I have been working on the latest theme course for year 8 students called ‘inspiration’. It got me thinking as to what have been my drivers. What makes me continue to do what I do? What has inspired me? I have to do a kick off to this unit of work shortly at one of the partner schools, so I need to know what it is? I’ve searched the web to find what has inspired all the successful people we know and its rich and various – some are inspired by amazing human endeavour or by success against the odds. Others are inspired by grief and loss. Music and art has a big part to play, as does religious or experiences of beauty. 

Before exploring this, first a bit about what brings me to this point. I am working with a group of schools who, as members of Whole Education are working on a project called SAIL – student agency in learning. We are determined through goal setting, coaching, a transparent curriculum, success factors to guide student learning  and effective feedback, to give young people a chance to own their learning. Inspired by Kunskapsskolan practice we are determined to bring breadth, depth and relevance to learning that is personalised by students understanding ‘Life is what you make it’.

Part of this work is redesigning the curriculum for years 7,8 and 9 recently described in an OFSTED report as ‘The Wasted Years’. Redesigned, not just in a structural sense, but redesigned to bring pedagogy and practice that really impacts on learning. In addition to core subjects, students work on four themes of work a year tackling some big issues as well as meeting defined subject goals and skills. 

You should not underestimate the way that giving ownership to young people gives them motivation to learn. Our aim is to present every unit of work with purpose and to conclude it with a challenging mission. This mission often requires some form of group or personal presentation. Talking about learning is one of the most powerful strategies. So a recent theme driven by Geography ,finishes with students presenting a lengthy news report on a natural disaster and its impact. The news report is to be filmed and one of the schools has invited an audience to the local cinema to view their news reports. Fun but scary. Taking the learning and bringing it to life. Learning they will remember.

 But the other motivating element is to be able to find your route through the learning and to know clearly what it is to produce great and beautiful work; transparent learning goals and clear success factors with students coached not told what to do at every point. Rather what we expect..

 But enough of that; back to ‘Inspiration’. This unit of work will finish with a series of exhibitions, pieces of drama or music and then shared across and with our KED global network of schools. I’m not sure if anyone has watched Eric Whitacre’s TED talk on his virtual choir. Certainly it ranks as inspiring. Will the teachers be brave enough to encourage and facilitate something like this?

So where do you find inspiration? You know it’s really hard to answer, because I think what inspires you  changes as you go though life. There are moments that make you reflect and sometimes redouble your life’s mission. I’m not sure if we all have those moments but for me a mission, or several projects at once is what I’m all about. I once took part in a course which started with us looking at the aspects of our psyche that makes us who we are. One of the elements was personal challenge. I scored 100% and sat there very pleased. In the feedback I was told that I seem to be so driven that it is really important for me to achieve something at the ultimate degree. 100% suggests that I’m a ‘pace setter’ and the weakness of such people is that if they look behind at the group they are leading they might find them disappearing into the distance. The message is that I need to keep working with my team to ensure they are still with me. So for those of you I work with, don’t think this is an excuse that will ever slow me down.

So how did that happen? Was there some inspirational figure that made me determined to achieve. They say these traits are largely fixed by the age of 7 and from then onwards we try to learn to manage these dispositions.

 When my father died 10 years ago, I gave a valedictory speech at the funeral with my brothers. Reflecting on him and his life made me realise there was never a time I remember of him holding back. If he built a fish pond it was more like a lake. Other people have chickens  at the bottom of the garden – we had 500. He was ambitious for us three boys. He was a mad sports man and he must have been disappointed that I wasn’t especially interested – I left that to my brothers. What I did know was that he was always there for me – a rock. He always believed I could achieve anything. In many ways he always believed I could manage things and lead. We all worked in the shops he ran and he never doubted if they went on holiday, that as a 19 years old we would manage.  I could endlessly illustrate. But it was a climate where there were no boundaries, and where we were expected to lead. We existed in a climate of love and trust, so whatever was asked we were able to be brave, and there would always be a way to achieve. And to illustrate that, at 60 he was stilling helping the village football team and stepping in to ref or even play if no one turned up – much to my mother’s dismay. Age did not weary him.

 So even though I didn’t realise it he was my hero, he was my inspiration and above all my rock.

 But  as you go through life, other things spark along the journey. At school I took inspiration from being a quiet rebel. I don’t have many positives to say about my grammar school education, but in the third form we were all expected to join the cadet force. I was determined not to do so, despite all the encouragement from home and the blackmail from school – you’ll never be a prefect – I stood firm.

From this came an early campaigning zeal for liberal politics and pacifism. It was the time of the Vietnam War and later Enoch Powell’s racist litany. You can imagine what I did. There wasn’t a person as such that sparked it but many who sustained it – the Kennedy’s, Martin Luther King, Steve Biko and no shortage of music. I took Economics and International Affairs at A level. A big mistake. It just gave me a platform for my political views and when a question came up in the exam on Vietnam you can imagine the consequence. With only half an hour to go I realised I still had not finished the first question on Vietnam.

