Let’s recognise
4th October 2024
Thank you all for your efforts this past week or so, in supporting the children, young people and our staff bodies. I had made some mention of the wonders of Autumn the other week. Those wonders remain wonderful but I am guessing many of you weren’t in the mood to reflect on the on-going beauty of this season when battling with biblical amounts of rain in the early part of the week. There’re always some atmospheric challenges at this time of year…
I’m looking ahead, just a little, this week, to two significant and important, but occasionally missed, periods of reflection and recognition.
- World Teachers’ Day:
I know that the overwhelming majority of children, young people, their parents and carers recognise that everything that we do should be lined up to ensure that those children and young people get the very best educational experience; we judge ourselves locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, in that regard. You all know that all who work in our schools and in the college do make a tangible difference to the provision, the environment, the conditions, the polices and the teaching that impacts positively on all of our pupils and students; at whatever age or stage. On your behalf, for that I thank them all.
At the sharpest end of our service are the teachers. It really is all on them. How we are judged, what we all achieve and the successes the children and young people have, today, tomorrow and into their future, will be (mostly) determined by the experience they get in the classroom – the central domain of the highly qualified, highly skilled, highly motivated teacher. And it’s in that light that I point you all to UNESCO’s World Teachers’ Day – this year celebrated on Saturday 5th October (remember that not all schools/colleges across the globe educate Monday to Friday).
This day is just one day when we can all commemorate the anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 UNESCO ‘Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers.’, which sets benchmarks regarding the rights and responsibilities of teachers, and standards for their initial preparation and further education, recruitment, employment, and teaching and learning conditions. It is a day to celebrate how teachers are transforming education but also to reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and vocation, and to rethink the way ahead for the profession globally.
From UNESCO – and what’s not to agree with here…?
‘The 2024 celebrations will focus on “Valuing teacher voices: towards a new social contract for education”, underscoring the urgency of calling for and attending to teachers’ voices to address their challenges but, most importantly, to acknowledge and benefit from the expert knowledge and input that they bring to education’.
Fine words. In very simple terms it’s an opportunity for us to recognise our staff bodies and mark their successes, their patience, their tolerance and their professionalism – for all of that, on behalf of your community – I thank them all! It’s also an opportunity for the children, the young people, their parents and carers just to say thank you too; just to recognise the value that their child’s teacher adds to the educational, social, cultural, even emotional progress, development and success (for their today and into their adulthood).
- World Mental Health Day:
All across our schools and in the college, we annually recognise and celebrate World Mental Health Day, or Hello Yellow day – as it’s been branded locally. We, rightly, focus on our children and young people but this year I think it useful and apt that the focus might also be so relevant for our staff bodies and the other adults in the community. On Thursday 10th October, across the globe and within our institutions we will recognise and celebrate this day by wearing something yellow. This year’s theme, set by the World Federation of Mental Health is, “it’s time to prioritise mental health in the workplace”. The theme highlights the importance of addressing mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, for the benefit of people, organisations, and communities.
Young minds raise awareness by asking everyone to wear something yellow, showing our children and young people that they are not on their own when they are managing their mental health. We, as adults, should hold that to be true too. During this week and beyond, let’s be more open about talking about mental health and show everyone that mental health matters. On World Mental Health Day and beyond, why not check in with your friends, family, peers, or colleagues? As the slogan goes… Take time to talk or, even better, ‘Have a tea and talk’ – coffee is allowed too.
‘As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.’ John F. Kennedy