We are a nation who have succumbed to the faux-narratives of the demagogues, namely Boris and Nigel. Despite our celebrated cynicism for exaggerated facts and foregone conclusions, we have been played by bus adverts with too big a font and mendacious men with hidden agendas.
The current break-up of the Labour party is something one would expect to see in an episode of The Thick Of It, not on BBC News. Leadership across parties is crumbling, the prime minister’s phone has gone to voicemail, the “Great” in Great Britain and the “United” in United Kingdom are now becoming more ironic than apt, a video of Boris Johnson lying to the nation has been uploaded on to a porn site - you can guess the rest - and we are seeing reports of British citizens facing very conspicuous xenophobia. It’s time to act.
Wanted: leaders
Leadership is what is required. Yes, of course, it is required now for the Conservatives (please not Gove) and the Labour party (no-confidence-Corbyn). But the lesson for us, as educators, is that great leadership starts in the classroom and we must put that at the top of our agenda.
We must ensure that the students we are educating are building practical and impactful competencies - learning that the curriculum is no longer enough to be successful. Those who will meet our students in higher education and beyond will expect more than letters or numbers on a certificate. The environment our students are entering is changing more than before; they must be adaptable and ready for moments where they are challenged and their values are threatened.
On Saturday afternoon, I had the great privilege of marching in Gay Pride with the US embassy and the US ambassador, Matthew Barzun. Despite the dark cloud of Brexit looming over us, the feeling and sense of community was palpable. I marched with fellows gays, lesbians, transgenders and three ambiguously dressed drag queens holding an American flag. The way that we have achieved such unity is through fierce resolve and leadership at all levels.
Doing it together
Leadership at all levels. It sounds like an oxymoron, right? Well, for us, what this means is that students, parents, teachers, governors and school partners must be working together with the same vision. There can no longer be assumptions; the vision forward must be articulated by all. It must be actioned and reflected upon by all. If one person in the community loses sight and takes a new course, then soon enough things will fall apart at the seams. Leadership is not just about one person at the top. We must lead ourselves forward together.
Our students are going to be presented with a reality they’re not yet ready for. They will have to lead themselves through uncertainty and through maelstroms of change. They cannot be transfixed by the reality; they must be steely-eyed and be creative change-agents. They will achieve much more if they learn how to work together to achieve mutual goals. This isn’t going to be easy for them, or for us, but it will be made so much more if we do it together.
#LeadersForTomorrow
Oliver Beach is an inner-London economics teacher, former Teach First graduate and star of BBC series Tough Young Teachers. He tweets as @olivermbeach
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