Interesting Times!

Friday 27 April 2007

I started the day at the Inter-agency Day organised by our fantastic Travellers' Education Team...

The day was about developing best practice to promote the 'Every Child Matters' agenda for the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities here in Leeds and the team had invited Rosemary Archer and I to start the day and take questions.... and it was great!

We want every child in Leeds to be happy, healthy, safe and increasingly successful. We want to support brilliant learners, in brilliant learning places in brilliant learning communities. This is the most important thing this city does!

We must constantly celebrate the talents and the potential of ALL our children, their families and their communities. Over the last six years here in Leeds Peter Saunders and his colleagues and friends have opened my eyes to the magic, the talent and the richness in the Travelling communities; their arts, their music, their storytelling, their history and their culture.

Lets hope that this inter-agency day leads to greater understanding, greater engagement and participation and better outcomes for these children, their families and this wonderful community.
Chris

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Hi Chris,

My posting isn't directly related to your posting but I would as a daily reader of your blog wanted to pose a few thoughts to you.

Many supply teachers in Leeds who are extremely passionate about the job they are doing and would dearly love permanent teaching positions are finding it extremely difficult to break down the doors due to the competitive nature that exists for jobs in Leeds at the moment.

There is so many excellent schemes and initiatives taking place and as a teacher I welcome these changes and think the progress Leeds has made in recent years is excellent.

However, despite filling in lots and lots of applications I am now faced with the prospect of maybe having to change career and direction because to be a supply teacher is just not financially viable anymore whilst chasing the perm position.

I'm not posting this to bleat or because I feel sorry for myself but because I would love to compete on an equal footing. I would like access to the same professional development courses that teachers on a contract in a school have...I have found that since moving back to my home city two and a half years ago after completing my nqt year in Liverpool that this is a virtual impossibility.My professional development ahs stalled in terms of not being able to enjoy the same access to courses which would

It is something that I think Education Leeds needs to address.

I admire your drive and passion and enjoy reading your blog, by the way I think you should continue with it.

I am essentially saying that inclusion is equally important for all teachers and not just a few lucky ones. I felt I had to speak out, action, trying is much more pro active than moaning.

Hope to hear your thoughts on aproblem that is growing and is nationwide too!; 27 April 2007 at 15:51
Chris Edwards said...: Hi, I am grateful for your comment. It is worrying that we have a lot of really passionate and talented colleagues who can't get work here in Leeds.... especially if it means that you are considering a change of career! I agree that Leeds is a brilliant place where we have seen real progress over the last few years and there is so much going on. Sadly we are still losing children as the school population continues to fall, so jobs will remain tight. We will look at how we can include supply staff on more of the professional development programmes so that we keep their skills up and make better use of the talent pool in the supply force here in Leeds.
THANKS AGAIN
Chris; 30 April 2007 at 08:15

Brilliant Quotes!

“I must accept life unconditionally. Most people ask for happiness on condition. Happiness can only be felt if you don't set any condition.”
Margaret Lee Runbeck

“Happiness is not in our circumstances but in ourselves. It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire. Happiness is something we are.”
John B. Sheerin

“Most true happiness comes from one's inner life, from the disposition of the mind and soul. Admittedly, a good inner life is difficult to achieve, especially in these trying times. It takes reflection and contemplation and self-discipline.”
William L Shirer

“The pursuit of happiness is a most ridiculous phrase: If you pursue happiness you'll never find it.”
C.P. Snow

“Doubly rich is the man still boyish enough to play, laugh and sing as he carries and emanates sunshine along a friendly road.”
Charles R. Wiers

"Faith is not a shelter against difficulties, but belief in the face of all contradictions."
Paul Tournier

"Convictions are the mainsprings of action, the driving powers of life. What a man lives are his convictions."
Francis C. Kelley

"To do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger; but jump in, and scramble through as well as we can."
Sydney Smith

"It is often just as sacred to laugh as it is to pray"
Charles R. Swindoll

"Things never go so well that one should have no fear; and never so ill that one should have no hope"
Turkish proverb

"Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself"
Chinese proverb

"Don't bother to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."
William Faulkner

"In times of change, learners will inherit the earth,while the learned will find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists"
Eric Hoffer

"Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans."
John Lennon

"Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation."
Robert F. Kennedy

"The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems."
Mahatma Gandhi

"Determine that the thing can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way."
Abraham Lincoln

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
Martin Luther King Jr.

"There is nothing in life so difficult that it cannot be overcome. This faith can move mountains. It can change people. It can change the world."
Norman Vincent Peale

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
Albert Einstein

"Life isn't measured by the number of breaths we take but the moments that take our breath away."
Anonymous

"Patience and perseverence have a magical affect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."
John Quincy Adams

"Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and woman to win them."
Ralph Waldo Emerson