Schools: Why aren't YOU getting involved?

Where is my seat?

Can I ask you a question?  Why are you giving your power to people who do not reflect you? Yes you heard me! Why are you letting people, who do not reflect your culture or experiences, dictate what happens in your child's school and their education? Why aren't you making schools take into consideration what your thoughts are?  Believe me I’m not really interested in trying to get you involved in politics or the whole debates around governance. I simply want to know why your voice is not being represented, because believe me someone else is representing your voice and they are the people that government, local authorities and schools are listening to. They are helping to shape institution’s practises. Why aren't you? Their needs are being met so why aren't yours? Where is your voice? Why haven't you joined that parent association? The friends of - Society that may be in your school, or the governing body?  

We all share common stories about our school days. Victories, trials and tribulations that may have left a mark in our lives. In primary school I had a teacher that I swear hated me! I know you can relate to that. I remember one parent evening all my mother heard was this teacher’s view. My mum slated me all the way home. Every time she spoke about school she would mention what this blasted teacher had said. Remember I was taught by more than this person but that’s all my mum heard! Looking back I was angry about it and acted angry for a few years (if I tell you some things I got up to you wouldn't believe it). I also remember the few teachers that made me believe in me just that little bit more. Those who made me realise that I had talent, intelligence and potential.

Governors are needed from all walks of life, background, cultural heritage, languages etc. We owe our children the opportunity to learn from our mistakes and our inspirations. Ordinary parents are missing from the table. We should get involved, find our voices, share our views and make some impact to create change. Anger and regret should not be our legacy. Our legacy should be challenge and change.  

I know one thing. I want my children to learn from my experiences. So I took the opportunity to get involved. I have taken the time to find my voice, to share my views to create change where I could. All I know is that I want to leave a legacy for my children where the best that they can be is a 'living expectation' and not a chance encounter with a 'good' teacher.  My children deserve a school where all teachers expect the best, teach creatively in all things working to unlock my children's true potential.  What’s going to be yours?  If you want to know more about becoming a governor there’s some websites links that I have included towards the end of this blog. Admittedly they are UK links but I suggest you use your local internet search or local school website for how you can get involved I will 'rant' on a little longer. If you want to bypass …. Nah stay I think you will like the 'rant'.  

I remember when I became a mother and my children entered the education system I decided that I wanted to know more and to get involved. I wanted to change aspects of educational experiences. I wanted to help others to understand that the issues we really face are bigger that that primary teacher. It is simple. It is how you deal with people like that which is the real lesson! They exist within every system but why should you let them negatively impact on your potential?  My mother had been busy earning a living and trying to better herself by working all kind of shifts to earn money whilst attending night schools to learn skills that would help her find better jobs than the one she had. For her understanding the landscape of education was not her priority. It was my luxury. All she was trying to do was get through it.   I get that now. But the question for me was “are you going to do the same thing?”  So I understand why I worked with children within the community. But when it’s your own children ….. Well let’s just say I am not interested in leaving it to some 'expert'. These are my children if I'm not going to show up for them who will? 

As a working mother I always felt guilty. Yeah I was qualified to teach but my teaching experiences were in the post sixteen and adults sector. Not primary education which felt like a foreign zone. In college there was teaching debating, reasoning and challenge. It seemed like all they did at primary was play! Some of my guilt was around not understanding my children's 'daytime world’ so I can understand why some parents leave everything at the school gate. But you see I am an older mum who waited so very long to have her children. Do you really think that I’m not going to get involved? That I’m not going to be willing to learn?    So I attended school events where I could. I did ask questions and put a lot of effort into getting to know the school. I wanted to know how I could support my kids more. One day the school newsletter mentioned they were looking for parent governors to be on the governing body. Some of the teaching staff asked me if I was going to go for it. I asked more questions and finally putting my hat into the ring along with some other parents. I had to do a little canvassing, write some blurb about myself and what I wanted to accomplish as a parent governor. The key to my election was the staff.  I had spent time getting to know them and them me. They were the ones who then told parents more about me. I was not standing at the school gates like a political candidate nor was I able to be in the playground after school because I was at work. However at key school events I spoke to parents. My children introduced me to their friend. These ‘new friends of mine’ then introduced me to their parents and before you know it I found myself voted in to serve.

At first I was going to change this and change that. I was gonna make sure my children were taken care of. I was going to be the voice that would tell the school off and how they were failing us parents. I was going to right the wrongs that were taking place.  WRONG! It was no longer about me but became WE. It was no longer my children but OURS. 

