My school is divided into 4 House’s, each House has its own Head of House & House identity, not unlike Hogwarts

and this week I have been delivering an assembly to the various Houses on ‘Tackling Homophobia’.

I feel that schools I have worked in generally do not challenge Homophobic language enough and this gives an implied message to students that it is ok for them to use offensive words & actions, in short I am fed up with hearing phrases like ‘That’s Gay’ etc. so I decided I needed to do something about it!

I approached the Headmaster & he was happy for me to discuss this topic through assemblies & so I then asked the various Heads of House to give me an assembly slot, it was surprizing how willing they were, but then again I should of known no-one in my school wants to deliver an assembly & so its the same old faces of the School Leadership Team getting up & everyone zoning out when they start to speak.

So I wanted my assembly to have a little PUNCH…….

I wanted to explain to students that during my school days (which were many moons ago) were very different to their experiences & that racial language that was so common place in society then & within schools has been nearly totally removed, or is always now challenged through schools, teachers & students playing their part in tackling racism – so lets do the same with Homophobia.

But that wouldn’t be enough, so I dug out some photos of me when at school & discussed what life was like ‘back in the day’ I used images to portray life for me growing up, such as:

and other images of my friends who had experienced bullying, verbal & physical abuse because they were gay.

Further images & stories of famous people such as Sam Smith,Jim Parsons & Ellen DeGeneres were discussed and I explained how they have all commented on how hard it was growing up with homophobic language around them in school.

As I looked around the Hall each day I saw the students looking back, absorbed and engaged, I had connected with them & I so I talked about what we could all do, change our outlook, change our choice of words & challenge those who are being abusive.

The response was amazing even now I sit here blown away when reflecting how well it went, each & every House applauded the assembly, Yes applauded it!

Students approached me afterwards & commented that they loved the assembly, they loved the message, that they loved the music and images used, but most of all a few students commented that were glad someone got up and said it for them!

I drove home feeling 100 foot tall, For once I felt I had really achieved something, the battle now will to keep it going….

Above all one student’s comment left a mark on me, he said

‘That was inspirational, something inside me dies everyday when I am told that’s so gay, as if being gay  is bad, now someone has got up and said STOP’

So  if anyone wants my assembly & resources or wants me to come into your school & deliver it let me know.

And finally can I recommend you do an assembly, like my experience you might just enjoy it and a student might just need someone to stand up for them

#inspired

No you read that right, Sunny Cardiff! So after a few days rest following the Easter Break up, we headed down to Cardiff for National Conference, Division had arranged a mini-bus for us to travel down & socialize on the way…..

but as a family we decided to travel down early & check out the crèche facilities for the kids and I had been invited to a ‘First time delegates lunch with the General Sec’. So we set off early & drove down to Cardiff and surprisingly the roads were clear-ish and the sun was shining, upon our arrival in Cardiff we checked into the fantastic Radisson Blu, which is a swanky hotel right in the middle of Cardiff.

The hotel was superb, with interconnecting rooms for my wife & I and the children, once again I found that the Union had ensured that families & partners are involved and supported and actively encouraged to attend with those members who engage in Union life.

They went off to explore Cardiff & I set off to register at the Conference centre and have lunch with Chris Keates & other first time delegates. The conference was held at The Millennium Centre at Cardiff Bay.

During this lunch meeting I was informed of the process & procedures of conference. It was informal, light hearted and a warm welcome which made me feel keen to speak if the chance arose during the various motions that Conference would discuss/debate. It was then back to the Hotel however with some bad news, my crèche bookings had not worked out, so over dinner at the hotel with all the other Division delegates my wife & I worked out a plan for their activities over the next few days.

We ate that night with all the other delegates(as we did other evenings during the Conference) from my division at the Hotel and an enjoyable sociable evening followed, the format was every evening we would meet, socialize and follow up discussions from earlier in the day. Families were of course included and one highlight was my children & other families children playing & laughing in the restaurant of an evening.

My thoughts/concerns that would my wife & children be bored when I was at conference were blown away when each evening the kids got together and enjoyed an evening meal with new friends

#happy kids!

Some highlights for me of the Conference were:

1. Listening to Tristan Hunt Shadow Minister for Education discuss how Labour would rebuild trust with Teachers after the last 5 years of attacks, and also listening to Hew Lewis the Minister for Education in Wales talk about the Education system/needs in Wales & The UK.

