Why are so many teachers conservative?

Small ‘c’ conservativism, coupled with decreasingly politicisation, and a misty eyed view of the past, means that the profession is falling into the hands of aggressive ideologues like Mr Gove. We need a positive and progressive alternative that is brave and embraces change.

And for those teachers for whom their practice IS political, and believe that it is all the fault of ‘evil Mr Gove’, lets look at Labour. Without an alternative narrative of social justice Labour is failing in developing a progressive education policy: very depressingly stating that their policy is all about reducing ‘Risk’. This is partly because most educational advisers and teachers are too conservative to imagine their way toward a fairer and more progressive profession. Afraid of bravery, afraid to fight for a more just education. Heads in the sand. Not a great strategy for coping with change.

In other words…conservative.

You disagree? Most teachers want less government interference, for things to left as they are, and for there to be less pressure for change. Leave us alone, and let us get on with it, and everything will be fine. When we assess ourselves using our own measures, we are doing really well. Right?

I think the identity of the profession is being locked into a deeply regressive direction or, at best, stasis. Largely as a result of sustained attack by government, but also due to a fundamental misunderstanding of change and how to respond to it.

Change is a constant. A profession that has become so defensive as to be automatically against change, and unable to rethink their role, has lost its way.

I know this post is going to bring me even more grief than the last one, and I am likely to have to follow up with s series of qualifications to the broad brush strokes I am painting here (rhetorically) and to explain my personal position better. But, I am not going to apologise now; though, for the record, am not a Tory, do not like their politics and hate Mr Gove’s vision of education.

Until 3 years ago, I had never been accused of being a Tory. Yet, because I want to see our state schools system develop, embrace and evolve new pedagogies and practice, this name-calling has increasingly clouded the broader debate I am engaging with. I did like the opportunity / challenge Gove laid down to us to do better… And tried (unsuccessfully- perhaps fortunately- though it nearly broke me) to open a new school in Oxford based on the principles, pedagogy and equity our group believed in. The good news is that the XPSchool, school21 and others are out there proving the ground. But they are too few, and struggling to make a bigger impact.

What I think it boils down to is that too many teachers are responding to the call for the education system to change by arguing that the system (as is) works. Well, not only do I disagree, I disagree on a philosophical level. All living systems are flawed, and the pressures to change and evolve (the Red Queen Hypothesis) are what sustains any ecology.

I also believe that, apart from a few notable exceptions, most schools and teachers are struggling to engage their kids, and to do right by them.

Yes, we need more investment, more professional development, a broader assessment regime, a more formative inspection system…This is a list that is not wrong, and we can all add to it.

But, these could just be more ways to reinforce the status quo.

I believe we need an education system that provides a personalised and engaging learning experience for all children, not just the few who live in the right postcode or who have advantages of birth. Our current fudge does not do this. The crisis in headteacher recruitment is indicative of a system no one wants to lead, at the local level.

So, I want change? Hell yeah. Even if it risks jobs, the familiar, and (dare I say it) even the quality of some kids education. Yes! How can I justify this (assuming I have to) to all my angry colleagues who are frowning their way through this rambling post?

Because I think positive change happens with disruption, when smart people embrace the opportunities to make things better.
Because I share the analysis that, despite the bullshit about international measures of assessment, our stats on pupil destination data, increasing SEN, Wellbeing (obesity, depression, etc) show that our kids are not getting a broad and balanced education that prepares them for life
Because unfairness (regional, class, race, gender) in our education system is getting worse
Because too many kids are being failed by our current approach not to make it worth trying to scale up proven models of success that shift the paradigm of school.
Because most of our schools have barely changed in 40 years
Because teachers are being asked to do more and more, better and better, for less and less.

Surely this zero sum game is one we should step out from

Let’s get back to the vision we have for education.
I want a state funded, equitable, appropriate, modern school for my kids and their peers. We all do. We don’t have one.

So, if I side with the disruptions, this does not make me a Tory or libertarian. It makes me a progressive socialist. With enough of us prepared to look up from the trenches and inform/shape a drive for change we might get there in partnership with our communities, rather than in conflict with our politicians.

We just need more people to speak up. Where the hell are the rest of you?