[Music] [Applause]
when I started teacher training 14 years
when I started teacher training 14 years ago I’d forgotten half of what I learned
ago I’d forgotten half of what I learned
ago I’d forgotten half of what I learned in my degree I went off to Swansea
in my degree I went off to Swansea
in my degree I went off to Swansea institute of higher education thinking
institute of higher education thinking
institute of higher education thinking it was some kind of Hogwarts and they
it was some kind of Hogwarts and they
it was some kind of Hogwarts and they were going to teach me the magical art
were going to teach me the magical art
were going to teach me the magical art of being able to just pull things out
of being able to just pull things out
of being able to just pull things out the air and talk for an hour and keep
the air and talk for an hour and keep
the air and talk for an hour and keep children entertained the reality was
children entertained the reality was
children entertained the reality was slightly different but naivety is my
slightly different but naivety is my
slightly different but naivety is my superpower so I found out that actually
superpower so I found out that actually
superpower so I found out that actually I had to relearn everything that I’d
I had to relearn everything that I’d
I had to relearn everything that I’d forgotten and the planning and
forgotten and the planning and
forgotten and the planning and preparation that goes into those lessons
preparation that goes into those lessons
preparation that goes into those lessons to keep young people engaged is really
to keep young people engaged is really
to keep young people engaged is really really hard and what will inspire them
really hard and what will inspire them
really hard and what will inspire them anyway is it going to be your funky
anyway is it going to be your funky
anyway is it going to be your funky lesson plans where you got them pegging
lesson plans where you got them pegging
lesson plans where you got them pegging outwards to washing lines or get them to
outwards to washing lines or get them to
outwards to washing lines or get them to act out human cloud formations or is it
act out human cloud formations or is it
act out human cloud formations or is it getting them to build volcanoes with
getting them to build volcanoes with
getting them to build volcanoes with baking soda like they do in the teacher
baking soda like they do in the teacher
baking soda like they do in the teacher training ads so I finally got to the end
training ads so I finally got to the end
training ads so I finally got to the end of the year with a better perspective of
of the year with a better perspective of
of the year with a better perspective of what teaching was and then I went to
what teaching was and then I went to
what teaching was and then I went to apply for jobs and found that actually
apply for jobs and found that actually
apply for jobs and found that actually they’ve added the expectation that you
they’ve added the expectation that you
they’ve added the expectation that you have to be inspirational to so
have to be inspirational to so
have to be inspirational to so inspiration is a really rude thing to
inspiration is a really rude thing to
inspiration is a really rude thing to then put into you cv write your
then put into you cv write your
then put into you cv write your application form how do you prove that
application form how do you prove that
application form how do you prove that that’s what you are so I had to think
that’s what you are so I had to think
that’s what you are so I had to think about how I was going to actually sell
about how I was going to actually sell
about how I was going to actually sell myself and I thought about the teachers
myself and I thought about the teachers
myself and I thought about the teachers that had inspired me and then over the
that had inspired me and then over the
that had inspired me and then over the last 14 years watching really inspiring
last 14 years watching really inspiring
last 14 years watching really inspiring teachers that I’ve had the privilege to
teachers that I’ve had the privilege to
teachers that I’ve had the privilege to work with I feel like I’ve learned
work with I feel like I’ve learned
work with I feel like I’ve learned something about what makes an
something about what makes an
something about what makes an inspirational teacher that I can try and
inspirational teacher that I can try and
inspirational teacher that I can try and apply in my teaching so the first thing
apply in my teaching so the first thing
apply in my teaching so the first thing I’ve learnt is the inspirational
I’ve learnt is the inspirational
I’ve learnt is the inspirational teaching is not the same as engaging
teaching is not the same as engaging
teaching is not the same as engaging lessons that’s just good teaching it’s
lessons that’s just good teaching it’s
lessons that’s just good teaching it’s not about how we perform and how we
not about how we perform and how we
not about how we perform and how we entertain it’s what we draw out of them
entertain it’s what we draw out of them
entertain it’s what we draw out of them inspirational teachers don’t
inspirational teachers don’t
inspirational teachers don’t put content in they draw stuff out now
put content in they draw stuff out now
put content in they draw stuff out now if we’re going to try and draw stuff out
if we’re going to try and draw stuff out
if we’re going to try and draw stuff out young people one of the most important
young people one of the most important
young people one of the most important things that we can do is listen to
things that we can do is listen to
things that we can do is listen to children and inspirational teachers will
