The dictionary says wellbeing is the state of being comfortable, healthy or happy. As hinted at with the use of the word “comfortable”, the happiness is usually taken as sustained contentment.
Crisis 12: Matthew’s on the computer
The reality of digital intervention in education has often fallen short of the claims. Yet I’ve been impressed with some brilliant uses of technology during the lockdown. Oak National Academy, for example, and the generosity of trusts like Greenshaw and schools like Parklands. Our own experience of delivering a fully virtual Summer Institute to 1699 […]
Unstoppable forces
This is a blog for the Education Leadership Collective. “If, say, one hundred headteachers in a town or city wanted to stand up for something reasonable, I don’t think anything could stop them. The power of collective action is clear. I don’t need to belabour that. Yet this level of unity is rare…” Unstoppable Forces […]
Thank you
We hear a lot about competition and rivalry in education, about heated debate and disagreement. Beneath all that, education is basically full of outstanding people trying to do the right thing with the limited resources that they have available. I know Teach First can be a bit marmite. And we often plough our furrow in […]
Long term thinking
It is amazing how seemingly intractable conflicts disappear with the right timeframe. If only you can play a long enough game, you can almost have it all. If we could build longer term thinking into our organisations we would see a sustained improvement in performance and welfare.
The murder of George Floyd
Another black man was killed by police in the US. His name is George Floyd. The protection and security that I take for granted too often operate against black people. This is not confined to the US. It’s hard to truly hear people when your position and experience is different from their own; from a […]
The outrage economy
There are many ways to attract attention. Most of them require talent. You create something of use, insight or beauty and people come to look. If you lack talent, you can buy attention. If you lack talent and money, one surefire tactic for attention is to cause offence. Offence is perversely attractive. It has parallels […]
Crisis 11: five losses and a recovery curriculum
Barry and Matthew Carpenter argue that, as well as the possibility of bereavement, the lockdown will have inflicted five specific losses in young people…
Working hours
I have a theory. It is based only on anecdote and idealism, not hard evidence. When in control of their work, many people would thrive on about four hours of intense and productive work a day…
Playing to your strengths
Play to your strengths is often sensible advice, but there is no rule in leadership that won’t lead you astray if you follow it blindly…
Note to self 