When pupils leave their schooldays behind them, their academic achievements are important, of course, but so is going out into the world as conscientious, compassionate people who will be good citizens. We spoke to five teachers who excel at this part of the job to find out how they make it happen.
‘It grew bigger than we ever expected’
When Kate Woodward, a teacher at Lyndhurst primary school, in Oldham, set up an after-school club on global issues, she had no idea how popular it would become. Her aim was to give pupils who might not have conversations about world issues at home a chance to discuss them with their friends.
Woodward, who studied psychology at Lancaster University, then did her PGCE at the University of Manchester, says the club, which is on hold because of Covid-19, is led by the children. “Initially we mind mapped what they wanted to get out of the club,” she says. “And we decided to look at the effects of fast fashion on the environment.”
Through the club, the children, aged from seven to 11, have learned about the global, environmental and social impact of buying disposable clothes. The main activity, which they enthusiastically supported, was making a map out of old clothes they brought in.
The club became so popular that Woodward had to run it in lunchtimes too. “Every day I’d have about 20 children all wanting to add their bit [to the clothes map], so the club grew bigger than we ever expected,” she says. The large map they produced now hangs in the entrance to the school.
Woodward says she’s passionate about creating “empathetic and well-rounded individuals” and hopes the club is encouraging the children to see the world in a different way. “I wanted to do something around geography and history because I think they’re such important subjects, and becoming more important in day-to-day life. It’s been lovely to see,” she says.
‘Schools are where we learn about the world’
Creating caring, compassionate and confident adults is important to James Clarke, who teaches drama and health education at Whitefield school, in Barnet, north London. “Schools are where we learn about the world and are exposed to the world.”
His school is working on an “intergenerational” programme, where year 9 students and people in hospital with dementia collaborate on creative projects. The aim is to get it back up and running after lockdown. Sessions are run online via video calls, which are streamed live in both the classroom and the hospital. “As one part of the project, we shared stories and words and came up with a poem,” Clarke says.
The intergenerational team is also working on a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. “They’ll film parts of it [in the hospital] and we’ll film parts of it, and then it’ll come together as one big production and project,” Clarke says. “It’s really important to see that collaborative element.”
Clarke, who studied drama, applied theatre and education at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, followed by a PGCE at the University of the Arts London, says he tries to get students involved with the local community as much as he can. “It’s hard to pass an exam, but you’ll learn it and you’ll get there,” he says. “But to learn about being human is so much more difficult – and that’s all part of the role of being a teacher.”
Clarke says he struggled in school because of his sexuality and he doesn’t want other young people to feel that they’re not accepted or loved. “If just one student walks out and feels positive and valued then I feel I’ve done my job,” he says.
‘There’s quite a lot of bonding when you’re washing cars’
Anya Peyton, a history teacher who is now assistant principal at Hanham Woods academy in Bristol, is passionate about building confidence and empathy in her students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Peyton was one of the first in her family to go to university; she studied history and politics at the University of Southampton. “I come from a working class, single parent background, and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do at university,” she says. However, with encouragement from one of her teachers, she made her application.
Having finished her degree, she spent a stint volunteering in a school. That experience helped her realise that teaching was where her future lay, and she went on to study for her PGCE at the University of Bristol. “I liked the idea of helping people,” she says. “Just like that teacher did for me.”
Peyton makes a point of helping her students to become conscientious adults. One Christmas, they collected toiletries such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, wrapped them in festive paper and took them to the local library so they could be given to homeless people. Another time, students organised a charity car wash. “I ended up out there washing the cars with them,” Peyton says.
Projects such as these help students to hone their empathy, Peyton says. “Washing cars, there was quite a lot of bonding and friendship,” she says. “It was good to see them work together. They already had that caring in them; we just gave them an outlet for it.”
In turn, this gives pupils the all-important confidence to succeed in life. “It matters because it turns them into people who are happy,” Peyton says. “Giving back to the local community does wonders for their wellbeing, because they know they’ve made a difference.”
It also helps Peyton on a personal level. “I’m passionate about it because it’s good for pupils and it’s good for the community,” she says. “One of the things that’s kept me going throughout the pandemic has been my job and the fact that I really love it.”
‘Young people see you as a role model’
Matt Betts, who teaches at Avon Valley college in Durrington, Wiltshire, says he’s passionate about creating compassionate students. “That’s a core part of my values,” he says. “[I want students to] grow up with empathy and compassion – to not just see the world through their own achievements, but to think about what they can achieve for the world.”
Betts, who studied business management at the University of Exeter and a PGCE at Bath Spa University, previously worked with students through the National Citizens Service. Now a maths teacher, he gets involved in school activities such as the chess club, the football club and helping out with charity events.
“I’ve particularly enjoyed training the football teams,” he says. “I try to put my point across that it’s about more than just being a skilful player on the pitch, it’s about being a good sportsman, leading your team, lifting your team up when you’re having a bad game, looking out for each other and being a good teammate.”
Betts believes empathetic teachers inspire their students. “Young people see you as a role model,” he says. “If you can show your whole self, in terms of your strengths, your weaknesses, your compassion and your empathy, as well as your flaws, you help give them confidence.”
‘I wanted to make a difference in my community’
Sian Green teaches religion and philosophy at Chiswick School, in west London, and says she became a teacher because she wanted to give back to society. Green, who studied philosophy at the University of Manchester and a PGCE through Teach First at the University of Manchester, says: “I wanted to make a difference in my community in some way, and I knew how important school was in shaping who we become as adults.”
As part of her philosophy classes, Green and her students explore what’s good for us as individuals versus what’s for the general moral good. For example, in a recent class her students discussed wearing masks during Covid-19.
Green also talks about social justice and racial discrimination. “We’re all different. I try to encourage our students to think outside of their own experience and use their reasoning. We tackle issues in an intelligent and empathetic way,” she says.
Outside the classroom, Green co-founded the social enterprise Sex Ed Matters, which helps equip teachers with the confidence and skills needed to deliver the new relationships and sex education (RSE) curriculum.
Overall, she wants her students to be comfortable in their own skins and to develop emotional intelligence. “Emotional intelligence is often something that has been sidelined but is something that is crucially important for all of us,” she says.
By having such conversations in the classroom, Green says that she and her students can gain new perspectives: “We can understand the world around us much better.”
In teaching every day is different, and so is every teacher. Discover 100 teachers across the country, shaping lives. And if you’d like to know how you can bring your individual passions to a job in teaching, head to Get Into Teaching to find out more.
