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Stop and look
10th March 2023
This week we experienced that magical moment when you open the curtains and the world has turned white! For a moment we stop and just take in the perfect whiteness of a garden, untouched and clean. The silence of snow and the new perspective it brings to the world is beautiful! Then the chaos of stranded staff and slippery playgrounds kicks in. However, for one perfect moment the world comes to a stop!
How often in life do we get to really, truly stop? Schools can feel like a treadmill of business, we constantly countdown to the next key event and move from one lesson, event or marking fest to another.
Life certainly does not stand still and it has been gathering speed for our trainees. They are now venturing out on their second placements. In just six weeks they have to build up to teaching roughly 8 lessons a week. When you don't know the school, the pupils and the routines this can be challenging but we know they are ready even if it is unsettling at this time.
This week I had the pleasure of starting my next round of observations. This is the best part of my job. I get out of the office, into our partner schools and spend time in the classrooms of our trainees. I get to meet the characters in every class and the mentors who have given their time to support and develop teachers at the very start of their career. I am always struck by the time our mentors give and the desire they have for their trainees to succeed. They certainly do not stop as this role fits around all their school commitments too.
However, we do need to find that time to stop, take stock and reflect on all that has happened in a lesson, day or week. This moment to stop will help to build clarity into our thinking, for me this is often on my drive home. That space between work and home helps to clear my head. In a world where we are constantly bombarded by information, stopping can feel like a luxury but we must. Rachel Cohn wrote 'I love snow for the same reason I love Christmas. It brings people together while time stands still.'
The snow may have melted and the rain set back in, but this weekend make time to stop, reflect and pause. It's good for the soul and your workload too!
Jo Jones, Director of ITT, Learning Partners
This week we experienced that magical moment when you open the curtains and the world has turned white! For a moment we stop and just take in the perfect whiteness of a garden, untouched and clean. The silence of snow and the new perspective it brings to the world is beautiful! Then the chaos of stranded staff and slippery playgrounds kicks in. However, for one perfect moment the world comes to a stop!
How often in life do we get to really, truly stop? Schools can feel like a treadmill of business, we constantly countdown to the next key event and move from one lesson, event or marking fest to another.
Life certainly does not stand still and it has been gathering speed for our trainees. They are now venturing out on their second placements. In just six weeks they have to build up to teaching roughly 8 lessons a week. When you don't know the school, the pupils and the routines this can be challenging but we know they are ready even if it is unsettling at this time.
This week I had the pleasure of starting my next round of observations. This is the best part of my job. I get out of the office, into our partner schools and spend time in the classrooms of our trainees. I get to meet the characters in every class and the mentors who have given their time to support and develop teachers at the very start of their career. I am always struck by the time our mentors give and the desire they have for their trainees to succeed. They certainly do not stop as this role fits around all their school commitments too.
However, we do need to find that time to stop, take stock and reflect on all that has happened in a lesson, day or week. This moment to stop will help to build clarity into our thinking, for me this is often on my drive home. That space between work and home helps to clear my head. In a world where we are constantly bombarded by information, stopping can feel like a luxury but we must. Rachel Cohn wrote 'I love snow for the same reason I love Christmas. It brings people together while time stands still.'
The snow may have melted and the rain set back in, but this weekend make time to stop, reflect and pause. It's good for the soul and your workload too!
Jo Jones, Director of ITT, Learning Partners
