Working From Home
Over the past 10 weeks, I have arrived at one distinct conclusion: I don’t like working from home, it doesn’t suit me for many reasons and reflects exactly why I chose to work in education 27 years ago!
The truth of the matter is that I am not actually working from home. I live on the School site and so I have been working in the Head’s office in a very deserted and cold School. Isolated, often shivering, with only my Surface for company, I have concurred with myself on several points. I rely on my interactions with pupils, staff and parents for my inspiration, my emotional balance and my positivity. The latter is always expected of a Headmaster – everyone looks at you to be the positive and dynamic lead – the truth is that I draw so much of this positivity from the wonderful and inspiring people around me.
Amongst my hobbies, I am one of life’s people watchers: more specifically, I listen, watch and most importantly learn (people I have lead will have heard me say; “you have two ears and one mouth – listen twice as much as you talk”). Moreover, as humans, we act as a natural equilibrium for each other’s emotions, which in turn, benefits our well-being. Lock down has denied us this basic interaction, which makes us human.
Coronavirus has, and will continue to have, devastating consequences on our countries’ health and economy. Education is so important to our pupils futures, therefore, I along with my colleagues, have been working to exhaustion to provide our virtual school. It has been, quite possibly, the most challenging and complex period of my 11 years as a Head. That said, I am determined that we emerge, collectively and individually, as stronger people. We were already technologically advanced as a School: we need to stay further ahead. Through adventurous learning, we aimed to develop emotionally resilient and flexible thinkers: Covid-19 has tested us on another level, yet our inner strength will be reinforced. As a School, we have long talked about physical and mental health in the same sentence: I believe we have promoted deeper reflection and understanding of this. I, for one, have achieved two personal aims over the past 10 weeks: lost weight and begun to play the piano again….after a 35 year break!
