Teaching can take it out of you. It can drain your time and your energy. However, a bit like going to the gym when you are knackered and you come out feeling good about yourself, going to a grassroots CPD event can top up your reserves to keep you going for the rest of the half-term. Go forth and find your tribe, create those collaborations with the outward-facing, like-minded people who you connect with.
So, what’s on the horizon for April?
9th April: #WomenEd Canada
I have followed Carol Campbell, a professor at Toronto University, since we launched #WomenEd. Last year she asked if she could use the hashtag to start a conversation at an event in Alberta that she was speaking at. I followed it via Twitter around the time difference. Last year’s #WomenED event at #uLead16 was very well received, and a community of practice was born. A year later I am flying over to spend my Easter holidays in Banff to co-lead the full-day pre-conference workshop for women in education in Canada. The day will be spent discussion new narratives for women in education leadership around a variety of themes. I am excited to be co-facilitating alongside Carol and Gillian Hamilton (Scottish College for Educational Leadership) to launch @WomenEdCanada.
www.ulead.ca/Pre-Conference_Workshop_2.html
11th April: #ulead17
Each year 1200 leaders from Alberta spend a few days in the mountains reflecting on leadership and being inspired by international thought leaders. There is growing interest internationally in how to support gender equity, including the growing #WomenEd and #HeforShe movements, which recognize the advancing equity, valuing diversity and supporting inclusion concerns all people engaged in education and leadership.
The Women Leading in Education panel will expand on discussions to consider the challenges, opportunities and possibilities for supporting all participants to experience and advance equity, diversity and inclusion in and through educational leadership. I am excited to be on a panel with Pasi Sahlberg to debate and discuss with the audience about challenges of persisting inequities and possibilities of future equities for educational improvement.
https://ulead2017.sched.com/event/A6EW/a-conversation-on-women-in-education-leadership
18th April: #OWLIE Network Launch
We are launching Oxfordshire Women Leading in Education with an informal networking event in Didcot. #WomenEd started with seven of us meeting for a cup of tea, a piece of a cake and a chat, so we are going back to our roots! Come and join us, to find out how you can get involved in our vision for activity across the county. Come along and connect, bring a colleague / friend with you... #HeForShe welcome too!
Follow our new twitter account @OxfordshireWLIE and hashtag #OWLIE.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/womened-networking-event-oxfordshire-tickets-31568342763
22nd and 29th April: Diverse Leaders programme
Last year I wrote multiple bids for the DfE’s Diversity and Equalities Grants to offer free leadership training to groups who are under-represented in the education system. I was still at Harris Federation at the time, so we submitted bids for a #WomenEd group in Thurrock and a #BAMEed group in Crystal Palace. I also bid for my new trust GLF for a #BAMEed group in Epsom. We won all three bids, and have created a super programme where the 75 delegates come together for some sessions and are connected via social media and their shared leadership reading. They are currently reading ‘Leadership Matters’ in preparation for a day with Diana Osagie, where they will look at courageous leadership. Follow @DiverseLeaderEd and the #BAMEed / #womened hashtags on Twitter and StaffRm, as they are now all active tweeters and bloggers!
Visit http://www.harristeachingschool.com/273/diverse-leaders-programme for more information.
