Personal Development
met a real-life hero. I reflected on our
conversations the days following and
wrote down some key life lessons I
learned from her, which I wish to share
with you in this article.
Lesson 1: Teachers really
matter
There is no other job like being a
teacher. In what other profession are
you selfless and completely devoted
to creating the right opportunities for
another person to achieve? Being in
a classroom and watching a student
have an idea and transform it into a
formidable outcome, is so satisfying
and fulfils me.” Andria noted. I am
convinced daily of this fact and the
more I reflect on the work that teachers
do in shaping society, I cannot help
but think that they deserve the highest
regard. The Global Teacher Prize is a
great initiative in bringing this to the
forefront of our thinking annually, but
so much more needs to be done.
Lesson 2: We all have the
ability to make a difference
The odds were stacked against
Andria succeeding, but she has defied
them. Working as an art and textiles
teacher and as a member of the senior
leadership team tasked with earning
the trust of her pupils and their families
to understand the complex lives
they’ve come from, Andria redesigned
the curriculum across all subjects from
scratch – carefully working alongside
other teachers – to have it resonate
with her pupils. She helped a music
teacher launch a Somali school choir
and she created alternative timetables
to allow girls–only sports, that would
not offend conservative communities,
leading the girls’ cricket team to win
the McKenzie Cup. These steps taken
by Andria will have far reaching effects.
Making a difference starts with you
and me doing what we can to make
someone else’s life better.
Lesson 3: Building
relationships is key
Learning the basics of many of the
35 languages in Alperton’s pupil
population, Andria has been able to
reach out to her once marginalised
students to earn their trust and,
crucially, establish relationships with
their parents. Thanks to her efforts,
Alperton is now in the top 1 - 5% of
the country, in terms of qualifications
and accreditations. This is a colossal
achievement, given how low the
students’ starting points were and how
rapidly they have progressed during
their five to seven years at the school,
a point recognised by the national
inspection team.
Lesson 4: Passion is important
but your “why” will take you
further
Andria is proud when her students
go on to university, get jobs and set
up their own businesses. Andria’s
determination to move beyond the
school curriculum has seen Alperton
awarded the Institute of Education’s
Professional Development Platinum
Mark, an honour fewer than 10 British
schools have ever achieved. Andria’s
“why” has remained firm, she believes
that all students have potential and all
they need are adults in their lives who
care enough to help them realise their
potential. She not only believes in the
potential of her students but also that
of her colleagues and she inspires them
to be the best teachers they can be. As
the leader of professional development
in her school, Andria also works with
teachers to help them improve.
Lesson 5: Never give up
because a lot is riding on your
perseverance
When I asked Andria what kept her
going when the going got tough, she
smiled and said “If I give up, who will
help the students?” Giving up may
sometimes seem like the easier option,
but giving up can have detrimental
effects on the lives of those depending
on you. In a place like Northwest London
where poverty and depravation are rife,
the students are used to being let down
by society, their parents and adults in
general. In an area where gang culture
is prevalent, giving up on a child could
lead them straight into the waiting arms
of a gang.
Andria has shown us that we all can
make a difference no matter how small.
She is a worthy winner of The Global
Teacher Prize 2018 and we wish her all
the success!