I was recently contacted by a teacher who was asked by their Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to discuss an article she had shared on pay scales. Her guess is that they are not happy about it. To be clear the article was not an opinion piece and provided information only. She shared the article to inform rather than to ignite a staff backlash and as far as she is aware it has not done so. She said “I read the article and found it helpful so shared it with the teachers via email knowing that the head is part of that email group - I was not trying to hide anything - I didn’t feel I needed to. Maybe I should have just kept quiet.”
This teacher is now sitting at home, worrying about this upcoming meeting - she describes some of her symptoms:
- racing heartbeat
- a lack of focus on tasks she had planned for her day
- headache
- emotional
Having worked as a teacher for almost 16 years this kind of response from SLT is an occurrence I have sadly come across regularly. No matter how many times it happens the overwhelming immediate feeling is that of disappointment - SLT are supportive until they are not. When all is going well (you are doing 10 hour shifts and quietly getting on with your work in the background) they are supporting your wellbeing with unrivalled enthusiasm and biscuits but when you ask questions, request adaptations or require a bit extra their enthusiasm abruptly turns into huge amounts of begrudging effort and their “genuine care” for your wellbeing falls by the wayside.
The interaction that this teacher describes has caused me to reflect on the silencing that goes on in our schools every day and how much of it results in high levels of festering and frustration that are terrible for teacher mental health and wellbeing - the act of holding can cause increases in stress, anxiety, isolation and depression.
I began to write a list of memorable experiences of silencing (topics that I have held back on speaking out about) over my 16 year career, some of which you might recognise:
- The need for more play based learning
- Requesting time off for my children’s doctors appointments and school events
- Feeling ill
- Being questioned about leaving at 4.30
- Staff interactions with SEND children
- Being asked to lie about my pregnancy out of marriage
- Planning and Assessment requirements
- PPA time
- Pay and hours
- Additional workload
- Observation approaches
As I compiled the list I began to realise that this silencing is seeping into all areas of our teaching lives, it is everywhere! Holding back when you disagree with the way something is run or asking questions in response to how it might be negatively impacting you has been replaced with barriers. Judgemental responses, curt and patronising interactions with SLT make speaking out about the elements of your working life that are not quite supporting you, futile. And deep down SLT who behave in this way know this - they recognise that their responses will shield them from being held accountable from their staff teams - causing them less stress and minimal confrontation. I am sympathetic to the unmanageable workload SLT faces but any anger or frustration with this overwhelming pressure is misplaced when directed at staff teams - we should not bear the brunt of bad education policy. Ultimately teams that are silenced make for ineffective school communities and all miss out when teachers are silenced.
Teachers contact me about these kind of interactions all the time:
- staff that are suddenly unwell and told that they can “take all the time they need” only to be huffed and puffed at when they actually take them up on it
- teachers too worried to admit that they are feeling anxious about elements of their job for fear of looking weak
- SLT micromanaging and removing the space for teacher voice
- teachers work being marked with a green pen and feeling they cannot question it
There are hundreds of stories that show teachers are scared of the possible disproportionate responses to their needs - shocking, yet not at all surprising.
When writing my book, Teacher Autonomy. Where Has it Gone and Why We Need it Back it was really difficult to get teachers to share their experiences openly without anonymising them. Teachers are worried by the hierarchical nature of their workplaces - they are scared to question, to stand up and speak out about work practices they deem unhelpful, damaging or lack efficiency. The initialising of school teachers is rife - we are part of the system, a system that seeks more and more control.
Policies and systems exist but the unwritten policy is that of silence - keep quiet, do your hours and more, don’t ask questions and tell us everything you are doing so we can sign it off first. Working in education is less about trust and more about control than ever before.