2.Listening to, following and being involved in decisions that would shape NASUWT union work over the coming year.

3. Visiting the Fringe events & workshops on topical issues and taking advantage of the free relaxation & massage tents and other great stall holders in the foyer of the Conference.

4. Socializing with people from Division, Regional & National areas and discussing topics affecting us all as a profession.

5. Speaking at Conference (not once but twice) Having listened, voted and participated in votes on various motions, I felt the desire to speak & offer my opinions, I duly completed a card requesting I be called to speak, as a first time speaker I was greeted with a round applause as I took the lectern to discuss how shameful the current supply market is and how it needs regulation.

I felt my speech went well, was well received and comments by delegates in and around the Conference Hall was positive afterwards. This made me feel happy that I had participated in the discussion and debate that formed how NASUWT would action this issue in the coming year.

6. Finally Broadening the horizons – Having the opportunity to visit a city I have not visited before, exploring Cardiff Bay which is wonderful & the children exploring Cardiff Castle, Cardiff Bay, etc.

In Summary: My first conference was a great success in every way, all the family enjoyed their long weekend, I was able to feel I contributed to my union and its action plans for the coming year, I met with lots of like-minded people & even got up and spoke! Happy Days

However Two things to carry forward to Birmingham ’16 Conference though:

1. Book and sort out the crèche early!
2. Keep the receipts as the Expense Form  is a killer!!

Earlier this month I attended my division’s AGM, whereby I met the Committee for Telford & Wrekin, like everything I have experienced so far through the Union it was set up to make members thinking of attending easy for them.

It was at a central Telford hotel, details regarding the AGM were sent out well in advance, a nice dinner was supplied free of charge, the timings were considered to make it an early start/reasonable finish, generally I would say thought had gone into supporting & facilitating members attending.

No why the fuss, why attend, why should I bother?

Well Telford is going through some radical changes in education, various secondary schools are merging, other schools are ‘adjusting staffing levels’ there are various new Headmasters in other schools, who might be considered Gung-Ho & therefore coming to AGM might just give a local member an insight into the landscape & climate & state of the education system of the area.

So I was surprized by what can only be described as apathy by local members, turnout considering local issues was poor, however I am getting ahead of myself,

The format:

Is get to the hotel & have a drink and socialize, then have a bite to eat whilst catching up, on this occasion it was Chicken & mushroom pie with various side options & the outcome very nice as well!

(this was agreed by a vote of 8 vs. 4 so the motion that the chicken pie was nice was carried – joke!)

Everyone was very welcoming and we sat around the table in one of the pre-booked conference rooms generally having a gas & catch-up!

The meeting was then called to order & various points raised & discussed all related to either specific local issues or national campaigns, it was interesting to observe & offer comment on some of these issues, not least the topics covered in this blog earlier such as Supply & LGBT rights.

Everyone had a chance to speak/contribute even a ‘newbie’ like myself & it was interesting & informative.

The Swearing In of the Equality Officer:

I would like to suggest this was the main event of the evening, I donned my ceremonial robes, garter, rod & chains & awaited my swearing in as the Equality office for my division,

The line up or committee members roles were discussed & I was sworn in as the new Equality Officer

All joking aside it was that easy, i/e come along, be met & be welcomed by like minded people who share a common interest, be fed & watered at a nice central hotel and discuss how things can be addressed or  improved both locally & nationally.

I even shared this blog with the committee & they seemed to like it as a another possible tool in engaging with members.

So clearly they must be good judges of character!

So Easter fast approaches & I thought I would by now be looking forward to attending my first National Conference down in Cardiff, lovely so I thought a few days away in the valleys & a chance to catch up with some colleagues/’friends’ (is it too early to call them friends?) and carry on with our discussions on the areas addressed at recent regional events. I had been asked back in December ’14 if I fancied attending by the Division ‘brass’

and thought ‘why not? that sounds different, enjoyable, challenging and could be fun!, a few days away in a nice hotel, eating nice food, and having a chance to put my opinion across on topics that affect me – Yes Please’, in hindsight that was

MISTAKE NUMBER 1…………

I mentioned that I had been invited to Conference at home and that partners & children could also attend, that really was in hindsight

MISTAKE NUMBER 2………….

