BETT2014 POEM

“All the technology, all those screens

 Take a minute to ponder what it means
Does it help us in our quest?
Does new and expensive mean the best? ”

School Improvement
Teacher talks first

Don’t just tell me what I need to do.

Let me talk first and I’ll speak with you

Of mountains to climb and courses to be run.

I do understand what has to be done.

Don’t just test me, inspect me and calculate my pay,

Let's plot a more sustaining way

By looking at what we’re doing to be better next time

Get behind me and stop your pantomime!

It is not a weakness on your part

To share the burden, open your heart.

If you trust me I’ll trust you,

Let's get planning what to do,

Together, collaborating, interdependently!

Less, “Us and Them”, more “You and me”.
Emotional intelligence sounds deep and clever,

“Common language, Common endeavour”

True dialogues have transparency, rigour

As we mine data mountains and shape that figure.

The statistics, tables and graphs will be tamed,

When we focus on analysis, not on blame.

Our plans and reports will clearly show

Who does What, When and How we know.

We can track pathways with a clear direction,

Powered by self-evaluation more than inspection.

I am building a capacity, understanding success,

Making sense of this accountability mess.

Don’t just tell me what to do

Let me speak and I’ll learn with you.

©John Pearce 2014