NWP secretary Alison Jermak discusses her evolution into a writing teacher:
‘It is felt that you would benefit more from this (training) after your return from maternity leave.’
It is not discrimination or financial limitations imposed upon schools that I will write about here, but the decision that I made in response to the above: if the school that employed me was not going to invest in developing me professionally, then I would do it myself.
The pursuit of this led me to a LATE conference where I was introduced to NWP UK.
From Blob to Blog…
You see, I never read the papers when Michael Gove called us ‘the blob’, but in my workplace I knew that teachers were angry about it. By naming my profession in that dehumanizing way, not only did it give him license, but also management to treat us as they chose.
What resulted in my school was increased fear, anxiety and anger. Established teachers, staff that I looked up to, I found crying in the staffroom, holding whispered conversations in classrooms at the end of the day, being ‘supported’ (bullied) through capability measures – they were disappearing.
My reasons for teaching: I wanted to work with young people, to share my passion for my subject. But as Kahn points out, ‘in the absence of care felt, when other co-workers communicate a lack of caring, respect, or appreciation for one’s work, meaningfulness decreases.’
Let’s consider other anxiety-provoking features introduced into our workload over the time that I have been teaching: data deadlines, the threat of Ofsted; both a distraction from the tasks in hand.
Teachers are innovators. We recognise that ‘creativity and innovation are necessary for organisational adaptation and survival.’ (Reiter-Palmon) We seek out universities, libraries, cafes and museums; places that will stimulate us intellectually and creatively. The writing group provides what psychologists call a ‘holding environment’ (Kahn, 2001), creating feelings of safety where a teacher can feel able to show and employ one’s self in the discussion and writing.
Writing can be a way to exercise emotions, but can also be a vehicle for generating purpose and direction (Speara, Morin, Buhifeind, Pennebaker, 1993). Writing together allows us to explore the possibilities for writing in the classroom, but also for ourselves; giving me the confidence to write as I am now.
At NWP we give each other permissions that our workplaces have yet to provide.
