Headteacher Talk – Tracey Greenough

Tracey Greenough from The Academy of St Francis of Assisi

One thing I wished I had learned at school:

I really enjoyed school and you would always find me in the sports hall practising for some sport or other! I always followed the latest trend and usually, felt under a lot of pressure from myself to do so. I wish I had learned to have the confidence to not always follow the popular trends but instead to explore my own style and creativity and feel proud of myself for doing so.

The book I haven’t read that I must:

I have had Bill Bryson’s ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ for about 15 years. I still haven’t managed to read the whole book. As a science teacher with a biology degree, I have picked out the chapters that most interest me such as ‘The Stuff of Life’ and ‘Darwin’s singular motion’ and have been fascinated by Bryson’s sense of curiosity and eye opening opinions. I have yet to read all the chapters and really think that I should have done by now to provide me with an even greater sense of amazement and wonder when teaching about everything that has happened from the big bang to the rise of civilisation. Bill Bryson reveals the world in a way no one has seen it before.

The education story that has caught my eye:

In a blog by Concorida University Portland, a student shared with his teacher that throughout his last year in school, he never had a teacher who truly ‘saw him’. He said that he felt the teachers did not even know he was there. He described feeling isolated and marginalised which ultimately impacted on his entire school experience. He decided to become a teacher so that no other child would ever feel the way that he did. This is a powerful reminder of the impact of building relationships with students, caring for them and believing in them. For many students, school is their safe haven. We must never underestimate the impact that a teacher can have on their students’ lives and ultimately their future. Care for them, believe in them, improve them.

What I am most proud of about our school:

This is very easy to answer. Every single member of our community is unique. We all have different life experiences, different beliefs and different appearances. We are a true multi-cultural community and we learn every day from each other. We unite behind our values of ambition, pride, respect, peace, reconciliation and happiness. We respect one another, we care for one another and together we feel empowered to strive for absolute success. I am extremely proud of each and every member of our community.