 And so much musical inspire. What prompted this blog, was that I was on a flight to New York filling the 7 hours with a range of tasks, reading and music. I’m not sure I was ever a big fan of the Bee Gees but I just bought the new album by Barry Gibb. I have come across this track – Home Truth Song.  It resonated with me – so many important lyrics in it that I can relate to as I battle with the voice telling me to do less, and what conversely an increasing rage to achieve and commit to societal change. Grandchildren do that to you.  Anyhow the words that resonate go like this:

“I am the man who does holding up..

I am the one who will not fade away

I will be standing with my hand in the fire

Feeling forever young…”

So just as I feel it’s time to slow down and stop this mad life story this comes along and inspires me again…or if not inspires then adds fuel to the flames. Is inspiration just one episode?

You know it’s been like that endlessly. So much of music provides a watchword to rekindle or redirect. How about this one from the inspiring film – Selma.  OK its second hand inspiration from the likes of Martin Luther King. But you have to ask, what would I have done had I been there? King empowered and gave meaning to action. And this song asks us to think of where we are now – Black Lives matter, post BREXIT racist abuse, lack of compassion and fear about the present refugee issues.  John Legend and Common reprise that mission, inspire a new generation. I watched this with a group of our students from New York. Some were in tears and at the end they all applauded. Inspiration from adversity?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuRjsasKNZY

 Similarly the poem Invictus that is supposed to have sustained Nelson Mandela through 27 years of imprisonment. What a last line as something to remember those hard times when you think the world is against you.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

 I’m not sure that this would have been in Mandela’s collection but it comes from a similar protest where the Dixie Chicks stood up against the Bush administration and their role in the Middle East at a concert in the UK. They were ostracised and their music boycotted by many right wing radio stations. They received death threats and hate mail. I find there are lots of things to be as ‘Mad as Hell’ and ‘Not Ready to Make Nice’.

I don’t think these are the inspiration…. these just keep firing it up and remember what it is. Is possible.

So let’s take this away from me? I think I’m trying to show it’s hard to find one  point of inspiration but that there are things and people and encounters along the way that rekindle and shape those ambitions and goals. Things that motivate us or give us continued grit. 

How do we inspire the next generation of young people.

Well there are no shortage of inspirational figures – people who do things against all the adversity. How can we not be inspired by Mo Farah and the single minded commitment and growth mind-set that has made him world champion. Those people who have been taken down and have got up to be super humans- just look at the Paralympics. By Nick Vujicic, whose positive approach to life is amazing having been born with no arms and legs. How dare we ever settle for second best. By people who fail in their lives but go on again to create amazing enterprises or achievements.

 But that is our job teachers and school leaders. You may not be tasked with climbing Everest, with discovering a new antibiotic or  may not be faced with tribulation and defeat, but you are there to inspire. You have the most important job in the world outside the role of parents. You have to build hope and ambition and make them realise it’s possible. Yes,you. You can do it as a great orator or just by being a quiet coach who what ever happens believes in the amazing potential of young people

 In return those students will come to inspire you. In my career there are so many who for various reasons make me proud and keep me with my ‘hand in the fire’. I should not name them but if they read this they will probably know who they are. O who despite incredible tragedy saw though his medicine qualifications to be a man his parents dreamed he’d be. A, who at 10 was working at a level of peers 4 years older and now at 19 has finished his degree, but in addition fitted in an amazing training programme to be a great swimmer and yet one of the most modest people I know.  D who at school struggled with his hyperactive temperament at school  but found an outlet in the school radio and the student council to become a political activist and radio presenter. M who phoned me ten years after he left school to tell me he’d been diagnosed with MS so had to change his joinery job. He wanted me to know he was doing a Geography degree and that he’d got an A for his first assignment so wanted to tell me all my hard work was not wasted. The list goes on into hundreds. And then for me there are the teachers and educators who commit their time and energies day after day…. Never think you are not appreciated. Battered we may be as a profession, but be confident you make a difference.

 I was on a train in New York recently and two people in front were talking. He asked him what he was doing and he replied, I’m just a teacher. The other guy told him he needed to think about his marketing strategy and USP. Too right. He has the most important job there is, to inspire a new generation. Who says I’m just a doctor, or just a dentist.

 I’m not sure this has helped me prepare my kick off for the Inspiration theme course. It seems that inspiration comes form a core belief inspired by those around you and in my case my faith. But then it is punctuated and enhanced along the way by people, music, and the wider world around us to refuel or even redirect. So as I go through life and reach those difficult moments or need to make a choice that matters, I have those reference points. I have people metaphorically ‘on my shoulders’ I think what they would do, but I also have those in my heart that match that logic and experience.

 But perhaps  the best way to find and harness  that inspiration is to pause, and reflect and pause and let this inherited wisdom find its way to help. Watching this helps. I never tire of watching this and reminding myself that along with the pace, the inspiration and rage, take a break and be mindful. Wish me luck with the kick offs and thank you all of you for keeping the faith alive.