Sharpen the Saw – teach out of specialism!
I’ve been a teacher for six years and head of Science for just shy of 3. Prior to teaching, I worked in Semiconductor and IT sales.
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I make no secret of the fact that I came back into teaching to use my rapidly atrophying brain. And what a mystery tour those early days for PGCE and NQT proved to be. My brain literally expanded over night and for the first time in many years, I felt challenged, but satisfied.
Fast forward six years – faculty doing well (Estyn 1′s and 2′s), established and effective teacher (1′s) – things are comfortable. OK, school life itself can be challenging – the day to day management of our little darlings (staff and learners), juggling an ever decreasing budget, whilst constantly striving for improved standards – can sometimes get you down.
So, I’ve been looking for another/different/additional challenge for a while – move on? move up? You know the dilema!
Gift Horse & Mouth – you know the rest…
Straight after Christmas our head asked if I could swap some of my Science lessons for 6 hours of Maths teaching to provide some small class experiences for some of our C/D borderline students. Yes I say, I can do that.
I love it – I feel like a PGCE / NQT again, but with six years experience under my belt.
Having to think through the pedagogical consequences, Blooms taxonomy and subject specific knowledge has been a breath of fresh air and I feel revitalised, renewed and releaved!
Stephen Covey in his seminal 7 Habits… book has:
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Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have–you. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. Here are some examples:
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So, by teaching outside my specialism, I’ve been “Sharpening” my Saw and I love it.
What are you doing to “Sharpen your Saw”?
