The day you stop learning is the day you stop living.
My Dad never stopped telling me this and it wasn’t until I began teaching that I understood what he really meant. That may seem odd as I was doing the teaching and the youngsters were doing the learning but it wasn’t as simple as that, for every interaction was an opportunity for me to learn. Perhaps the most important lesson I learnt was humility as I didn’t and don’t have all the answers.
Now as I look back I think how privileged I was. I have taught in five schools with children aged 7-18. single sex, co- educational, independent and maintained state. I have been a Head of Department ,a Pastoral House, Deputy Head and I spent my final 10 years as a Head Teacher of schools in Cambridge and Bedford.
Increasingly schools have adopted a holistic approach to education and PHSE is now a mandatory part of the school curriculum . In my 30 years in the classroom I have witnessed PHSE lessons that were outstanding and the best have been quite brilliant and inspiring, equally I have sat through lessons that have been awkward, ill judged and poorly delivered.
Now perhaps more than ever we need to get this right, which is why I am so excited about working with the inspirational team leading the project youbeforetwo.
All the resource material is age appropriate, factually accurate, prepared and delivered by specialists. The endorsement by the PHSE Association is a mark of the quality of material that is available.
Youbeforetwo is a very committed and creative charity which cares deeply for our young people… be a part of its future.