nikki able

I have had the enormous privilege of teaching the most amazing group of students this year.  A top set year 7 group who I have for RE one hour per week.  It has been a while since I had year 7 having done the A level/GCSE loop for the last few years and my initial thought was that this would be my weekly respite - my one hour a week where I could just teach without worrying about outcomes and targets and all that jazz. To some extent that is exactly what it is - it is without question, the best hour of my week.  But it has also been a form of CPD for me.  I read Ron Berger's 'Ethic of Excellence' (the source of Austin's Butterfly - if this means nothing to you, please google it!) a number of years ago and had been struck by some of the important messages that the book delivers and I had (in my humble opinion) embedded them into my GCSE and A level teaching.  If you haven't read it I cannot recommend it enough - key messages for me are the importance of no...

I have spent the last few years developing a CPD programme for the staff in my school that I am really quite proud of.  It has leadership development pathways for those who wish to progress outside of the classroom, the opportunity to attend external courses for exam guidance and inspiration (or at least it has for now - Devon to anywhere else is pretty costly) and it has relevant sections for teachers at all points of their career.  It was designed to be a cradle to grave (is that an appropriate description for teaching?) system. But it has one flaw and it is a deeply frustrating flaw because the flaw is in my favourite bit.  I have always believed in the Dyaln Wiliam approach that teachers need to get better not because they are not good enough but because we can all get better.  The building blocks of my CPD approach is formed on this basis - all teachers participate in a long term CPD project - either an inquiry group or a book club.  In the inquiry group ...

I did surprisingly well on last year’s goals except for one.  I pledged to read 52 books and didn’t get anywhere near that goal (I shall revisit the why and what next as I look ahead).  But I also pledged to pick up my MA study, breathe new life into my CPD programme, find the love in teaching again, make Devon home and let go of a problem that had been a problem for a long time.  Well in 2016, I attended MA summer school and met a group of inspiring people who made me believe I was capable of anything – something I am incredibly grateful to them for.  In 2016, I did breathe new life into my CPD programme – the introduction of book club went really well and has planted the seed for a Book Club Teaching and Learning Conference (watch this space for more details).  In 2016 I reconnected with the people I love (family and partner) and started to stop taking them for granted, that ticked two boxes – it enabled me to let go of ‘the’ situation and resulted in the pur...

I don't usually write about personal thoughts and reflections when I blog.  My usual approach to blogging is sporadic and usually just a summary of talks I have attended or things I have read or would like to try in my teaching.  But this blog is a little different and maybe it is foolish to reflect so honestly and so publically but maybe a little humility in leadership is okay from time to time. I attended the Telegraph Festival of Education on Thursday and Friday of last week and it lived up to my description of it as a 'CPD spa break for educators'.  As always it was thought provoking, inspiring and insightful.  And it got me reflecting.  A lot. The combination of Jill Berry's talk on transitioning in leadership, David Weston's talk on unleashing greatness in teachers and Alex Quigley's session on confidence led me to a startling conclusion.  I have lost my confidence.  In my teaching, in my leadership, in relation to my career.  I have ent...

This year’s festival felt a little different to previous years. My initial thought was that it may be due to the timetabling confusion or the absence of the education secretary but in reality I think it was more to do with the Noah-esque flood weather that ensured that wherever you went, you were soaked to the skin (even with the extremely helpful ponchos). Despite the bad weather and the absence of Nicky Morgan, the festival continued to do what it does best – providing educators with the time, space and inspiration to reflect on their current practice. The first session I attended was delivered by Shaun Allison and Andy Tharby and it was a safe bet as it was based on their book ‘Making Every Lesson Count’ which is marvellous. I have heard both of them speak a number of times and never fail to be impressed with the way they cut through the nonsense to get to the heart of great pedagogy.  Their book is one of a few that I have selected to be part of our CPD book club reading list...

We are repeatedly told that there is a recruitment and retention crisis and I think that's true. It is more true if you work in a challenging context. I had never really thought about leaving education - I liked teaching and I like my work in leadership and honestly there is nothing else I could do. But just lately I have been wishing there was another option. Not because I am unhappy or stressed or have an awful work-life balance or dislike my job but because I suspect that at some point the job I am asked to do will become at odds with what I think is right. Education is losing its moral purpose and reaching a crisis point. I didn’t used to think it was. I used to think that people were exaggerating the problems but now I believe it. Education should be the means by which we empower the children in our society but instead it has become an example of survival of the fittest. I am not going to use this post to bash the government (and that doesn’t make me a Tory sympathiser). The...

2015 was a year – not a good year, not a bad year just a year.  Lots of change, lots of life stuff that probably doesn’t need to be shared in a blog and a general feeling that I won’t be sad to see the end of this particular year.  Before pondering the year to come, it is worth reflecting on the goals I set for myself for the year just gone.  The first task I set for myself was to remember the importance of the act of teaching and the impact it can have, to remain committed to the provision of an education that meets the need of every child.  In some ways I have struggled with this one as I didn’t start properly teaching until September.  I don’t think I have forgotten what is important to me but I do think I have had fewer opportunities to put it into practice.  I wanted to say yes to new experiences and this one I really didn’t.  I retreated back into my shell a bit and whilst I think I have learned a lot in my new job, other than that, this one...