From the VP: My superpower is teaching! What’s yours?
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 124 No 4, 31 May 2019, page no. 9
Upon receiving notification of election to the Vice-President position, I was asked about my current role. I answered – just a teacher. Thankfully I was corrected on this, as none of us in the profession are "just" teachers, HODs, HOCs, deputies, or principals.
We have super powers or traits aligned to contemporary superheroes and we use them on a daily basis to improve outcomes for our students.
Wonder Woman is of course a superhero who is unconventional and liberated. Being a child of the 70s with many strong wonderful women in my family, how could I be anything less?
Today, we have Captain Marvel. The name alone is our profession – there are many things to marvel at on a daily basis. Some in fabulous awe and some with surprise at what the next clever expectation might be.
Sometimes I feel like Hulk, when the annoyance comes on large and green, and then learn to deal with these very same things in the way his alter ego Dr Bruce Banner did and apply logic and responsibility to decision making.
Marvel Avengers, Fantastic Four and X Men are teams of note that reinforce the power of teaching and our profession. Characters are diverse, with varying levels of skills, knowledge, willingness to try and varying levels of commitment to the cause. It’s not always easy, and at times, is the opposite. My colleagues and friends made across my time in teaching enrich my life and very often provide me with challenges and food for thought.
Mostly though, educators display wonderful traits associated with superheroes and their powers every day.
Traits such as unity. Educating is a unifying job. For us, most people have an association with and opinion of schools and teachers, as most have attended our places of work. Working for the best outcomes for ourselves and the students we work with, we unify to work toward these goals.
Determination. Who hasn’t been determined? It could be about getting everyone on camp or excursion, that last kid to identify and write to a generic structure or learn and apply that complex algebraic equation. It takes a certain tenacity to get there.
Sometimes, in light of things that come our way, we need to apply the prism of defiance within the tools that are available to us.
Given the state of change – curriculum, technological, generational – we respond more often with a lens on futurism and preparing our students for a workforce in which many of the jobs they will do, currently don’t exist.
Teachers, like many superheroes, behave with honour. We do our jobs because we believe in the students and creating a fair and just future for them. Because without that, what is the future for us? To have a positive impact on students and support them for future endeavours is done with honour and integrity.
Worthiness. Superheroes don’t always present as worthy. And neither do teachers. But, we are. We are worthy of having conditions in our certified agreement adhered to. We are worthy of our time with our own friends and families. We are worthy of being remunerated for the work we do, and we are worthy of being able to express these things both in our workplaces and beyond schools. We are worthy because of the work we do with students, their families, and whole communities.
When we stick together, there is strength. Strength in numbers. Strength in support, and strength in collegiality.
We are all superheroes. And to achieve great things, we need to remember this and reflect on the positive impact we have within our careers.
If you can identify and outline your superhero-ness, I’d love to hear what it is and why at vpsec@qtu.asn.au
Have a great month.