By Ellis Newton
REFORM
There is a strange contradiction in leaving a profession that you genuinely loved before you have even properly begun your career. Having completed my teacher training placement, I found myself reflecting upon an experience that had simultaneously reinforced my passion for teaching while raising serious concerns about whether I wanted to pursue it as a profession.
A teaching placement is supposed to inspire you, providing the opportunity to develop your skills, learn from experienced colleagues and understand what it means to work within education.
Yet, throughout mine, I was repeatedly met with the question, “Why would you want to teach?” I witnessed teachers crying over the fact that they barely saw their own children, while heads of department were left enforcing decisions from senior management that they themselves disagreed with, creating unnecessary friction between colleagues and the teams they were responsible for leading.
The workload is an obvious concern, but the wider culture surrounding the profession was equally troubling. There appeared to be an expectation that teachers should accept increasing demands upon their time, often at the expense of their own lives, while having limited control over the decisions affecting their classrooms.
This was further complicated by the challenges surrounding student behaviour and parental accountability. I remember sitting in the staff room while a member of staff telephoned a parent to explain that their son was attending college but refusing to attend his lessons. The response was, in effect, that they would have to see what they could do, because he did not like doing what he was told. I also witnessed complaints about grades that reflected students’ own lack of participation, with teachers left to justify outcomes that were not entirely within their control.
There were also restrictions on the disciplinary measures available to staff, including the inability to exclude poorly behaved students from trips, despite the potential for such measures to encourage better behaviour and participation. It is difficult to expect teachers to maintain standards when the authority to enforce them is continually undermined. Of course, this is not a criticism of every parent or student, nor does it absolve teachers of their own responsibilities. However, accountability within education cannot reasonably be expected to operate in only one direction.
Yet, despite these experiences, I loved teaching.
Teaching politics was an immense privilege. Every student had their own reasons for being there, their own experiences, passions and motivations. Being able to learn about their individual journeys, watch their confidence develop and see their ideas reflected in their work was one of the most rewarding aspects of my placement.
One of my proudest moments came on my final day, when I revealed to my class which political party I supported, after they had spent my entire placement trying to guess. I hope that, throughout my time with them, I instilled a sense of impartiality and encouraged each student to consider the world from perspectives beyond their own.
What fascinated me most was seeing students with similar experiences arrive at entirely different political conclusions. Their views would intersect, challenge one another and develop through discussion.
It demonstrated that political disagreement does not necessarily stem from ignorance or malice, but can emerge from different interpretations of shared experiences, values and circumstances.
It is this same principle that has inspired me to work with friends from across the political spectrum on projects such as The Crossbench. We have increasingly come to treat those on the opposite side of the political aisle as enemies, rather than individuals whose experiences and motivations may differ from our own. I believe that encouraging cooperation and participation across political divides is essential if we are to challenge this growing hostility.
Ultimately, I may have become disillusioned with the profession, but I have not lost my belief in the value of teaching. The classroom demonstrated the importance of listening, participation and understanding perspectives different from our own. These are principles that I hope to continue promoting, even if I do so outside the classroom.
I loved teaching. What I struggled to reconcile was the profession surrounding it. It is a hope I hold with all my heart, that one day I can return to teaching, and use my experience working within this industry to inspire another generation.
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