Why is teaching such a great job? When we posed that question in a spur-of-the-moment tweet, the replies poured in.

A former Teacher of the Year in Scotland, Gillian-Campbell Thow, described the inspirational collection of replies as the “best advertising for teaching I have seen in a long time”.

Whether the response was a reaction to negative coverage of education or a sign of renewed enthusiasm before a new school year, the question struck a chord that rippled far beyond these shores. Some said they relished a rare chance to portray teaching in a positive light - and one school leader even used it in CPD to inspire her colleagues.

Improving young lives

While there were reminders that problems such as recruitment crises and mounting workload can suck the joy out of teaching, most respondents focused on the pleasure they derive from a job built on the aim of improving countless young lives.

For a flavour of the wave of positivity released by that one tweet, click here.

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