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Eating the Elephant in the Room. | Jen Hart | TEDxNorwichED

2,637 views · Published 3 April 2017 · 9:53 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: TEDx Talks · 2017 · Nonprofits & Activism

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Our teaching profession has a system of teacher training which overloads the recruits and relies on survival of the fittest. The success or failure of a new recruit is at the mercy of the quality of the mentor, department or school. Failings of a teacher are quick to be diagnosed and improvements are expected to be rapid.

Yet, great teachers are made gradually over time. Great teachers are the result of marginal gains brought about through experience, guidance and deliberate practice. We need to acknowledge the disconnect between our training methods and appraisal systems and the long term investment required to mould a great teacher.

We need to take back control of our training methods to ensure they are fit for purpose and provide teachers with the support that adequately prepares them for the demands of the job.

Jennifer Hart has been teaching secondary Science in north London schools for over 10 years. Having been an AST and middle manager she finally joined the SLT, leading on Teaching and Learning and CPD. 

A self confessed 'teaching-geek', Jennifer enjoys many aspects of a teachers role that others avoid. Having fallen in love with the profession she aims to spread her enthusiasm through the delivery of staff training and CPD.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

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