My last personal post was a few years ago when I changed from being a second in department to a ‘teacher.’ I hadn’t been in post long as a second but the school just didn’t feel right.
Here I am again making another ‘big’ change, as many would see it.
I took on a teacher post 3 and a half years ago, and within weeks I was offered a TLR for Accelerated Reader Co Ordinator. I took it as it was only temporary….this soon became a permanent role. A few weeks after that I was asked to be lead IV for speaking and listening. A year on, in addition to these roles I took Head of Year 7.
I thoroughly enjoyed all of these roles and other responsibilities I have taken on over the past 3 and a half years.
I’ve loved setting up enrichment days for visiting authors/workshops, setting up a Patron of reading for the school, the numerous trips (David Walliams Live, London to the ‘Read for My School’ scheme, Gangsta Granny at Blackpool), changing students lives so that they are interested in reading, developing students social skills/getting more involved with parents and pastoral elements of the school, WBD dress up, Dahl Celebrations. The list goes on and on and on…
The school has now changed in structure, as it’s now an academy, and there isn’t a role there for me anymore. I feel like I’ve made some impact: improved the profile of reading and impacted the Y7s in a positive way and ensured that issues are dealt with promptly.
My new adventure?
Well, off to a school in Cumbria as of September. A school which is passionate about teaching and learning on all levels (teachers to SLT).
What role do I get?
Teacher.
Awesome teacher.
I want to be able to be a teacher and to develop some of the teaching methods I have started to use in the past year (Rosenshine Principles, see previous post)
My new adventure is to ensure that I focus on my teaching, not pastoral issues or trying to organise funds for visits. My lessons were often interrupted with pastoral issues and problems regarding an organised event, and many other things. All of this took away from my teaching. This isn’t to say I won’t take on a TLR or other position in the future.
I’ve had a some comments that people can’t believe I’m leaving TLRs to just be a teacher. But that’s why I got into teaching, to ‘just’ teach. In actual fact, I feel that being a fantastic teacher has more worth than other responsibilities. I want to strive to improve T&L for students, once again…
For now, I want to nail KS3 and 4 teaching.
helanvictoria 
Thank you for this. I took on some responsibility by running a weekly film club and helping to co- organise a poetry slam event in my recently completed RQT year. I have enjoyed both immensely. I will be doing something similar at my new school near Oxford. However, I want to improve as a teacher and I am not sure that TLR is for me, although I was encouraged by my deputy head to do so.
I just want to get better every day and improve outcome for students.
Well done for taking the plunge back into full time class teaching.!!!
Thanks Hugh. I’ve been up and down over the years from TLRs to second and to just being given lots of responsibilities… you’ve just got to do what’s best for you. Back to being a classroom teacher for a year at least for me! Haha