Yes I was able to give them a perspective of a black mother. I was able to use my cultural lens and ask questions that came out of my experiences. Yes I was able to give members an alternative perspective that warranted consideration. BUT what I really want to tell is this. The first time that I sat in that room with the other governors it was exciting and terrifying. Exciting because I was around the table (you know what I mean?) Difficult because as I sat and listened it dawned on me that they were speaking a 'different language'. They were looking at things from a larger perspective. Much larger then I had been used to and I felt inadequate. You know that feeling? The ones where you suddenly find yourself in the deep end of the swimming pool and realise your skills are not up to the challenge? You just might make it across if you doggy paddle ... lol ....Or that feeling when you enter the party wearing the wrong outfit then you try and style it off like it ain't nothing? 

If you asked people they will tell you that I didn't come across like that. But I am telling you how I felt. After that experience each time that we had a meeting I made sure that I read all the documentation. Where I didn't understand something I would ask in the full meeting. Now that  was difficult because I wanted to look like I knew what I was talking about but at the same time they used so much terms that I did not know I needed someone to tell me what it meant. I thought who better than them?  Then I felt guilty because this took up time. So understanding jargon was one of the first hurdles.  The first of many I might add. Using hindsight I would suggest anyone introductory training courses for new governors.  I thought  because I already worked in the education sector that it didn’t apply to me. How wrong was I?

To be effective I needed to know stuff and getting to know stuff was not just reading documents, it includes so much more. How are you going to know how to challenge the school if you don't know your school? How are you going to pin them to the wall for underperformance if you can't understand the school data? As parents we are passionate about our children but sometimes we have to learn to be hold our passions in check. Then we can focus on the important question we forget to ask when we get all fired up. Did you hear me? Let me say it again. Then we can focus on the important question we forget to ask when we get all fired up. I have heard people say “don’t take it personally" but it is hard to not do that when it comes to your own children. So you think it will take up too much of your time?  Well my mother used to say "prevention is better than cure". So are you going to wait until you get into difficulties with the school before you question it? Are you going to let other people shape the future of the school you want in your local community or are you going to get involved?  No lie. Sometimes it will feel like an uphill struggle and a thankless task. But even if you love the school and agree with what it is doing you should still keep alert. Shouldn't you?

Now parents are faced with more new schools opening up and making some serious choices. The movement for schools to come out of state control and become academies is marching forward. Academies are basically schools that are no longer run by your local authority. The shift in Ofsted judgements has meant that where outstanding school have been  re -inspected some have been reported to require improvement whilst others may find themselves in special measures. If schools are found to be   special measure it means they are thought of as failing the children and the school may find itself converted to an academy and become part of an academy's chain such as Ark or Harris. More and more of these will appear in the future. Others have come together creating what is known as a Federation. This is where individual schools come together working in partnership with each other.  Parents are also faced with new schools that do not have a history  and so no prior results to judge them by.  There's also more pressure on admissions because new type of parents ,  who no longer can afford to pay for private education,  are flooding the ‘market’ making places more precious resulting in good schools coming under more pressure. Not all of us are able to move into a good catchment area to ensure our children go to the ‘right school’ some of us just have the local school (whatever shape that is in).  In addition, something you might not be aware of is the fact that all schools are struggling to find and keep good teaching staff. 

I don't know about you but as a parent I've got to take note, become more involved and continue to educate myself. I don't have the luxury of being able to pay someone else to mind my children.  My parents insisted I leave school with qualifications and get a 'good' job. University was a pipe dream and when I got there they were very proud. They were proud but didn't know how to support me. Times have changed but the desires are still the same. Now I have some insight about the journey my girls are taking and the emotions they might be feeling. The journey of I became WE and now returns to I.  Sure I can help the collective but who else is going to have the honest conversation with my children apart from me? Who will talk about fear, confusions, expectations, stress, manoeuvring through situations, read how other kids present when they are jealous, angry or spiteful. I'm going to share what I know while I know it. If this is all I can do then I am doing it. 

Steps you can take

For more information on how to become a governor visit one or more of the sites below;

    https://www.gov.uk/become-school-college-governor 

  https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/education/schoolgovernors/become-governor.html

 Those from Black and Ethnic background may want to look at the site link below where  Maxine J Greaves MBE  has been recognised for some great work in this area.

https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/education/schoolgovernors/become-governor/black-minority-ethnic.html 

(the site is currently being updated and I will send out an alert to highlight when it had been completed)

You can also approach the school directly asking what their process may be. Some have
·  Parent representatives -  If you don't want to be so formal some schools have these for each class and they feed into the parent forum or directly to a link governor who has taken on the responsibility of liaise  with parents. Parent Forums & Parent Associations are other ways of getting your voices heard. If one does not exist why not set it up?

You might not have children at school but want to share your skills, experience and knowledge. 

Safeguarding is an important issue and people should expect to complete a DBS check. For more information on this visit https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/overview

Do not be put off. Do not create barriers to your involvement before there are any!  

Good luck

Feel free to comment.