Briefing the Board – Sir John Jones

Recently five members of the Lance Holt School Council attended Briefing the Board an annual conference with the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA). Lee Jones, Deputy Chair, was inspired by UK key speaker Sir John Jones and is keen to share some of the take away messages from his presentation.

What Can I Do To Make Your Life Better?

Reflection by Lee Jones, School Council

Sir John Jones tells a lot of stories. It’s a powerful expository approach, familiar to anyone who’s watched Year 5/6 teacher Seth hold forth on a favourite topic. As we filed into the after-lunch session of AISWA’s Briefing the Board, wondering if we should have grabbed another coffee, we had no idea we were about to be entertained, inspired and moved to tears by the stories Sir John tells to demonstrate the power of a good teacher.

Buoyed by passion stronger than caffeine and a sense of possibility, I congratulated myself on my choice for the final workshop of the day: The Magic-Weaving Business, with Sir John Jones. He told us of meeting a teacher who makes time at the start of each year to ask each of her students “What can I do to make your life better?”. Thirty years of answers are surprisingly consistent and fall into two categories – connect and engage.

Connect:    Notice me    Ask about me    Really listen to me    Smile at me    Laugh with me    Believe in me.

Engage:    Make the work hard    Explain it properly   Let me try again    Ask me brilliant questions    Let me find the answers                   Keep telling me how I’m doing    Make the lessons interesting

In the weeks since hearing Sir John speak, I have been struck by how often people credit a teacher for believing, inspiring and challenging them; for making their lives better. It feels like magic, but it is grounded in principles such as fostering a growth mindset, building strong relationships and recognising each child’s individuality.

See more at https://sirjohnjones.com