Society Needs Good Teachers to Stay!
** SPECIAL OFFER**
I am offering teachers, and senior leaders a very special rate of £150 for 3 sessions (a saving of £135) because children need YOU to return after the summer break. Parents need YOU to guide and support their children. The education system needs YOU to ask questions, to get creative, and to become positively disruptive as you lean into your values and follow your heart.
I know you can’t do it by yourself, but what I do know is that when you talk with me, openly, honestly, frankly, with no judgement, no assumptions, no fear of being reprimanded and I listen wholeheartedly with empathy, I hope you will find a way to stay, or if there is no other choice, a path to exit gracefully and with your integrity intact.
This isn’t a blog about what teachers might do if they leave the profession, this is about encouraging you to stay. This generation and the next need good teachers like you to stay.
I don’t mind admitting I was initially reluctant to undertake teacher training, but I had a natural aptitude and empathy with young people and this soon became a truly worthwhile vocation. Over 30 years later, as a teacher in primary, nursery, support for learning and guidance, then as faculty leader (SfL) and finally a DHT ( specialist provision), I had a full and varied experience.
Three years ago I made the somewhat terrifying decision to leave teaching, which, for the most part, I had loved. Choosing to leave was not only financially risky, but raised the question, what would my purpose be if not as a teacher? Casting around for what to do next I gained diplomas in Dog Walking and Proofreading, but much as I love my wee dug, I couldn’t imagine dedicating myself to looking after other dogs. However, proofreading continues to serve me and my clients well, and during the course of these diplomas sound business advice was on offer.
The overriding theme was to do what I loved, and that led me to developing my coaching qualifications. Having achieved GTCS 4 Day Diploma in 2017, I studied to become professionally recognised and achieved EMCC accreditation not only as a personal coach but as a team coach.
During 2021, I enjoyed CPD sessions with EMCC, LinkedIn and Facebook, joined networking opportunities, spent days, weeks and even months marketing myself, and was consistently asked to identify my niche client. It had to be teachers: I speak the language of education, I understand the jargonistic anomalies, I have experienced the stress leading up to an end of term, an angry parent, an exhausted colleague, and lack of funds. I get it.
Prior to leaving, I was on a working group co-hosted by GTCS and Education Scotland with a focus on rolling out a national coaching strategy across Scotland.
Did you know that you are entitled to coaching as part of your Professional Review and Development (PRD) ? But in reality, some senior leaders simply do not have the time to hone their coaching skills, or indeed have sufficient knowledge and experience on how to coach effectively.
Still not convinced? Here is feedback from teachers and senior leaders over the past 2 years:
Providing a Safe Environment. Did Charli generate a sense of safety and confidentiality?
Very, although I know Charli I felt very comfortable sharing information that I perhaps would not otherwise
Very safe and confidential
Yes and she was very clear on this
Yes absolutely. Charli had previously shared the ethical code she adheres to but she was also skilled in creating a safe, supportive, non-judgemental, confidential environment where it felt safe to share.
100% I couldn't have felt more comfortable to share and discuss issues with Charli
Did your sessions encourage insight and learning for you? Were you able to work towards your intended outcomes?
The sessions did encourage insight and offered tools for me to use to set goals and how to keep on track with them. I liked the idea of writing down all the good things that happen in a day - which are many when you learn to look for them. That in itself made a big difference to my mental well-being. I am trying hard to make that part of my day.
My session was highly insightful. Charli very quickly allowed me to realise that the issue I attended the meeting with, was not the issue I needed help in addressing. She managed to question me so well, that this was a quick discovery and this allowed me to then think through solutions that were viable for me.
Yes they did! I felt that I was able to really take a step up and look a little deeper at my issues and look for positive steps to overcome them. I feel a lot more confident in the bringing forward the approaches we discussed.
Yes, I have been able to move on from a trauma that was holding me back and to understand better what is happening when trauma is triggered. I feel more resilient. I also feel the sessions help me make sense of my feelings and how I am progressing.
Yes. It was so helpful having the time to think, reflect, respond to prompts and then have the feedback from each session. Charli also importantly provided a safe, confidential space to talk through my issues.
Developing Relationships. Did Charli explain how the sessions would develop, and did you get a sense that there was a commitment on Charli's part to develop a professional working relationship?
Yes. We had a clear plan and then the third session was adapted to meet my changed needs at that point. Charli was also prepared, present and timely in giving her feedback and next steps. She also went out of her way to send me something she thought could be of interest, along with links to podcasts etc which she felt supported my focus.
Yes I definitely got a sense that Charli was committed to our working relationship. I felt very listened to. She was very honest during the sessions and with her feedback afterwards. I was able to view my thinking processes in a more logical way
Charli was so committed to our relationship as Coach and Coachee and she made this clear from the start. I felt like she truly cared about the issue I had and that she wanted to really help me to work out how best to move the situation forward. She did this without pressure or judgement which was so welcomed.
Evaluation: please describe Charli's competency as a coach.
Charli provided support but not without challenge, asking questions and probing skillfully to get to the root of things. She provided space for me to think and was comfortable holding that space. Charli's experience and confidence as a coach are evident.
Charli is an excellent coach, she has a lovely manner and really helps put you at ease. I hate talking about myself and I was surprised at how much I was able to do during the sessions and this is due to the sense of safety & trust that Charli created.
Charli is an inspirational coach. She listened to me and that helped me think (sometimes babble) my way through things. She encouraged me to consider my options for each issue.
I was really impressed with Charli and found her very competent as a coach. I was initially apprehensive about taking part in online sessions and whether I would find them as effective as face to face sessions. Charli created a safe environment for me to gather and process my thoughts, speak freely and identify potential solutions to the issues I had brought to the sessions.
Coaching can change your relationship with your classes, your colleagues, your family, but most importantly yourself.
Please get in touch, before * SPECIAL OFFER** finishes on 30th September.
You can find me here: www.catchinglightwellness.co.uk; Twitter @CLW, LinkedIn @CharliPrime, Instagram @catching_light_wellness.
The next few years will continue to be challenging as we navigate our way in life post pandemic, with a cost of living crisis and so much uncertainty in the world. Which is why we NEED teachers like you who are prepared to invest not only in themselves but in the future of education.
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