A collection of personal musings designed to prompt, to entertain and to raise the occasional eyebrow.
I enjoyed my teaching career. It had its ups and downs and imposter syndrome seemed to be an ever-present ‘friend’ but looking back I can put my hand on my heart and say entering the teaching profession was a good decision for me. I feel I’ve made a difference in a number of ways, sometimes by accident, sometimes through sheer …
I’ve had the privilege of working with a growing number of NQTs (*newly qualified teacher) recently – some of this work is by way of very informal conversations and some is through a more formal coaching arrangement. Either way, I enjoy helping these early career teachers as they search for their place in the world and I’m humbled at the …
I am easily inspired. I can read something (sometimes a short quotation, sometimes something more substantial). I can hear someone speak. I can experience someone taking action. And I’m inspired. But to move that inspiration into action, for it to lead to transformation, I need to believe. I need to believe that it is true for me – just as …
Over a period of seventeen years, Emma built a successful career in education, gaining experience in further education and higher education, both in the UK and overseas. She enjoyed teaching, but had long dreamt of becoming a writer. The dream became more pressing once she had gained her MA in Education (through which she presented fictional research as a method …
I was interested to read the Robbins-Madanes understanding of where the term ‘Life Coaching’ originated from, as generally it is considered that it evolved from coaching sport. Here’s what Mark Peysha (2020) of Robbins-Madanes says: “The term ‘coaching’ developed at Oxford University in England in the 1830s, where it was used as slang for a kind of tutoring that would …
This is perhaps the most powerful mission statement I have written so far on my coaching journey, so I wanted to share here for all to see. And I really do feel ‘on a mission’ with this. It took one of those light bulb moments I talk about to see this work has been staring me in the face (and …
In the 1950s a group of monks in Thailand, were tasked with moving a giant clay statue of Buddha. The statue had been left out in the open for many years and had attracted little attention, because it was considered to be of minor importance. It was shifted around on several occasions until eventually a building was constructed to house …
Welcome to Part 2 of my ‘top ten quotations’ – I’m excited about sharing these absolute gems… 6. “Integrity has no need for rules” (Albert Camus) I was tempted not to include this quotation in my top ten, but instead to add it as the single most powerful ‘rule’ I aim to live my life by. The other quotations in …
Those following me on Instagram (IG)* will know that once a week I post a quotation that holds some meaning for me. No explanation, no context, just simple words along with an acknowledgement to whomever originally spoke the words. I enjoy sharing these quotations, because each one has impacted me in some way and at some point. It’s a personal …
For this post, I unashamedly share someone else’s words. Mavis Karn worked with young offenders in the United States and on leaving her job wanted to give those she worked with a gift. She recalls not wanting to give socks or some other trivia, so instead she wrote this letter and gave each individual a copy. The secret that Mavis …
