The Positive Teacher Feature: David Bayne

Name: David Bayne (@bayned)

Role:

I’ve had a number of roles in my teaching career mostly in pastoral roles or indulging my interest in IT. My current role is Head of 6^th Form in a large secondary school in the North East. I’m responsible for over 400 students and I get to help their formation at a crucial time in their lives. It's an exciting time as they prepare for the next steps – either university, apprenticeships or employment. My days are hugely varied with academic and pastoral concerns.

Why did you get into teaching?

I took a mid-life career change almost 20 years ago. I had worked for the Dept for Education as a computer programmer, tech support and team leader for a number of years. My final role involved working as part of the team that created the General Teaching Council (GTC). However, my passion was Theology. I remember sitting in the sun in my back garden one day deciding that I wanted to teach. I had no degree. I then studied part-time for 5 years whilst still working to get my theology degree. The Dept for Education were amazingly supportive during those 5 years – financially and with time for summer schools. My driving force was the love of my subject, and it still is. Where else would you get to talk about and explore your passion every day?

What are your top tips for positivity and excitement within your role?

I am a generally positive person and approach things with a can-do attitude. I see everything as an opportunity to learn. Its important to look for new challenges and ideas to keep you alive. Walking into school each day I never know what I will deal with and that newness is exciting. Dealing with students who are planning their university courses is exciting, I often reflect on what my choices would be if I was 18 again – I would certainly go and study abroad.

Looking back, what advice would you give your NQT/Trainee self?

Develop your own teaching style and don’t try to be somebody else. It is important to be realistic in your goals and realise it takes time to develop your teaching skills. Cultivating good habits of work life balance is essential at the start of your teaching career, it's so important to take care of yourself. The job can be all consuming if you let it.

What's the best thing about being a teacher?

That you get to experience, nurture and mould the lives of young people. A teacher will experience human nature in all its glory. It's so amazing to see what students have become especially when they have their own careers and families. Its such a privilege to be planting seeds! I’ve had some great experiences as a teacher from leading trips to Rome, collaborative projects with European schools and working with brilliant colleagues. So proud that I fulfilled an ambition to deliver a lesson in Italian to students in an Italian school .

Would you rather sing in front of the whole school in assembly or dance at the next governors' meeting?

I have an absolute fear of public singing and karaoke things. However, I love delivering assemblies as you get the chance to be different and do the unexpected. I cringe when I recall that I’ve done karaoke in front of a 6^th Form assembly, even worse when I say it was a Grease number! Doing lots of assemblies, my sense of shame has diminished. However, dancing would be a step too far.