More about us
Mrs W
Digging through my memory boxes recently, amongst the signed school shirts, Hanson CD's and Groovy Chick notepads, I uncovered my National Record of Achievement. When instructed to keep this burgundy portfolio as vital documentation of my employment by my Year 11 tutor, I did as I was damn well told.
Tucked in the back, I discovered the careers aptitude test that 15 year old me had completed. Top of the list was teaching. PAH! There was no way on earth that was for me. I was thinking of a classier profession in PR, living in a swanky London flat with my mates and drinking expensive cocktails at the weekend. Turns out watching Friends and Bridget Jones' Diary on repeat boosted my imagination but not my career prospects!
Fast forward to 2002, a failed first attempt at University and an outreach post in Higher Education later, I was lucky to have an incredibly supportive manager who was keen to invest in my education. Whilst inspiring young people to 'Aimhigher' I was fortunate enough to study part time for my degree in Media Communications and Film Studies. I loved this job; travelling around the UK for HE fairs, spending hour upon hour in secondary schools doing Student Life talks and hosting residential summer schools fuelled my passion for working with young people.
Although I have never been naturally academic, I have always been taught that hard graft pays off. One of my proudest achievements was to gain a First Class Honours degree and after 8 years working in HE, I set my sights on training to become an English teacher through GITEP.
Entering teaching in my late twenties gave me a completely different perspective. I was lucky to have experience of behaviour management and workload expectations. What I was not prepared for was the stigma that shrouded mental health.
Having personal experience of anxiety and periods of depression since my late teens, this was not something that I was prepared to declare to my employer or talk about with anyone, fearing that this would be considered an inability to cope, a sign of weakness or worse, I would be labelled as over dramatic. Citalopram will continue to be my best friend, but I quickly realised that although this was sticking a plaster over the chemical imbalance, I needed tools and strategies to help sustain my wellbeing. With the support of one of the most inspirational women I know, I began weekly hypnotherapy sessions; combining CBT, life coaching and relaxation to regain balance and order in a chaotic world. She has helped me through the birth of my two children (and subsequent PND), the stresses of school life and building self-esteem. It was through this process that I no longer felt afraid to speak out about mental health, using my own experiences to show others that they are not alone.
When the pandemic struck in March 2020, the world shifted sideways globally and mental health became more important that ever. Although society had been chipping away at the stigma surrounding wellbeing, it was time to get out the sledgehammer. Whilst navigating Teams lessons, teaching Macbeth remotely and supporting students and their families in those unprecedented times, it occurred to me that we were doing everything in our power to protect our young people but leaving ourselves, as teachers, at the bottom of the pile. Hell, we were sweeping our needs so far under the carpet that we were becoming ingrained in the foundations!
So when life took a turn toward the 'new normal' it was more important than ever to shout from the rooftops and scream 'what about us'? As a huge fan of parenting blogs, Instagram feeds and podcasts, I began looking for the same advice and guidance for teachers. Searching for those 'YES' moments when you hear someone else validate how you have been feeling and feel comfort knowing that you are not alone and it was more than ok to feel this way. Anecdotes from those on the coal face who have laughed, cried and dealt with the absurd. People who know the acronyms, jargon and mental load of our profession.
I typed 'mental health support for teachers' in to a search engine and was bombarded with resources for supporting our young people and their mental health. I was directed to some fabulous charities who deal with general mental health and wellbeing. But I wanted something more. And that, is how our story begins....