children and inspirational teachers will
children and inspirational teachers will listen to young people now our job is to
listen to young people now our job is to
listen to young people now our job is to talk and we talk a lot all day long and
talk and we talk a lot all day long and
talk and we talk a lot all day long and sometimes it’s really difficult to take
sometimes it’s really difficult to take
sometimes it’s really difficult to take time to listen to more than have you
time to listen to more than have you
time to listen to more than have you understood so how do we do that I
understood so how do we do that I
understood so how do we do that I sometimes take time out and I you
sometimes take time out and I you
sometimes take time out and I you something that I was taught in a
something that I was taught in a
something that I was taught in a psychology course years ago and it’s the
psychology course years ago and it’s the
psychology course years ago and it’s the johari window so you get the kids to sit
johari window so you get the kids to sit
johari window so you get the kids to sit down and come up with words to describe
down and come up with words to describe
down and come up with words to describe themselves the boys found it really hard
themselves the boys found it really hard
themselves the boys found it really hard and then they sit down and they describe
and then they sit down and they describe
and then they sit down and they describe their friends they write things about
their friends they write things about
their friends they write things about that would describe other people and
that would describe other people and
that would describe other people and they all find that really really easy
they all find that really really easy
they all find that really really easy and then everybody gets their words and
and then everybody gets their words and
and then everybody gets their words and they sit down and they have to sort them
they sit down and they have to sort them
they sit down and they have to sort them into the boxes like there and it won’t
into the boxes like there and it won’t
into the boxes like there and it won’t be long before someone puts their hands
be long before someone puts their hands
be long before someone puts their hands up and go Smith what do I write in
up and go Smith what do I write in
up and go Smith what do I write in unknown how can I write a word in there
unknown how can I write a word in there
unknown how can I write a word in there if I don’t know it and they don’t know
if I don’t know it and they don’t know
if I don’t know it and they don’t know it and I say well this is your potential
it and I say well this is your potential
it and I say well this is your potential this is what you are but not yet these
this is what you are but not yet these
this is what you are but not yet these are the things that you are going to be
are the things that you are going to be
are the things that you are going to be in the future these are the things that
in the future these are the things that
in the future these are the things that someone is going to use the word they’re
someone is going to use the word they’re
someone is going to use the word they’re going to use to describe you in 10 years
going to use to describe you in 10 years
going to use to describe you in 10 years time 15 years type so you write down
time 15 years type so you write down
time 15 years type so you write down what you want to be in there now the
what you want to be in there now the
what you want to be in there now the minute they put a word in that box then
minute they put a word in that box then
minute they put a word in that box then you’ve got a goal or an ambition and
you’ve got a goal or an ambition and
you’ve got a goal or an ambition and then you can make your lessons in your
then you can make your lessons in your
then you can make your lessons in your learning and the opportunities all about
learning and the opportunities all about
learning and the opportunities all about them you can say so you told me that you
them you can say so you told me that you
them you can say so you told me that you need to be someone who made a difference
need to be someone who made a difference
need to be someone who made a difference in people’s lives we’re going to read a
in people’s lives we’re going to read a
in people’s lives we’re going to read a play today and we’re going to look at
play today and we’re going to look at
play today and we’re going to look at someone who tried to do that so you can
someone who tried to do that so you can
someone who tried to do that so you can learn from them now if you’re going to
learn from them now if you’re going to
learn from them now if you’re going to ask people to share with you what it is
ask people to share with you what it is
ask people to share with you what it is that they want to be then you owe them
that they want to be then you owe them
that they want to be then you owe them something in return and inspirational
something in return and inspirational
something in return and inspirational teachers will believe in young people
teachers will believe in young people
teachers will believe in young people and this is one of I think the most
and this is one of I think the most
and this is one of I think the most fundamental things if we’re going to
fundamental things if we’re going to
fundamental things if we’re going to introduce a growth mindset
introduce a growth mindset
introduce a growth mindset people it will only work if we believe
people it will only work if we believe
people it will only work if we believe in them and they believe in themselves
in them and they believe in themselves
in them and they believe in themselves and us believing them is really really
and us believing them is really really
