Bringing up talent

I don't think we, as #teachers, as #schools, as a society talk about the purpose of education enough. If we did I think half of the arguments that happen around education would disappear ... Admittedly they would be replaced with arguments about whether we are there to prepare students for the world of work, to give them a rounded education, to give the good grades etc. but you get the drift.

I personally see a teacher's role as being to inspire a student with the possibilities of the teacher's subject. That way, a school would give a student an idea of a wide range of possibilities for their future. Now in order for a teacher to do this, they have to be interested in the subject themselves. In my view, they should constantly be learning more about their own subject, in order to share their 'interest' with their students.

And we all tend to do this. History teachers tend to read History books for fun. It is just normal.

#ComputerScience teachers are the same. Constantly reading, #coding, tinkering. One of the problems I find with Computer Science though is that it is a subject expanding so fast, it is so hard to keep up. Although the principles stay the same - it is still about solving problems using computers - the techniques and the computing power itself has moved on massively, even over the time I have been teaching. CS teachers are constantly running to keep up with their subject.

There is a teacher recruitment crisis in this country. When we look at Computer Science, even more so. No wonder. Skill-sets like ours are extremely desirable in industry and extremely well-rewarded ... but I am, like in many lessons, going off at a tangent.

So if the role of the teacher is to inspire the students, what is the role of the Head of Department?

Well, I am a believer in the idea of "#ServantLeadership".

The leader is there to support their team to achieve. The team's failure to achieve, is the fault of the leader. And this means the leader has to play many parts; they have to do all that is necessary to support their staff to achieve. They might be the cheerleader, the administrator, or the personal trainer.

I asked of the department that they "inspire and engage" the students, and Paty Mogio and Alex Baker have been doing just that. But on top of that, I am now asking the team to go one step further. I am asking them to become the expert in their small topic / niche of Computer Science. Whatever that might be.

And they are both going out to do that!

I have had to sit on this news for weeks now, which may surprise some of my colleagues who think I write about everything I hear on social media straight away ...

But I would like to, now, publicly congratulate Alex on becoming a global Micro:bit Champion. Alex runs our #Robotics Club and his interest tends towards the physical computing as well as being much better than me at #Java programming!

Well now Alex will be inspiring teachers, both #secondary and #primary, with the possibilities of physical computing in the #curriculum in his role of a Micro:bit Champion. And I am so proud of his achievement! Well done Alex.

You can read more about this story on The Abbey School's Gateway - https://gateway.theabbey.co.uk/mr-baker-becomes-a-microbit-champion/ - which is where I stole the picture from. I don't know who took the picture, but I love it!

While you are reading all about Alex, you could also read about the Staff Karaoke competition that I wrote about last week - https://gateway.theabbey.co.uk/upper-v-karaoke/

I don't want to say anything about the culture in my team but I did get a message on Google Chat when the Gateway came out saying something something like "I believe that makes 2/3 of the CS department". I will have to think about getting an article in their this week!

Maybe I'll put something in about my new decoration in my classroom.

I'd be surprised if any of my contacts didn't know I support London Irish Rugby Club . This week I received the signed shirt I won from the London Irish Foundation St Patrick's Day match. Worn and signed by Tarek Haffar.

I was at the last game of the season yesterday and an amazing end to the season. What I have loved this season, although it is always there, is the passion and belonging that the team, and indeed the fans, have. Take a look at this tweet if you want to see what that looks like - https://twitter.com/CertsRobert/status/1654940265407283203

Although I will have to tell Mr Morton that the half time entertainment stole his idea, and had the crowd singing along to Sweet Caroline as well as the more traditional London Irish songs.

Interestingly, when I put the top up in my classroom on Friday, one of the girls asked who #LondonIrish were, but it was the other girls who were educating her in who they are and what they do ... There are a few LI fans in amongst the student body!

One final story before I disappear off to start planning lessons and writing reports.

A student set me this link on Friday - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2puBmXfi9Z0 - we have talked previously about Locate International and their role in #MissingPerson search but I have never taught them anything about Trace Labs .

She had gone away to do her own research around the subject and wanted to share what she had found. Now it looks like I may well have to train up a team to take part in their next #CTF competition! How cool is that?!

And this is what I mean by, I believe the role of the teacher is to inspire students ... find something they are passionate about and want to learn more and do more about. And let them loose on the world full of youthful ideals and passion!