#WomenEd Blogs

by Kaley Riley @MrsRileyEnglish

On Friday, I attended an interview. On arrival, the other candidates and I got chatting. We all spoke about our current roles, why we had applied and the usual, tense pre-interview small talk amongst competitors who are- essentially- trying to scope one another out. I mentioned, as part of this small talk, that I had applied a year ago for the same school, and a similar role, but was unsuccessful. I could see their surprise. 

‘Oh really? Why were you not appointed?’  ‘It is very brave to apply again after getting knocked back!’

They were right. It was brave, but it was also telling of my commitment to wanting the role (albeit, this time around, much more senior), my resilience and of my sheer dogged determination.

by Elise Ecoff @EliseEcoff        Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

For most of us, the first community we know is the one we are born into: our family and relatives, neighbors, and friends. As we grow, we begin formal education and learn we can belong to communities that are our own, separate from our families, where we begin to carve out our identity. Being part of a class, team or club further expands our understanding of what it means to belong.

It’s a funny thing, going from huge responsibility for the running of the school to…nothing. After planning my lessons, marking my books, and printing my resources, I simply…go home. At breaks and lunchtimes I sit and eat my lunch, have a chat, surreptitiously check the BBC news website. It’s liberating, it’s relaxing, it’s peaceful, calming and it’s stress free. It’s weird.

by Jill Berry @JillBerry102

On Sunday 12th January 2020, the wonderful Caroline Spalding led an #SLTchat discussion on the subject of Motivation, and this made me thoughtful. I’ve mentioned motivation in a number of blog posts, but have never written a post specifically focussed on the subject. Until today.

by @MrsB_hums

Since having my first daughter in 2014, I have experienced many emotions – love, contentment, stress, desperation, absolute joy but most regularly, guilt. Guilt about my role as a mother, guilt about my role as a wife, guilt about my role as a teacher and leader in school.

by Claire Lowe @ExecPrincipal    @CharlieMackesy The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse

Ever since I can remember I wanted to teach.  At an early age I used to love playing schools with my little sister, she was always the pupil, and, at my forward thinking primary school, I had the privilege of being a teacher for a day – first one in my class to have the honour of doing it and I loved it, the planning, prepping and thinking all at the tender age of 10!

by Emily Rankin @TeachRankin #PledgeForChange20

Two massive things happened for me in the second half of the 2016-17 academic year: my husband and I found out we’d been matched with our daughter and would begin temporary custody in June. I got my first Deputy Headship, to begin in August.

by Annelouise Jordan @Leazy84  #Pledgeforchange20

10 years later and absolutely 10%braver! I signed up for the #WomenEd #DGMeet #Pledgeforchange20 blog event in order to see what it was all about. So, here I am and here goes…

By Jessica Webster @jgroteweb

Collaboration has been a key to success both personally and professionally for me. Often educational leaders are faced with tough decisions that require complex solutions. By collaborating with others, soliciting multiple viewpoints and welcoming those stakeholders with diverse experiences, issues are framed and solutions are provided that allow for growth.

by Abigal Evans @LwLAT_COO

I’ve been reflecting on what actually inspired me to set off, tentatively, down the road from School Business Manager (SBM)  to Chief Operating Officer (COO) and have narrowed it down to two significant light bulb moments. 

by Kate Sawyer @Dorastar1

With age comes wisdom someone probably old and wise once said, and yes supposedly it does. What they forgot to mention was everything else that comes with age. As someone who has the shadow of a 50th birthday rapidly approaching (it’s not till early next year so I can ignore it for now) I am more and more aware of the added pressures that age brings.

By Sue Plant @PlantPlant4Sue

I have been reading a lot recently about ethical leadership. It coincided with preparing to speak at the 5th UK #WomenEd Unconference. I haven't been reading just for that purpose though, it is something that interests me and therefore I want to know more. The more I read, the more questions I have.

By @WomenEd_US and Kimberly Lane Clark @askatechnogirl

Making professional connections is vital to an educational leader’s success. If you don’t have a strong support system around you, it’s essential to find ways to structure a meaningful support system, whether through face to face communication or technology. Connections are all about shared values.

by Julie Ricketts @DOpsSBL (ISBL Fellow)

The beginning of October saw my three-year anniversary working as a School Business Leader – an anniversary I never thought would arrive. Not because I don’t love what I do, but more that I had made a decision some years ago that my school-based career days were over, and it was time to try something new.

by Binks Neate-Evans    @BinksNeateEvans (Executive Principal, Evolution Trust)

I have recently blogged about disappointment for @headsroundtable here where I refer to disappointment on a spectrum with hope.