A tale of two teachers
Naomi Simson
B.Comm GAICD Non Exec Director, Entrepreneur, Business Owner, Keynote Speaker, Author
Schools are major employers - and how their employees speak about them effects their brand reputation too.
I’ve listened to two very different stories from teaching professionals in the last week (not from my kids schools). I am regularly inspired by my teenagers educators; the dedication teaching takes. It is a gfit, a great calling - a privilege. I marvel at the energy and persistence it must take to inspire our young people to achieve their best.
Our educators create our future.
The first story relates to a friend at my dinner table who complained vociferously about the high-profile, high-reputation private school at which he teaches. As someone passionate about employee engagement, I was both horrified and fascinated. Is his employer aware of how unhappy he is? Worse, do they not realise the impact such disappointment has on their employer branding? He is overloaded and struggles to find hours in the day to manage the required compliance. This administration doesn’t stem solely from the school, but also from the Australian government departments responsible for education.
He came up with a solution: to start work earlier. An acknowledged morning person, getting to his desk ahead of 7am he not only avoided a high-traffic commute it also made him more focused and productive. He could keep up with the admin, maintain his lesson plans – and start his teaching day fired up due to the sense of purpose and accomplishment it gave him.
Yet, in a sense of bureaucracy rather to outcomes focus, his employer can’t allow him this flexibility. If a pupil happens to come on the school campus early, at the same time as when this teacher will be tucked in his office, and the pupil has an accident, or worse, acts with malicious intent, the teacher and school could be held responsible.
Now, teachers do an absolutely amazing job and we should support them as much as possible. But why has the onus of responsibility tipped so far to them? Are we charging too closely to a nanny state?
Surely an argument can be made that a pupil should not be on the school premises unsupervised, outside of expected school hours, so anything that befalls him or her is the responsibility of the individual, not the school.
If we want an engaged, committed, enlightened, responsive next generation, isn’t it time we supported our teachers better? Invested rather than cut funding. Reduced the red tape so they could actually spend time teaching and inspiring. We need to tip the balance back.
How are your teachers supported in your community?
(PS the photo is from my school days - can you spot me? - with my inspirational teacher - who saw me bigger than I saw myself - and I would not be here today - without her love, dedication and commitment - Does anyone know where Miss Stawjsky is now?)
Naomi Simson is the founding director of Australian online tech success story RedBalloon. She has written more than 800 blog posts at NaomiSimson.com, is a professional speaker, author of Live what you Love (pre-order now) and now TV personality on Channel 10’s Shark Tank (airing January 2015). Get to know her further on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
UX Designer
10 年As a substitute teacher, I get to see, first hand, what teachers face on a daily basis and it often isn't pretty. Subbing in the high schools, I have often traveled to six different classrooms over the course of eight periods, due to over-crowding. Everywhere one looks in public education there is the message that the teacher isn't important. Not only do they put Spanish, English, Math teachers on carts, but the students often voice their disdain for the teachers, through their lack of respect. Education itself is geared to what the student wants. In a nearby district, a friend told me that her children have multiple- choice spelling tests. Really? Multiple choice? When did that happen? I think once we start viewing children as they are--children who are void of the education and experience of adults we will make great strides in our schools. Without this point of view, public education is simply a place where the inmates are in charge of the asylum, in some respects.
Expert in Project & Supply Chain Management and Blockchain Technology, SCM Consultant & Author
12 年Teachers are special. I do wish governments world over recognize this
Corporate coach, business facilitator and performance consultant developing exceptional people and teams
12 年Yes, I also hear stories from school teachers in my network who believe they are weighed down with bureaucratic red tape and administrative duties more than they ever before. The true teaching professionals must find this very de-motivating. I wander what is going on?
Faculty Member ,KIIT-KISS ,Dept DEVELOPMENT STUDY
12 年SCHOOLS are no more brain-based industry jporlland@gmail,com
Senior Growth Marketing Manager | Digital Marketing, Editing, & SEO | Former Writer @Forbes | LinkedIn Top Voice, 2018 | Writing & ESL Educator
12 年Dear Naomi, Thank you for sharing such a supportive article. As a former elementary teacher myself, I can attest to the fact that the profession has changed dramatically, leaving teachers burnt out in a few years. In the states, over 50% of our most effective teachers will leave the field within 5 years. The holistic issues facing our education system focus on 2 areas: we are still on an industrial type of model based on the industrial revolution (which does not align with where we are today), and standardized testing has taken the place of creativity, questioning, the arts, etc. Many blame and disrespect teachers. Yes, there are great teachers and most definitely those who should not be in the field. Simply stated, from a larger lens, we have a system that is simply unaligned with the changing world around us. Teaching has unparalleled responsibilities and requirements, however, I still believe it is the most noble of professions. Please share this poem I wrote for Edudemic with your friend, as I hope it will make him smile: (A Day in the Life of a Teacher): https://edudemic.com/2012/08/new-school-year-poem/