We here at the Teacher Development Trust are currently recruiting for new trustees. As Co-CEO I am obviously biased and am convinced we really are a fantastic organisation to work with, but why should you be interested? I would like to suggest two key reasons.
First, you should be excited by what we do and the way we do it. We are a charity committed to finding the very best ways of supporting the professional development of teachers, leaders, and those working in the early years and further education. We do this because the evidence is clear – what happens at the front of a classroom is the single biggest in-school influence on pupil outcomes. Framed another way, and at the risk of stating the obvious, great teachers make a real difference to the lives of children. We build on the evidence to create programmes of development and support to help all those working in education improve and grow. But it is not just what we do, but the way we do it that matters – we care about the people we work with. Professional growth isn’t just about the accumulation of knowledge, it is about contextualising that knowledge so it can be applied effectively. We are led in all things by our values:
- We are smart: we are led by the evidence, and ensure that all of our worked is underpinned by rigorous analysis;
- We have heart: we know that education is about the people – the teachers, leaders, early years professionals, and lecturers who make things happen. We ‘meet people where they are’ in order to ensure our work is supportive and effective; and,
- We are humble: we know there is never any single right answer to any topic, let alone something as complex as the provision of education. We want to ensure we are learning and growing as an organisation too, and take pride in that.
Second, being a trustee is an amazing experience. I am lucky enough to see it from both sides; I already work with a tremendous set of trustees here at TDT and know the impact they have and the support they give, and I am also a trustee myself (of Education Support and The Parent Village). Being able to provide strategic input and shape an organisation is a privilege and a joy, and I have learnt so much from my own time as a trustee, lessons I have been able to apply to my everyday work and life. There is a time commitment and I do have to invest energy, but any ‘costs’ are massively outweighed by the benefits.
So, if you are excited by the prospect of helping to make a meaningful difference to the lives of those working in education, and you are keen to develop your own skills, being a trustee at TDT might just be the opportunity you are looking for.
For more information, click this link!