A Resilient Female Educator THRIVES, she does not just SURVIVE

When I first started teaching, I thought the definition of resilience was to just power through and keep doing more and stay up late working no matter how tired I was.

I trained my mind to believe you are being resilient, keep pushing through, you can do this.

Now when I look back, my definition of resilience as a female educator in my first year of teaching was WRONG. 

That type of resilience equals to burn out and by doing so I was disempowering myself!

I was asked a question during my first podcast as a guest speaker : "has teaching changed you as a person?"

I have never been asked a question like this before and it has been on my mind ever since.

The answer to the question is YES it has changed me as a person. It has allowed me to grow by building my resilience and confidence and by finding my voice as an educator in my 10 years in the teaching profession.

I hope my voice and resilience has allowed me to be an inspiration to the young female students in the community who I teach and those I have taught in the past. SOME are shy, quiet and lack confidence to speak up. I think this is because of the constant fear and inner critique that is telling them they are not good enough. BUT in FACT you are more than GOOD ENOUGH, and you are EQUAL to your male counterparts and your VOICE matters and needs to be heard.

I keep referring to this key word RESILIENCE.

So what qualities does a resilient female educator have and how does she use these qualities to lead by example and have an impact on her students and everyone around her?

A resilient woman...

• is authentic to herself and can use her characteristics to bring out the best in others around her and help them to rise and find their power!
• understands her words hold power and how she says them matters by speaking up she empowers herself and other women and students around her to use their voices.
• can reflect and set long term ambitious goals for herself, and she does not limit herself to what she can achieve.
• can ask for help and use the expertise and resources that are available to her to continue to grow.
• can understand people's perspectives as well as be able to express her own thoughts.
• can work on herself by taking on and acting on feedback.
• does not self-sabotage.
• is a positive role model for all her students.
• empowers other women.
• is 10% braver.

Farzana also says:

I am a Chemistry Teacher and Lead Trainee and Early Career Development teacher who is also part of the teaching and learning in my school. I have delivered teacher training sessions for Kings College London and University of East London. I am currently in my 10th year in teaching. I work in an inner city school in East London Tower Hamlets, the same area I grew up in and I aspire to be an assistant headteacher in the next year.

I attended my first ever #womened unconference in September and I was inspired by the experience in the room.

I left the event that day feeling inspired and encouraged that I can move onto the next step in my career and I can apply for assistant headship.

I need to continue to be 10% braver.