Praise
In one's working life, praise is often in short supply. However, praise can be like rocket fuel - it gives us a boost and encourages us to carry on, to keep putting our shoulders to the wheel - week in and week out. For sixteen years, I was The Head of English in a north Sheffield secondary school. During that span of time, I worked closely with up to a hundred other English teachers. Some were with me for years while others lasted for no more than a single teaching year. And there were student teachers, supply teachers, even an Australian teacher who was with us for a year on an exchange programme. I led them all - the young ones, the older ones, women, men, competent teachers and incompetent ones, teachers prone to tears and teachers who went the extra mile to serve pupils to the best of our ability. I led by example and by listening to other teachers - showing that I valued them as colleagues and by encouraging them - often with praise that might spur them on. It was my nat...