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How did I get here?

After 30 years in education, first as a class teacher, then as a deputy head and finally as a head, I am now an ex-head teacher. 

Why is that? I hear you ask. Well, the answer can be summed up in two words, burn out (or is it one word, 'burnout'). I will have to check that. Having lead a small village primary school for over a decade, through covid and through the proceeding collapse in society, I realised that needed a serious break for my own mental health.

Initially I thought it might be a permanent break from the profession, but I soon realised that this was not going to be the case, although I think it will be a permanent break from the classroom. So, over the last few months I have been sat in my home office writing my book (as yet unpublished), currently called 'How to be a Head Teacher', which I hope will become a bible for the modern school leader, one which might just prolong a few careers! I have described it in the introduction as the book I wish I had access to when I was starting my time as a school leader.

In this blog I am going to write about the process of putting my book together, and the challenge of getting it published. I am also going to share my 'unfiltered' thoughts about all aspects of the profession, sharing some interesting stories from my time in school and finally I will be sharing and developing the leadership model I have developed, which I am calling Cultivational Leadership.

I will attempt to write something every day, as in writing my book I have awoken the need to write after a very long hibernation! My degree was in English Literature and although extremely fulfilling, teaching has not given me the chance to stretch my literary muscles for a very long time. 

I have never written a blog before, but I have included the word 'unfiltered' in the title as I think that is what a blog should be. These entries will therefore be unedited, apart from the obvious technical stuff, as I do have a reputation to maintain.

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I feel like I should clarify the reference to 'collapse in society' that I made above. It sounds a bit dramatic, doesn't it! Don't worry, I am not one of those prepper types, although I am definitely a fan of post-apocalyptic television and film. 

What I was referring to was the notable change in people we have all experienced since the pandemic. If you are reading this thinking, 'I haven't seen any change', then that means you are one of the people that I am talking about. The rise in confrontationist behaviour, people believing that they are always right, you know the sort of thing. We have all seen it increasing since the pandemic, and it is SO tiring to deal with.

I have written extensively about this in my book, and in my research I found a great article in Time magazine about the ways that the pandemic has changed our society that I would thoroughly recommend reading.

https://time.com/6165501/pandemic-changed-identity-research/

So perhaps 'collapse' was a bit of an exaggeration, but I thought that my first post should capture the readers attention, and at least I think we can all agree things are not exactly on the up at the moment, society-wise.

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