Teachers Notebook

What things give you energy?

I’m about to begin my 18th year of teaching and I often think back to my PGCE. At the time my provider was being inspected, and they carried out a joint observation with my mentor. One comment has always stuck with me:

“If she carries on like that, she’ll be burnt out by the time she’s 30!’”

That comment made me laugh out loud. The observer just didn’t get it, I come alive in the classroom. Being with students gives me energy. Now, at 42, I still hear the same question from students “How do you have so much energy” or “How many coffees have you had this morning Miss?”. The truth is, I feel most alive and fulfilled when the switch flicks on, that moment I take a breath, walk to the door, and say to myself, “Here we go”.

What Gives me Energy?

For me, it’s all about people. I love social interaction and discovering what makes others tick. I try to find out a little about everyone I meet, and it fascinates me. I also love the humour, honesty and curiosity that teenagers bring. They wear their emotions openly, sometimes raw and unflitered, and I see part of my role as guiding them along their own path of self-discovery.

Teenagers are also brutally honest. If I look tired or not at my best, they’ll say so. If they disagree with me, they’ll let me know instantly. And I respect that.

The Magic of Science

Then, of course, there’s my subject. Science answers questions about the world around us. Even though I trained as a biologist, I’ve found wonders in chemistry and physics too. Sharing those wonders with students and seeing their faces light up. That ‘ohh, so that’s why….’ momement is the best feeling in the world.

Just this week, I was teaching about waves. We started discussing how whales communicate. A student asked “Can whales speak underwater?”, So, we broke the question down together:

1. How are particles arranged in a gas and in a liquid?
2. How do you hear my voive now?
3. Can energy travel through a medium other than air?

Finally we got that lightbulb moment “Wow, so whales can talk better than us!” Watching that realisation land, seeing the joy and wonder spread across a student’s face, that’s what gives me a buzz of energy.

Still Alive in the Classroom

That inspector all those years ago thought I’d be burnt out by now. But here I am, 18 years on, still fuelled by the laughter, the curiosity, the endless ‘wow’ moments of teaching. The classroom doesn’t drain me… it keeps me alive.