The first mistake entailed me filling out various forms online, phoning various people generally adding to my already heavy work load, I should add I am somewhat a Luddite and crave the old days when you did these things by good old fashioned pen & paper – Anyone remember these?

Now it’s all register with this website, await your username & password, login, register online etc. it all really gets my goat up. I honestly don’t think its quicker or easier for me, however by mid- Jan ’15 I had done all that I needed to do or so I thought. That in hindsight was

MISTAKE NUMBER 3………….

The cold dark mornings gave way to spring & Easter approached, as such I was now instructed by the ‘Boss’ at home to research days out for her & the kids i/e Cardiff Castle etc….’Darling, I chimed, the kids will be in the crèche, lots of fun days for them, you can relax whilst I am at conference, its win, win!’. Life was good brownie points has been banked with my wife and all was well with the world.

Then I checked my emails late last week and find an urgent email from ’Conference  & Events’ team at NASUWT reminding me I hadn’t registered, enrolled the children in the crèche, signed up for fringe events, generally done anything that was needed NOW!

I naturally at this point went into panic mode and emailed everyone, phoned everyone at my school, division and Conference & Events and basically threw myself at their collective mercy claiming ‘it’s my first conference – help’ etc.

The kind ladies at Conference & Events took me through the whole process again, sorted out my logins, passwords and basically sorted it all out for me, Division advised me of traveling arrangements they were organizing & so panic mode was over and we are once again on the Road to Cardiff.

However I mentioned this little hiccup at home before all was sorted out, that in hindsight was

MISTAKE NUMBER 4………….

Home was not as supportive as those above & those brownie points have been removed from my account by my wife and I am once again in her bad books.

So what have I learned, well firstly my Division & the team at Conference and Events really do look out for you, all the arrangements behind the scenes means even a Luddite like me can do it (I know I didn’t, I got it all wrong, but you know what I mean) and the one key core message, if you see a big blue button on the on-line registration forms stating CLICK TO SUBMIT, it’s always best to click on it – Example below!

So after a long week at work, the last thing I really fancied was attending a conference on Supply, but having spent the last couple of years on supply and knowing how simply corrupt the supply market can be, I made sure I dragged myself along.

Glad I did as well, as when I drove into the Hilton Hotel & found the following:

I felt the stresses of the week fall away & who should I see in the foyer but a few of the same faces from the LGBT event from last month, it then really felt like I had made the right decision to attend.

We grabbed a few beers in the bar area, had a lovely dinner and discussed what had been happening since we last met up, what the various members & divisions were looking for from this conference, time & time again the words greater regulation were mentioned. It was fantastic that the union offered this chance for us to network, form friendships/support groups and a chance to socialize around the conference, the free beer tokens didn’t go amiss either!

One weird thing was the numbers of dogs & owners (of course) in the hotel, the number of dog fights in the halls & general madness of people strolling through the lobby with 6+ dogs, then we were told Crufts was in town & many people stay here for the weekend, they must be barking mad!

The following morning after a lovely nights sleep only disturbed by the occasional dog fight in the halls, it was off to conference, the facilities as per last month were spot on & the conference was opened by Geoff Branner (President of NASUWT) followed by a key note speech from Patrick Roach the Deputy General Sec.

It was interesting to hear Patrick’s speech confirming what pretty much everyone on the room demands and this is the need for greater regulation of the supply market, transparency of any agreements schools might have with supply agencies and protection of supply teachers rights to training/CPD etc.

I raised the question of Preferred Supplier Agreements with Patrick Roach & he spoke about the need to ensure these & the umbrella companies agencies use to pay supply staff is again greater regulated.

Feedback from the surveys Supply Teachers had completed and an ‘in-house’ survey on specific issues rounded off the morning, before a wonderful lunch and afternoon fringe or training events were offered.

I attended the ‘Staying Calm in the classroom’ workshop which was an enjoyable & light hearted look at classroom management strategies and the theories behind human behaviour.

The day was wrapped up with a Plenary (sorry for the teacher babble) on areas covered, before we parted again, this time will farewells for those going to Conference at Easter, and the sharing of email addresses & phone numbers.

In the short time I have been involved I have found people from Chris Keates & Patrick Roach downwards as being friendly, approachable and supportive, the conferences very useful & helpful, the food always superb, the company enjoyable and informative!

Roll on Easter – I just hope there are no dog fights in the hotel there!