by Lizana Oberholzer @LO_EduforAll

It is only a few days before the #WomenEd ITT/NQT/ ECT event, hosted by @WomenEdLondon,and I am keen to reflect back on what difference #WomenEd has made to me personally and beyond.

I joined #WomenEd, when I transitioned to a new role in Higher Education (HE), and a whole new world of learning was about to unfold in front of me. What I thought I knew about education, leadership and my role, was about to be reshaped and reimagined at a rate that I had not expected. I thought I was well prepared, understood my field, and understood HE. However, I soon realised that whatever I knew, will need to be reshaped to help me with the challenges of my new role.

I personally enjoy reading around key theories to understand the ‘why’, even in my own situation, to help me get to grips with what happens, how to approach it, and how to move forward. On this learning journey, I was reminded of the Dreyfus and Dreyfus (1986) model of development again, and I investigated further. In addition, I also looked at Blanchard et al (2018) which highlighted, that, even though I was a skilled practitioner in the context I was in, I probably reverted to novice stage, and needed to think differently about my new role and context.

It was a humbling experience, and I had to reach a point where I had to come to terms with the fact that I needed to learn a great deal more to begin to progress and engage well with my new role.

It reminded me of the Dreyfus and Dreyfus (1985) model, which suggests that you can revert back to novice stage in every new context, role and setting, and to progress to proficiency or mastery, you will progress a little quicker every time, as you continue to scaffold on top of your strong foundation of knowledge and experience that you already have. Needless to say that I had to dig deep, and work hard at finding my way and to learn more about the new, but wonderful world, I found myself in. I had to work on my own resilience and remind myself about the positives throughout the journey. I loved working with my students, and their enthusiasm for their learning, was empowering, and reminded me daily why I wanted to engage with the role in the first place. As they grew in confidence as learners, I started to gain my confidence back and grew too. Our co-constructive journey, learning about learning, and developing skills as teachers and leaders, helped me to continue to grow in my own role. My experience is not unique and reminds me of the journey all ITTs, NQTs, and ECTs are on too. It is important to realise where you are at, and also to seek help when you need it too.

Moral support and an opportunity to unpack what is happening is invaluable on this journey. I needed more help with the sense making of the context, and I was extremely lucky to meet @ViviennePorritt, from #WomenEd, at the time when I did, and she shared her experience with me, on how to make sense of my new landscape. She often just listened, and it was so invaluable to have a supportive ear of someone who understood the journey. Her support, and mentoring, guided me further. On reflection, Vivienne and #WomenEd provided me with the mentorship, and a platform to safely explore my views, and the new journey I was on, and it also led me to think that ITTs, NQTs and ECTs, all needed such an opportunity, so after several discussions, Vivienne and I decided to launch the first @WomenEdLondon ITT/NQT and ETC event 3 years ago. The event will take place this year, as a virtual event, and it has grown in size and format. We have teamed up with the Chartered College of Teaching, to work with us on this exciting event on the 6th June 2020.

I feel that providing a supportive network for all to discuss gender balance and provide support, is an imperative part of being a teacher and educator at any level. As outlined in my experiences in the above, we all need a mentor and support all the way throughout our careers. ITTs, NQTs and RQTs, will work through their 1st, 2nd or 3rd experience of new contexts and roles , and start layering and building their experiences and expertise, as outlined by the Dreyfus Model. They are still building their stock up, and they are developing their strong foundations, to help them, in future to cope with changes more effectively and progress to proficiency and mastery quicker. However, for the first 5 years, of their learning as inexperienced or recently qualified teachers, they need guidance and support from mentors and networks to help them to make sense of the world they find themselves in, to develop resilience.

Since I did my dissertation in my own MA, which focused on Early Professional Development (EDP), which was the phrase back then for Early Career Teachers, I looked into these issues too, and Moor et al (2005) pointed out at the time, that we loose more than 25% of our ECTs within the first 5 years. In 2016 ATL highlighted that we are moving closer to 50%. This is an alarming increase since the 2005 study. What is interesting is, that in the Early Careers Framework (2019) we are now highlighting mentoring as an important part of supporting teachers to progress. However, EPD programmes 10 years ago, led on this focus before we moved into a new stage of education post 2010. The point is, we cannot ignore that ITTs, NQTs and RQTs hugely benefit from being well supported by coaches and mentors, and I would like to add, supportive networks, like #WomenEd and The Chartered College of Teaching, to provide them with a platform to discuss and share practice. #WomenEd, provides not only a platform to address gender balance in the workplace, it is a space to share and celebrate teaching, and to work collaboratively with others to learn about the profession, share ideas and move positively forward to the future by Being 10% Braver. It is a call to action, but also a safe place to enjoy being a teacher and educator, and it is a gift and an opportunity that I wish for every ITT, NQT and RQT in education to embrace and make the most of. The same is true of the Chartered College of Teaching, it offers resources and learning opportunities for teachers of all stages to engage with. We are excited about the event on the 6th June 2020, where we are hoping to meet over 400 colleagues who signed up to join us, and we are hoping to continue to support others as we have once been supported ourselves as educators.

We all walk on the shoulders of giants. I feel it is now more important than ever that we take on board the following point: 

‘The world, as we have created it, is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.’  (Einstein as cited in Thomas-EL et al, 2018, p. 35)

As a collective, and as collaborative professionals, we can find our own creative solutions to address the challenges in our workplaces, as it is these conditions we face and experience that will also become the learning spaces for children and young people (Hargreaves and O’Connor,2018). We need to ‘walk the talk’ and model the behaviour we see. I am hoping that the 6th June 2020, will be the starting point for many ITTs, NQTs and RQTs, to start engaging in the conversation to make a true difference.

To answer the question, What difference has WomenEd made to me,  I can list the following:

• it gave me an opportunity to work collaboratively and professional with likeminded colleagues to help others;
• to make sense of the world of education as I experienced it;
• to find positive solutions to key issues;
• to help empower others;
• to be part of the solutions;
• to continue to love education, teaching and the reason why I became a teacher and educator in the first place.

I am hoping for all those who join us this weekend, to benefit in a similar way to the support, kindness, passion, and commitment offered by this vibrant community.

References 

Blanchard K. Fowler S. and Hawkins L. (2018) Self-Leadership and the One Minute Manager, Gain the mindset and skillset for getting what you need to succeed, London: Harper Thorsons

Department for Education (2019) Early Careers Framework London: Department for Education Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file /773705/Early-Career_Framework.pdf (Accessed: 15.10.2019)

Dreyfus, H L and Dreyfus, S E (1986) Mind over Machine: the power of human intuition and expertise in the age of the computer, Oxford: Basil Blackwell

Hargreaves, A., and M. T. O’Connor (2018) Leading collaborative professionalism. California: California Corwin Press

Moor H. Halsey K. Jones M. Martin K. Stott A. Celia B. and Harland J. (2005) Professional Development for Teachers Early into their Careers: An Evaluation of the Early Professional Development Pilot Scheme UK: National Foundation for Educational Research

Thomas-EL, S., Jones, J. and Vari, T.J, Passionate Leadership: Creating a Culture of Success in Every School, London: Corwin