SLT beckons

There comes a point in middle leadership when you get fed up with your limited power and influence. You realise it is time to step up and become part of an acronym: the SLT beckons.

I realised I was ready for the senior leadership team after a particularly -chaotic parents’ meeting. I was the new head of Math in my third school, 15  years into my teaching career.

It seemed clear to me that there were better ways of doing things around. I went to see the headteacher, who agreed it might be time to make a change but she wanted to ensure that everyone was in agreement. She asked me to present my views at an upcoming staff meeting.

I stood up to speak, full of enthusiasm and the naivety born of relative inexperience. I talked about alternative systems and how, I thought, we could improve ours to make it more positive and purposeful for staff, parents and students.

I quickly became aware of my audience’s negative body language. There were no nods or smiles, just stony stares and folded arms. When I finally got to the end and asked for questions, I was given a grilling by staff who “didn’t see how it could work”, “didn’t feel it was right for this school” and weren’t even prepared to try it before making a decision.

I drove home that day feeling bemused. I thought I’d presented a compelling case, clearly and confidently, but I’d got absolutely nowhere. It took me a while to work out what had happened. I was the newly appointed head of Math. Parents’ meetings were nothing to do with me. Who did I think I was?

I knew then, in the early days of my time as a middle leader, that one day I would feel the need to be a senior leader. I wanted to be able to suggest whole-school changes, even to something as relatively minor as this, and at least be taken seriously.

I loved being a head of department. Enthusiasm for my subject had taken me into a career in teaching in the first place and I was enjoying working with my classes. In this role I had the chance to have an even greater impact on what happened across the Math classrooms, working closely with the rest of the team. However, I didn’t feel that I made much of an impact on the life of the school beyond that domain.

That’s not to say that joining the SLT is for everyone. For many heads of departments, being immersed in their subject and holding a position of influence in that sphere is as far up the ladder as they want to climb. But for others, here are six reasons why the leadership team might appeal:

1 Whole-school scope

Although you will continue to do a significant amount of teaching, suddenly your area of responsibility (whatever that may be) affects the whole school, rather than just your department. This enables you to make more of a difference to more learners and work with more staff.

2 A bit of clout

You have the authority and the status to take on more substantial challenges and make more of an impact in a strategic sense, rather than simply an operational one. You have a greater opportunity to work with the headteacher, governors and the rest of the senior team to shape the school’s vision. All staff – teaching and support – should be consulted on decisions, but you are making things happen.

3 Developing staff

Whatever your area of responsibility, developing staff is likely to be a part of what you are able to achieve. Seeing others grow in confidence over time is hugely satisfying. As a senior leader you have the chance to support your headteacher and the rest of the senior team, in addition to supporting, challenging and helping the rest of the staff to mature.

4 Facilitating excellent teaching

Your work can enable teachers to do a better job; you need to see your role as one that facilitates the best teaching and learning, not one that adds pressure and makes it harder for staff to perform at their best.

5 Leadership experience

The parameters widen and the range of areas you are involved in extends significantly. You will work with many different groups across the school community and may also build key relationships beyond the school gates.

                                                    

6 Broader horizons

If you are eager for a new challenge and are ready to be tested, you will find being part of the SLT stimulating and rewarding.

For me, senior leadership was a natural, enjoyable and -satisfying next step after my time as a head of department.  Years later when I go in for my next role as deputy head and I discover that something that needs change I would like to hear my Head say : “If you want to try a different system, go for it.”

Just think: what would you like to change if you had the opportunity to do it?

Teaching - The supreme art of moulding minds

Success in teaching for me is seeing students’ eyes when they get the “light bulb.” You can see when they understand what you have been trying so hard to explain.

I feel my greatest success in teaching is my own growth as an Instructor. Which to me is because of each and every student I’ve had the honour of instructing. In the course of teaching, my students have challenged me to know my subject matter like the back of my hand. Also, the discovery of the different learner styles has humbled me to understand my own learner style and to always teach the student as they need to be taught, not by a category that the instructor textbooks put them into. The art of instructing has fine-tuned an intuitive nature that I didn’t even know I had. Therefore, I view each and every student as a success in her own right. I know now that as an instructor, I’m always striving to do better than the day before and learning should never end; that is what makes this journey so exciting. There is always something new to experience.

My greatest success that I have had teaching is when someone came up to me and said, “You probably don't remember me, but I took your class years ago and I asked you what should I do to be successful in the industry. Even though you were very busy you were so sweet and took your time to give me many inspiring words and even gave me an insight on how to do what was so hard for me at the time.” This person went on to tell me how I inspired them so much that they couldn't begin to explain how I have enriched their career and life. They also shared that because I had waiver their tuition, it had allowed them to touch someone else's life outside of our industry. Stories like these are awesome because it shows me that there are so many layers to giving and that love has no boundaries!