Join Our Board And Become A Part Of History

The College of Teaching is looking to appoint eight trustees with classroom experience – here, board member Paul Dwyer tells us why teachers should apply…

Paul Dwyer
by Paul Dwyer

The College of Teaching is currently seeking to recruit up to eight teachers to its board. This comes at an exciting time, as we look to open up the doors of the College to members in the autumn term, and is very much in line with our aims to make sure that teachers are at the heart of what we do.

We have been bowled over by the interest which many teachers have shown in joining the board thus far, and hope that many more consider applying. Since joining the board myself in September last year, I have learned a great deal about setting up and managing an organisation, and more about the profession that I have been fortunate enough to work within over the past six years.

The pride we feel as a board at where we have arrived in just a year, is matched only by the excitement we have for the future.

Teachers are the leading lights

We are ambitious in our aims for the recruitment process. We are looking to augment the strength we already have on the board with a group of teachers who will continue to reflect the diversity of experience, background, schools and geography within the profession.

The work of the board so far has required us to involve members whose breadth of experiences go beyond direct involvement in the classroom. We are indebted to those who have provided the expertise and guidance that have enabled us to navigate the legal considerations involved in receiving the Royal Charter and building organisational capacity.

As we now move to a position where members will join the College and start to take advantage of our offer and support, the recruitment of more classroom teachers will leave no doubt that it is the teachers who are the leading lights of the organisation.

We have no preconceptions about what the successful candidates might look like, other than that they will be committed teachers who want to support colleagues across the country by promoting evidence-informed practice. I’m looking forward to talking to interested teachers from both primary and secondary education about their thoughts on the College and what they would like to bring to our board, as well as how we might move forward as successfully as possible.

What does the role entail?

The role of a board member is a diverse one, and will entail involvement across a range of areas. Successful candidates will, first and foremost, help to shape the strategic direction and priorities of the College, as well as hold the CEO and administrative team to account.

This will include making sure that teachers’ voices are heard at every stage of decision-making and accountability. Such a role will be particularly vital as the Chartered Teacher scheme starts to take shape. This scheme has the potential to be incredibly powerful for our profession and help us elevate it to the status and standing that we deserve.

The new teachers appointed to the board will be crucial in the next stages, alongside our membership. We ask that anyone who does become a member of the board is able to commit 20 days a year to the cause.

This will entail board meetings once a month, as well as other committee meetings or events. Successful applicants will play a key role in the continuing development of the College and help to shape its work over the next five years.

Standing on the shoulders of giants

This is an opportunity to be at the centre of an incredibly worthwhile cause and to build something that will last beyond our lifetime. It is an opportunity to support our teaching colleagues on both a day-to-day level as they work to improve student outcomes, as well as to provide ownership by the profession, for the profession.

The College of Teaching has got to where we are today by standing on the shoulders of giants – from those involved with the Claim your College coalition, through to the work and beliefs of those who preceded us in the College of Teachers/Preceptors dating back to 1849.

By applying to join the board, you will have a chance to help build an organisation that can give all teachers the opportunity to become the giants upon whose shoulders our students and colleagues of the future can stand. If you are interested in becoming a teacher trustee, you can apply via our dedicated recruitment page here.

Paul Dwyer is director of sixth form and teacher of history and politics at Putney High School; for more information, visit www.claimyourcollege.org or follow the College on Twitter (@CollOfTeaching) and Facebook

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