What I wish I knew with John Cosgrove

Teaching is in the blood for John Cosgrove, as his parents and other family members have all been part of this glorious profession. In almost 40 years of teaching, John has seen just about everything. During his career he taught across England in secondary schools (as a French and Spanish teacher), before transitioning to primary schools, where he went on to become a headteacher. He also wrote articles, news items, blogs, plays and books, both fiction and non-fiction, that have been published widely. And he even found time to stand in a general election as a prospective MP. He came very close to being elected too, losing out narrowly to athletics icon Sebastien Coe. After a lifetime in education, John knows the impact that great teachers have on the students they teach, and the importance of making a difference.

In this podcast we discuss ...

• Why teaching is worth investing time in. You always make a difference, but it may not always be instant, in fact it may be many years later that you find out just what difference you made.
• How realising that a boy who rarely behaved well couldn't actually hear a word John was saying. The boy had moved school many times and he had slipped through the net. John picked up the problem, the boy had grommets fitted and he was transformed. So much so that he called out to John years later when he saw him in the town.
• Why teachers who resort to shouting are not helping anyone - not the child who is being shouted at, not the other children who don't like it, and not the teacher (especially when an accident occurs at the point of shouting!). There are many better ways to help children behave better, so make sure you use them. 
• How he was greeted on walking in to his first class. A young teenage girl at the back commented, "Ugh, look what the f**k just walked in!" It was a tough start and made John consider whether he could carry on, but it turned into such a valuable learning experience. This made John realise how important it is to be protective towards NQTs (ECTs) and how important it is to seek help from more experienced colleagues, as they helped him to manage the situation. 
• The value of asking colleagues to come and observe you so they can support you. One teacher told John he was doing little wrong but that he wasn't looking after the most important resource in the room ... himself. This was the most important lesson he ever learnt and it is the most important lesson for ECTs today.
• After the only formal observation John had in his NQT year, which lasted 5 minutes and was carried out by the headteacher right at the end of his first year, John was told he had passed. Very different to today!
• How dealing with the anxiety of always thinking you need to do more and that you are never good enough should be the priority for every new teacher, as you can't teach your best when you are worrying all the time.
• Having a laugh with your class is an essential part of every day, even if the young children don't always get your jokes!
• Seeing a child do something that they couldn't do without your intervention is what gives you a buzz in teaching.
• During John's first inspection, the lead inspector told the staff that if the school was judged as satisfactory, as many schools are, then you are doing the job you are paid for. And that is as true today, even though the pressure of accountability is much greater. You can always be better, but be satisfied when you are doing a good job.
• The joy of working holistically with primary school children was what tempted John to end his career in secondary schools. The chance to influence every aspect of children's learning and development is just wonderful.
• How John almost won a seat in parliament as an MP having stood against Sebastien Coe no less. Just a few thousand votes was all that stood between him and Westminster.
• One of the marks of a successful classroom are smiles and laughter. This tells you that there is joy in learning.
• The way young children still experience regular awe and wonder in the world around them is refreshing. These wow moments are so important for children and for the teacher. When children go home and excitedly tell their parents what they have been learning, you know you have got things right.

You can connect with John on ...

Twitter John Cosgrove (@johncosgrove405) / Twitter

You can find out about John's books at ...

Amazon.co.uk: John Cosgrove: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle

You can read John's blog at ...

John Cosgrove – Retired Headteacher, Author and Freelance Writer (wordpress.com)