Bennett’s blog – #1 Who do we think we are? Values in a pandemic

Author

Carole Bennett, Trust Leader

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I love to talk.  I loved leading collective worship, whole school events and training in all my previous jobs.  I don’t get to do that so much now, and my kids will tell you that they suffer as a result.  They say that I turn conversations about anything into an assembly.  And I think, to be fair, they are right.  They happen in my head all the time, so without an outlet for my musings, they get it – and now I have a blog, I guess you do too.

One key topic I love to chat about (anywhere, but especially in collective worship) is our values.  I am obsessed with listening to people’s value judgements, not because I want to judge anyone, but because it fascinates me.  As I have said to my kids, you can tell a lot about someone’s values when they are angry, and about your own values by the compliments you seek.  One of my son’s hates anyone to suggest he is untidy or disorganised.  Because he considers structure to be something that he values.    My other son really values friendship and love, so if he considered anyone implied he wasn’t liked, it would break his heart.   Both of my children treasure their own set of values, which guides what they think and what they care about.  And although they would agree with the core values most people do, they do weight them differently, because they are different people. 

As for me, I have always said that I could only ever have worked for this MAT, the DSAMAT, because I share the values of our Trust.  But what does that really mean?  Growing up, I cared little about what I looked like.  I am not sure why, but being called names for what I looked like would never bother me.  Which is probably not great, but aesthetics just aren’t high up in my personal value set. For me, and many teachers, I would really be hurt if I was called selfish, unfair or lazy.    The opposite values of helping others, equity and fairness are so high up my own judgement structure that these eclipse anything else.   When I first visited DSAMAT, I saw these values in the work of our governance teams, headteachers and school staff.  That is why I wanted to work at the Trust.

But, as my dad used to say, you really see what people are in times of crisis.  And that takes us right here and now, to the awful, bizarre times of the pandemic.  Who are we, at DSAMAT really?  Not on a wordy mission statement, but when you look at the actions of the teams in the schools?  Well, I look around at our schools –  staying open throughout the holidays for children that need them, covering rotas, working from home to provide learning for families, looking after their colleagues, providing meals for pupils, delivering water and equipment to hospitals.  I could go on, and on.  But mainly, I see people who are putting themselves on the line for others, fighting to help those who need them, working their socks off whilst caring for their own families, because they choose to help others be the best they can, even in difficult times.

And when I look at that, I burst with pride and happiness.  My job found me.  And I love what and who we are.