A Moment That Changed My Professional Life

It was the early 2000s. It could have been 2003 or 4 or 5; the years and dates are getting fuzzy in my head the older I get. I was a young head of the department in a school in Enfield, North London. 'It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times', as Charles Dickens wrote in A Tale of Two Cities. I was finding my feet in a school in a part of London that was not the easiest to work in, and it was tough. The school was located in a white working-class neighbourhood in the middle of a council estate to give you some context.

One day, my principal called me into her office and asked if I was interested in taking a course at the Institute of Education. I agreed, but little did I know that course would change my professional life. I signed up and joined what was the first cohort of the Investing in Diversity leadership programme, which was part of the government’s London Challenge Initiative.

For the first time in my teaching career, I was surrounded by people who understood what I had been experiencing without me having to explain in detail. I relished the times we got to meet and learn from each other. During one of those meetings, the leader of the course, Rosemary Campbell-Stephens (We/Us) asked us to do some leadership scenarios and then give feedback to her. During one of the feedback sessions, I did what I always used to do back then: I allowed everyone to speak, and I sat there quietly, unsure of myself and worried that if I spoke, it might not be of any value. At the end, Rosemary asked me what my thoughts were on the subject. I spoke, and she did not comment on the content of my answer. She said to me, ' Leisa, you are very smart; never be afraid to use your voice'.

Wanna hear something crazy? I have long forgotten what the scenario was about. I have even forgotten who the people were that were with me in the group, but I have never forgotten those words. They propelled me.

Confession: I was in awe of Rosemary and still am.

She was a black woman who had done extremely well in the field of education, yet she was still approachable. She was no-nonsense, yet you could tell she cared passionately about her work. She made me aware that some of the terms used to describe us were not uplifting at all. Hence, I adopted the term global majority instead of BAME and some of the other terms. To top it off, she had a lovely Jamaican slant to her accent, which felt like home to me.

Since that day, I have used those words as fuel to drive me to use my voice and encourage others to do the same.

Rosemary Campbell-Stephens (We/Us) , if you read this article, thank you for all you have done. Remember that your impact is farther and wider than you could ever imagine. Big up yourself!

Now, to my fellow educators, remember that your voice matters. Do not be afraid to use it for the benefit of others.

NEW TEACH MIDDLE EAST PODCAST EPISODE

Why School Leaders Must Rethink Mentorship and Self-Care With Nadine Le Ma?tre Powrie, MA, NPQH, ACC, Assoc CIPD

In this episode, Nadine Powrie shares her journey from a French assistant to a leader in some of the UK’s most challenging schools. Drawing on experiences from New Zealand and Australia, she discusses how research, collaboration, and continuous learning have shaped her approach to education and school inspections.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS WITH THESE UPCOMING EVENTS.

1. The fourth annual STEM MENA Conference and Awards- November 9, 2024 in Dubai- www.stemmena.com

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3. GESS Dubai- November 12-14, 2024- Dubai- www.gessdubai.com

4. The Sixth Annual? Middle East School Leadership Conference- February 5-6,2025- Dubai- www.schoolleadersme.com