0:00
-12:36
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure and the privilege of joining SEMH Education, Mary Myatt, Adrian Neibauer and Get Them Reading for a Substack community webinar. The idea had grown organically, between a group of educators who had met through writing on the platform and felt a common thread of the messaging within, and motivation for, their writing. The purpose of the webinar? To join together to create a community space for those in education who may be interested in making teaching feel that little bit lighter.
As each educator spoke about their initial (and sustained) motivations to write on Substack, a shared purpose continued to emerge. That of hoping to share insights, practical support, research and ideas which lived experience in the profession affords. A want to use the platform, through the outlet of regular writing, to share these findings with readers who may be looking for a solution, a little inspiration or an invitation to spend some time thinking more deeply. A combined professional curiosity and commitment to a love of continued learning was evident - and celebrated.
So, how would I summarise the conversations which took place during the webinar and what might these mean for you, especially if you have been thinking about sharing your thoughts and experiences on Substack? Below are two suggestions, which I hope can be actioned with minimal time spent preparing. Think of these more as prompts and considerations - which may well spark a glimmer within you!
The purpose of the webinar was not to advertise Substack as the sole place to be sharing thoughts through writing - not one of us are affiliated with the platform. Yet, an encouragement to ‘give it a go’ if you feel you may have something to share (which I whole-heartedly believe every single person in education has) was repeatedly shared as we all spoke about our experiences. Substack was also referenced as the space and place where we all felt that diverse views around educational practice, policy and pedagogy is encouraged and respected. Conversations are often sparked through comments or as posts - people are encouraged to have an opinion, to be curious, to agree or disagree. It’s almost like having a huge virtual staffroom where a buzz around teaching and learning is present - and encouraged.
With this in mind, alongside digesting each writer’s unique perspectives, posts which have resonated with readers and future thoughts and actions, I feel it would be helpful to explore these through the lens of authentic motivation. Grounded in the human. Writing without agenda but writing to connect, to build community.
The formation of the webinar provided a space for each educator to speak about their:
experiences in education to-date
motivations for creating their specific Substack page, who they write for and why they choose to write - regularly
observations of posts which they had written which had resonated with readers and why they thought this to be the case
thoughts on what they may write about next - and what this is influenced by
It was incredibly interesting to hear about each individual writer’s journey. Each unique but aligned due to a feeling that they felt they had something to say, which turned into a want to put ‘pen to paper’.
So, if this resonates with you, but perhaps you haven’t taken that first step into writing (or perhaps publishing) a piece, how might you proceed?
‘I wanted to write about what I needed when I didn’t know what to do’, a motivation for writing shared by Kireran, the author of SEMH Education. Gosh, did this land! Shared nodding of heads. A feeling of wanting to support, hoping to reassure others that they are not alone. Kieran writes eloquently and authentically about supporting pupils with SEMH needs. He is not a writer by trade, but has honed his craft through creating regular articles and posts.
This building of routine, creating an outlet to regularly sit with your thoughts and experiences was commented on by Mary Myatt as an incredibly effective way to create a frame for regularly writing. As Mary shared, overcoming any fears or self-doubt about putting ideas out into the world allows us to explore that which may be self-evident or ingrained within ourselves, but brand new and exciting or (as Kieran reflects) incredibly helpful to others. Writing allows us to ‘witness, absorb and critique or own practice’, Mary suggests.
Anna Szpakowska, author of Get Them Reading, explored this idea further - commenting, ‘You don’t know what you think until you write’. She goes on to explain that attributing focused time to writing allows her to shape her thinking. A space to sit with your thoughts and ideas and to almost play them out. This is where the concept and invitation of “just writing” emerges. It was Mary who nudged me to get started with writing on Substack. I had never written in this way before. My first thought was, “I couldn’t possibly - I am not a writer.” The second was a nervousness about putting these ideas out into the world. “Who would want to read what I want to say?” Fast-forward almost two years and writing weekly on Substack has invested in my professional learning and understanding in profound ways. At almost 1000 engaged readers spanning 39 states and 46 countries perhaps my thoughts, musings, ideas and practical suggestions are slightly more valuable that I gave myself initial credit for. Just. Get. Writing.
Regularly. To end my first idea and practical suggestion, the commitment to creating a schedule, to embed reflective writing into habit is shared amongst the webinar guests. There is a reason my ‘glimmers’ land in your inbox every Thursday at 8am. Adrian Neibauer who writers Adrian’s Newsletter commented, ‘consistency is key’. Celebrating a recent milestone of reaching the newsletter’s 3rd anniversary, Adrian reflected on the benefits of his commitment to regular writing. Start small. Build up. Keep going.
Another common thread between the educators who joined the webinar was their shared motivation to write with authenticity. A clarity around what they are writing, why and who for shone through. A mindset which privileges the “we” in education, the investment in contributing to a global education space which is tackling both shared and unique issues.
And, of course, showing up as your authentic self carries a vulnerability which in both parts can seem a little scary, but also allows for connection with others who may be experiencing the same difficulties, frustrations and doubts. Equally, authenticity allows you to side-step policy and compliance and focus on the heart of the classroom. It creates space for your ethos and purpose as an educator to shine through.
So, why was writing with authenticity a topic which was returned to in our discussions and what could this look like for you?
Adrian Neibauer began talking about his experience of writing on Substack as an outlet to write for himself and to reflect as an educator. He went on to describe a post that means a lot personally to him, which also resonated deeply with his readers. Writing about his own difficulties with reading and how reader identity shapes experiences within society. Pertinent. Relevant. Moving.
I believe this is why the 5 of us have chosen to write on Substack, and to subsequently share our experiences of it. It feels like a safe space to be vulnerable. Mary Myatt described it as ‘serious and thoughtful but not po-faced’ a place to talk honestly and openly and not shy away from important issues.
Kieran (writing SEMH Education) recounts many personal stories within his posts. It was moving to hear Mary share the impact of one of these as she had read along with Kieran’s practical and thoughtful suggestions. The power of sitting alongside a child experiencing emotional difficulties. The importance of not always having to take an action.
Anna Szpakowska also shared experiences directly from the classroom and her personal life, with one of her most recent posts being inspired by a family holiday where her son had requested listening to a story when being gifted a pair of headphones. Yet more evidence that audiobooks deserve an established place in what is considered ‘reading material.’ Anna’s lived experience of teenage reading habits truly is gold!
Mary Myatt (the OG Substack writer) with a plethora of articles in the archives, writes with such authenticity. I always feel that Mary is speaking to me directly. ‘KS3 The Ambitious Years’, Mary’s new book, just landed on my door step last week and I can’t wait to take a look. Steeped in authenticity, Mary’s posts combine research and lived experience. Real schools. Real pupils. Honest reflections.
Writing is for everyone. I hope that these brief summaries of each writer’s authentic intent encourages you, as a budding writer, that your words and experiences matter. The more authentic, the better. This is not scholarly writing. This is the writing of the educators for the educators.
As a ‘glimmers’ reader, I am sure you will already know a little about my motivations, general thoughts and experiences. I am led by glimmers. Those moments that show up in the day-to-day which remind us why we entered the profession in the first place. Moments of hope and humanity. To read more about what exactly a ‘glimmer’ is, do revisit:
Of course, I would highly recommend taking a look at (and subscribing to) each guest of the webinar’s Substack page. The breadth of experience, perspective and authenticity will intrigue, inform and engage. For starters, you may want to visit the posts referenced today (shared below). I am sure I speak on behalf of all the educators who were part of this special event when I say, do get writing, do give it a go and do let us know how you get on!
No posts
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.