and us believing them is really really important because they look to us as the
important because they look to us as the
important because they look to us as the people who know stuff and if we believe
people who know stuff and if we believe
people who know stuff and if we believe in them then they grow and think okay
in them then they grow and think okay
in them then they grow and think okay well I can do it I had a group that were
well I can do it I had a group that were
well I can do it I had a group that were doing a business competition several
doing a business competition several
doing a business competition several years ago when i started teaching in
years ago when i started teaching in
years ago when i started teaching in schools and they did really well they
schools and they did really well they
schools and they did really well they made it through to the finals and as we
made it through to the finals and as we
made it through to the finals and as we traveled down a senior member of staff
traveled down a senior member of staff
traveled down a senior member of staff came with me and he said can they win or
came with me and he said can they win or
came with me and he said can they win or are they kidding themselves and i was
are they kidding themselves and i was
are they kidding themselves and i was thunderstruck I thought they were
thunderstruck I thought they were
thunderstruck I thought they were awesome and I thought I’ll know I’ve
awesome and I thought I’ll know I’ve
awesome and I thought I’ll know I’ve been so stupid how could I have thought
been so stupid how could I have thought
been so stupid how could I have thought that they could win and then I thought
that they could win and then I thought
that they could win and then I thought oh no that was awful of me I’ve let them
oh no that was awful of me I’ve let them
oh no that was awful of me I’ve let them think they can win they’re going to be
think they can win they’re going to be
think they can win they’re going to be so disappointed I suddenly looked at
so disappointed I suddenly looked at
so disappointed I suddenly looked at them with a new perspective and thought
them with a new perspective and thought
them with a new perspective and thought they can’t win how can we inspire young
they can’t win how can we inspire young
they can’t win how can we inspire young people when we think like that the most
people when we think like that the most
people when we think like that the most important thing that you can do for
important thing that you can do for
important thing that you can do for someone the most inspiring thing that
someone the most inspiring thing that
someone the most inspiring thing that you can do for someone is believed in
you can do for someone is believed in
you can do for someone is believed in them it’s really really important now
them it’s really really important now
them it’s really really important now the trouble is when you get kids to sign
the trouble is when you get kids to sign
the trouble is when you get kids to sign up for things like that and you are
up for things like that and you are
up for things like that and you are going to believe in them you find that
going to believe in them you find that
going to believe in them you find that you have to challenge them and this is
you have to challenge them and this is
you have to challenge them and this is something that’s really difficult to get
something that’s really difficult to get
something that’s really difficult to get right particularly with growing mental
right particularly with growing mental
right particularly with growing mental health issues in school to actually put
health issues in school to actually put
health issues in school to actually put pressure on kids to do stuff but
pressure on kids to do stuff but
pressure on kids to do stuff but inspirational teachers will still
inspirational teachers will still
inspirational teachers will still challenge I had a young lady in my
challenge I had a young lady in my
challenge I had a young lady in my classes he’d been withdrawn from lessons
classes he’d been withdrawn from lessons
classes he’d been withdrawn from lessons because she had anxiety now as she was
because she had anxiety now as she was
because she had anxiety now as she was reintegrated back into lessons she came
reintegrated back into lessons she came
reintegrated back into lessons she came into mind just as we were about to do a
into mind just as we were about to do a
into mind just as we were about to do a business presentation and I’d ramped up
business presentation and I’d ramped up
business presentation and I’d ramped up the stakes by let’s do it in the hall on
the stakes by let’s do it in the hall on
the stakes by let’s do it in the hall on the stage and let’s get here 11 in to
the stage and let’s get here 11 in to
the stage and let’s get here 11 in to come and watch they’re all gay okay and
come and watch they’re all gay okay and
come and watch they’re all gay okay and the conversation went I can’t do that
the conversation went I can’t do that
the conversation went I can’t do that yes you can I believe in you so have
yes you can I believe in you so have
yes you can I believe in you so have formed you to emailed me you can’t get
formed you to emailed me you can’t get
formed you to emailed me you can’t get her to do this it’s not fair you’ve got
her to do this it’s not fair you’ve got
her to do this it’s not fair you’ve got to withdraw her and I said but I believe
to withdraw her and I said but I believe
to withdraw her and I said but I believe she can do it it’s fine then her mother
she can do it it’s fine then her mother
she can do it it’s fine then her mother rang and then the deputy head in out and
rang and then the deputy head in out and
