Over the last term I've had the pleasure of observing our ITT student. I enjoy the times that I get to do this, as I get to see lessons from a student perspective, but also objectively look at use of language and teaching methods.
They said something (a real throwaway comment) which I've focused on a bit too much: "... and this is how they might try to trick you."
A few queries: Who are they? and Why are they tricking people?
I had this discussion with them and other colleagues about the use of the word 'them' and them 'trying to trick you'. I realised that I've done this a lot. In fact, most of us owned up, and those who didn't almost definitely lied.
But, why did we do it? Why do we do it?
We also found this to be the case in other aspects of life, but let's keep this to work stuff...
As a teacher, I got into education to help others. Once in the system, I want and have wanted to remain in circumstances where students have high levels of disadvantage. I quickly realised that I, and many others, began their educational journey with, or developed during their journey, a hero syndrome.
The hero syndrome is a phenomenon affecting people who seek heroism or recognition, usually by creating a desperate situation which they can resolve.
My origin story is my GCSE English exam when I was sixteen. That's when I realised I wanted to be a teacher. That's when I was bitten by the spider, arrived on Earth from Krypton and witnessed my parents' murder (both parents are very much alive, for concerned readers).
In almost seventeen years since then I've taught classes at the borderline who I've trained to overcome the villainous maths GCSE and I've mentored higher attaining students to become the heroes that they're capable of being, but in the last week I've spent time in refuge (a caravan park in North Yorkshire) and have started to recognise that I've been the villain (plot twist!!).
I've previously dipped in and out of various sections of Craig Barton's 'How I Wish I'd Taught Maths', but found a chunk of time in which to fully engage with the narrative of the book. I've been making notes of really small changes, and 'headlines' to share with the department, which I hope will be as impactful as promised. The thing is, all I can think of is 'How on Earth have I managed to get by over the last 9 years without considering these things?!' and 'What might have happened with my classes had I known this sooner?!'. Ultimately, I'm trying to see this as my second coming as a superhero, my second origin story, as I lead a team through what could be a holistic change in teaching methodologies and department-wide ethos.
If students develop real understanding and are able to apply their schema to other areas when asked, the exam surely becomes much more of a test of ability than the villain many currently perceive it to be.
I have one more week off, in my cave whilst my wife goes back to work, but at the end of it I think it might be a case of Maths team : Assemble!
