work with my bottom set on a Tuesday afternoon after they’ve just
a Tuesday afternoon after they’ve just
a Tuesday afternoon after they’ve just returned from a football match they’d
returned from a football match they’d
returned from a football match they’d lost and two of my classes had a fight
lost and two of my classes had a fight
lost and two of my classes had a fight on the pitch
on the pitch
on the pitch that’s that today it was the teachers
that’s that today it was the teachers
that’s that today it was the teachers that were picking up the pieces when
that were picking up the pieces when
that were picking up the pieces when that activity lived up to the name
that activity lived up to the name
that activity lived up to the name circus and that’s the point the teachers
circus and that’s the point the teachers
circus and that’s the point the teachers could help me because the teachers knew
could help me because the teachers knew
could help me because the teachers knew what worked in that school and they knew
what worked in that school and they knew
what worked in that school and they knew what worked with their children and so
what worked with their children and so
what worked with their children and so they could provide me with that advice
they could provide me with that advice
they could provide me with that advice the practical advice to help me and
the practical advice to help me and
the practical advice to help me and that’s why we can make it work that’s
that’s why we can make it work that’s
that’s why we can make it work that’s what we as a profession can do teacher
what we as a profession can do teacher
what we as a profession can do teacher training we can make a system that
training we can make a system that
training we can make a system that actually trains these teachers not just
actually trains these teachers not just
actually trains these teachers not just to survive but to flourish we can train
to survive but to flourish we can train
to survive but to flourish we can train the next generation of teachers we can
the next generation of teachers we can
the next generation of teachers we can inspire the next generation of teachers
inspire the next generation of teachers
inspire the next generation of teachers because we know what they need and we
because we know what they need and we
because we know what they need and we can design bespoke training programs for
can design bespoke training programs for
can design bespoke training programs for our schools but we still need your help
our schools but we still need your help
our schools but we still need your help because we need them through the doors
because we need them through the doors
because we need them through the doors you can get them to us we can then get
you can get them to us we can then get
you can get them to us we can then get make do the rest
make do the rest
make do the rest becoming a teacher is an awfully long
becoming a teacher is an awfully long
becoming a teacher is an awfully long journey and it’s full of incremental
journey and it’s full of incremental
journey and it’s full of incremental great gains and frequent to setbacks and
great gains and frequent to setbacks and
great gains and frequent to setbacks and we work really really hard to deal with
we work really really hard to deal with
we work really really hard to deal with failure a couple of months ago I was
failure a couple of months ago I was
failure a couple of months ago I was teaching my GCC science class and the
teaching my GCC science class and the
teaching my GCC science class and the topic was displacement and I flirt
topic was displacement and I flirt
topic was displacement and I flirt without thinking fell into this analogy
without thinking fell into this analogy
without thinking fell into this analogy that I’d been taught as a child and it
that I’d been taught as a child and it
that I’d been taught as a child and it was the story of the girl the gorgeous
was the story of the girl the gorgeous
was the story of the girl the gorgeous girl on the beach and she’s walking
girl on the beach and she’s walking
girl on the beach and she’s walking along with her boyfriend who she is
along with her boyfriend who she is
along with her boyfriend who she is snatched away from as soon as the
snatched away from as soon as the
snatched away from as soon as the gorgeous tanned Adonis comes on by and
gorgeous tanned Adonis comes on by and
gorgeous tanned Adonis comes on by and he’s discarded and I was halfway through
he’s discarded and I was halfway through
he’s discarded and I was halfway through that analogy when I realized what I was
that analogy when I realized what I was
that analogy when I realized what I was saying I was propagating the idea that
saying I was propagating the idea that
saying I was propagating the idea that women are objects I was also suggesting
women are objects I was also suggesting
women are objects I was also suggesting that ultimately we’re all incredibly
that ultimately we’re all incredibly
that ultimately we’re all incredibly superficial and the only thing that’s
superficial and the only thing that’s
superficial and the only thing that’s holding our relationships together is
holding our relationships together is
holding our relationships together is the idea that something better hasn’t
the idea that something better hasn’t
the idea that something better hasn’t really come along just yet and all of
really come along just yet and all of
really come along just yet and all of that flooded out of my mouth much to the
that flooded out of my mouth much to the
that flooded out of my mouth much to the amusement of my class they definitely
amusement of my class they definitely
amusement of my class they definitely will not remember that lesson as the day
will not remember that lesson as the day
will not remember that lesson as the day they learned about the nuances of
they learned about the nuances of
they learned about the nuances of displacement reactions but I’ll remember
displacement reactions but I’ll remember
displacement reactions but I’ll remember it because I learned from it and the
it because I learned from it and the
it because I learned from it and the important part is that actually in the
important part is that actually in the
important part is that actually in the in excess of 10,000 lessons I actually
in excess of 10,000 lessons I actually
in excess of 10,000 lessons I actually did the calculation that I’ve taught to
did the calculation that I’ve taught to
did the calculation that I’ve taught to date I refuse to be defined by that one
because that’s not who I am as a teacher
because that’s not who I am as a teacher I will remember it and I will learn from
I will remember it and I will learn from
I will remember it and I will learn from it
it
it teachers all of us aren’t perfect your
teachers all of us aren’t perfect your
teachers all of us aren’t perfect your teachers won’t have been perfect and
teachers won’t have been perfect and
teachers won’t have been perfect and your children’s teachers won’t be
your children’s teachers won’t be
your children’s teachers won’t be perfect but I’ve yet to meet a teacher
perfect but I’ve yet to meet a teacher
perfect but I’ve yet to meet a teacher who doesn’t want to improve and
sometimes it feels like everything’s
sometimes it feels like everything’s against us there’s a lot of pressure on
against us there’s a lot of pressure on
against us there’s a lot of pressure on us to be put put to perform and a lot of
us to be put put to perform and a lot of
us to be put put to perform and a lot of it comes from ourselves
it comes from ourselves
it comes from ourselves so please don’t feed into that don’t
so please don’t feed into that don’t
so please don’t feed into that don’t imply that you don’t believe that we
imply that you don’t believe that we
imply that you don’t believe that we aren’t motivated and passionate and keen
aren’t motivated and passionate and keen
aren’t motivated and passionate and keen to improve by flippantly joking about
to improve by flippantly joking about
to improve by flippantly joking about their long summer holidays or the 3:30
their long summer holidays or the 3:30
their long summer holidays or the 3:30 finish there’s an elephant in this room
finish there’s an elephant in this room
finish there’s an elephant in this room and we want to eat it but there’s only
and we want to eat it but there’s only
and we want to eat it but there’s only one way to eat an elephant and the only
one way to eat an elephant and the only
one way to eat an elephant and the only way we can is if we all take a small
way we can is if we all take a small
way we can is if we all take a small bites and if we do if we all take small
bites and if we do if we all take small
bites and if we do if we all take small bites we can devour it but we need your
bites we can devour it but we need your
bites we can devour it but we need your help thank you
help thank you
help thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you
”
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