rang and then the deputy head in out and they said you can’t
they said you can’t
they said you can’t get her to do this it’s too much you
get her to do this it’s too much you
get her to do this it’s too much you know her backgrounds and I said okay but
know her backgrounds and I said okay but
know her backgrounds and I said okay but I do believe in her I don’t want to
I do believe in her I don’t want to
I do believe in her I don’t want to withdraw her I’m not going to force her
withdraw her I’m not going to force her
withdraw her I’m not going to force her but I just feel that if I’m the only
but I just feel that if I’m the only
but I just feel that if I’m the only person left who believes that she can do
person left who believes that she can do
person left who believes that she can do it I kind of got a moral responsibility
it I kind of got a moral responsibility
it I kind of got a moral responsibility to keep believing and keep this
to keep believing and keep this
to keep believing and keep this opportunity open or I’m going to confirm
opportunity open or I’m going to confirm
opportunity open or I’m going to confirm what she fears that actually she can’t
what she fears that actually she can’t
what she fears that actually she can’t do this so this was a school which was
do this so this was a school which was
do this so this was a school which was fantastic in terms of supporting young
fantastic in terms of supporting young
fantastic in terms of supporting young people with mental health and
people with mental health and
people with mental health and consequently that was why she had this
consequently that was why she had this
consequently that was why she had this fantastic support network around her
fantastic support network around her
fantastic support network around her these were people who are going to help
these were people who are going to help
these were people who are going to help her through challenges and I realized
her through challenges and I realized
her through challenges and I realized that my role had to be the challenge and
that my role had to be the challenge and
that my role had to be the challenge and that’s not easy to do but we have to
that’s not easy to do but we have to
that’s not easy to do but we have to rise to that challenge my believing in
rise to that challenge my believing in
rise to that challenge my believing in her created an expectation the
her created an expectation the
her created an expectation the expectation created additional stress
expectation created additional stress
expectation created additional stress she used that stress to whip the rest of
she used that stress to whip the rest of
she used that stress to whip the rest of the group into shape so that they would
the group into shape so that they would
the group into shape so that they would minimize the possibility of failure and
minimize the possibility of failure and
minimize the possibility of failure and she did the presentation and she was
she did the presentation and she was
she did the presentation and she was fantastic now not every young person who
fantastic now not every young person who
fantastic now not every young person who tries to rise to the challenge is going
tries to rise to the challenge is going
tries to rise to the challenge is going to be as successful as she was the
to be as successful as she was the
to be as successful as she was the enterprise group didn’t win that
enterprise group didn’t win that
enterprise group didn’t win that competition not by miles but they had a
competition not by miles but they had a
competition not by miles but they had a good time so you need to be able to
good time so you need to be able to
good time so you need to be able to prepare young people for failure
prepare young people for failure
prepare young people for failure inspirational teachers are not afraid to
inspirational teachers are not afraid to
inspirational teachers are not afraid to do failure to model it this is what it
do failure to model it this is what it
do failure to model it this is what it looks like I’m trying something and I
looks like I’m trying something and I
looks like I’m trying something and I got it wrong and it’s okay and it’s not
got it wrong and it’s okay and it’s not
got it wrong and it’s okay and it’s not anything to be ashamed of I’m going to
anything to be ashamed of I’m going to
anything to be ashamed of I’m going to think now how do I put it right and i’m
think now how do I put it right and i’m
think now how do I put it right and i’m going to show you that it’s possible to
going to show you that it’s possible to
going to show you that it’s possible to do and because I show you my failure and
do and because I show you my failure and
do and because I show you my failure and look this is how it works it’s okay when
look this is how it works it’s okay when
look this is how it works it’s okay when I asked you to do the next crazy thing I
I asked you to do the next crazy thing I
I asked you to do the next crazy thing I understand the stakes and I still think
understand the stakes and I still think
understand the stakes and I still think that you should do it inspirational
that you should do it inspirational
that you should do it inspirational teachers as well as being able to do
teachers as well as being able to do
teachers as well as being able to do failure unafraid to teach the everyday
failure unafraid to teach the everyday
failure unafraid to teach the everyday they’re not afraid to empower
they’re not afraid to empower
they’re not afraid to empower young people now when you talk to
young people now when you talk to
young people now when you talk to teachers you’ll said they’ll say that
teachers you’ll said they’ll say that
teachers you’ll said they’ll say that the time that they were really really
the time that they were really really
the time that they were really really inspired was when we did something
inspired was when we did something
inspired was when we did something outside of lessons it’s when they were
outside of lessons it’s when they were
outside of lessons it’s when they were on the pitch on the school pitch okay it
on the pitch on the school pitch okay it
on the pitch on the school pitch okay it was when I saw that child in the school
was when I saw that child in the school
was when I saw that child in the school play they were fantastic we went off on
play they were fantastic we went off on
play they were fantastic we went off on a trip we were on the Duke of Edinburgh
a trip we were on the Duke of Edinburgh
a trip we were on the Duke of Edinburgh Award something like that and they were
Award something like that and they were
Award something like that and they were amazing but the trouble is we’ve got
amazing but the trouble is we’ve got
amazing but the trouble is we’ve got such massive workload creating these
such massive workload creating these
such massive workload creating these opportunities it’s really really hard
opportunities it’s really really hard
opportunities it’s really really hard but we forget what a fantastic human
but we forget what a fantastic human
but we forget what a fantastic human resource we’ve got in front of us all
resource we’ve got in front of us all
resource we’ve got in front of us all the time we should empower young people
the time we should empower young people
the time we should empower young people to actually create opportunities for
to actually create opportunities for
to actually create opportunities for themselves that’s really really
themselves that’s really really
themselves that’s really really important and actually get them to make
important and actually get them to make
important and actually get them to make these projects because what we’re saying
these projects because what we’re saying
these projects because what we’re saying is here go on then do it what we’re
is here go on then do it what we’re
is here go on then do it what we’re saying is this is how you make
saying is this is how you make
saying is this is how you make opportunities in the future and this is
opportunities in the future and this is
opportunities in the future and this is what we want them to do teachers who are
what we want them to do teachers who are
what we want them to do teachers who are inspiring I’m not afraid to inspire the
inspiring I’m not afraid to inspire the
inspiring I’m not afraid to inspire the everyday it’s really important as
everyday it’s really important as
everyday it’s really important as teachers that we get every young child
teachers that we get every young child
teachers that we get every young child regardless of their background to aim
regardless of their background to aim
regardless of their background to aim for University I had a young person who
for University I had a young person who
for University I had a young person who was interested in being a hairdresser he
was interested in being a hairdresser he
was interested in being a hairdresser he wanted to be the best hairdresser and he
wanted to be the best hairdresser and he
wanted to be the best hairdresser and he was going to run his own business and
was going to run his own business and
was going to run his own business and show everybody had to do it and the one
show everybody had to do it and the one
show everybody had to do it and the one thing that stood in his way was
thing that stood in his way was
thing that stood in his way was fantastic GCSE results even his friends
fantastic GCSE results even his friends
fantastic GCSE results even his friends were saying don’t do the apprenticeship
were saying don’t do the apprenticeship
were saying don’t do the apprenticeship go to university now that’s brilliant
go to university now that’s brilliant
go to university now that’s brilliant but we have to make sure that these
but we have to make sure that these
but we have to make sure that these goals that schools have set her set us
goals that schools have set her set us
goals that schools have set her set us and the things that we think young
and the things that we think young
and the things that we think young people should do that we’re actually
people should do that we’re actually
people should do that we’re actually going to let them put their dreams first
going to let them put their dreams first
going to let them put their dreams first if we’ve taken the trouble to to get
if we’ve taken the trouble to to get
if we’ve taken the trouble to to get them to tell us what they believe in and
them to tell us what they believe in and
them to tell us what they believe in and tell us what it is that they’re going to
tell us what it is that they’re going to
tell us what it is that they’re going to do will challenge them and will help
do will challenge them and will help
do will challenge them and will help them get there we focus very much as
them get there we focus very much as
them get there we focus very much as teachers on what we teach and how we
teachers on what we teach and how we
teachers on what we teach and how we teach it and we need to remember why we
teach it and we need to remember why we
teach it and we need to remember why we do it because we want to inspire young
do it because we want to inspire young
do it because we want to inspire young people to find their way and so we need
people to find their way and so we need
people to find their way and so we need to respect what their way is and their
to respect what their way is and their
to respect what their way is and their why thank you
why thank you
why thank you you
you
you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
Be First to Comment