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Simon Squibb has me thinking!
Simon Squibb is someone I have great respect for. Simon is a serial entrepreneur helping millions of people live out their dreams. A few weeks back, Simon wrote a post about hating football. To quote Simon directly, he stated, “If your team wins or loses, your life is still hard, and nothing gets done about it”. “It’s designed to distract, make money out of fans and make you feel a sense of community”. As a football fan, I have reflected on the role of Sport in my life in general. I asked myself if the consumption of Sports has ever hurt me. For the most part, no, I see Sport for what it is: entertainment. However, this topic got me thinking about the role of sports from a teacher’s perspective. In this blog, I will share my thoughts about the role of Sports from a teacher’s perspective.
Breaking barriers
On my first day as a trainee teacher, I remember vividly meeting two assistant headteachers. One was a gentleman, and it was a short introduction. The other was with a woman called Liz. I came to learn and experience that Liz was a formidable woman. Although that was the case, she significantly impacted me in my first few years of teaching. Liz walked me around the school and introduced me to Rachel (my mentor) and Danielle. I was told I would be teaching some of Danielle’s classes. Danielle’s class was doing some workshops – to my knowledge, it was with the Tottenham Football Club. Danielle introduced me to some class members, including Sam. Sam was one of the most popular students in his year, let alone the class. I knew he was a character from the first time I met him.
When we were introduced, Sam did what most confident students do. He was trying to work me out. Sam’s first two questions to me were, “Do you like football?” and “Which team do you support?” to which my replies were “Yes” and “Tottenham”. Sam responded positively, mainly because he supported the Spurs (nickname for Tottenham). The powerful thing about sports is that they unite people and create a commonality. The fact Sam and I supported the same football team automatically gave me a level of respect that some other teachers would not receive. I am not saying this is right; however, this is the way of the world. Respect is sometimes based on commonalities you have with people. That school, in particular, had a lot of Spurs due to the catchment area it was in. Many students would talk to me because we supported the same team. It carried into the classroom where, typically, students who misbehave would give me no problems. Again, I am not condoning this behaviour; however, it shows just how powerful Sport can be. However, another angle must be discussed, which aligns with what Simon was trying to communicate.
Distraction
Sport can be a significant distraction for us all. In some cases, it changes our priorities. I have known people to avoid doing anything socially at specific times and dates due to important football matches being on. The time spent watching and discussing football can be a lot. For example, whether Tottenham wins or loses, I send voice notes to at least two of my friends who are also Spurs fans. I could be actively talking to them for at least half an hour. Then, I may go to YouTube to watch content related to Tottenham. This can take another hour or two. Some are even more extreme. For example, during university, I had a friend who would stay up in the early morning hours watching football worldwide. This type of behaviour is why Simon strongly believes in football.
Addiction to football
The problem with football, like any sport, is that it can become addictive. It is not something many can switch on and off. This is a part of life that is taken very seriously. The UK is absolutely crazy for football. The UK is one of the best examples of how it can have such a hold on people. Families spend hundreds of pounds yearly to keep up with the latest kits. For some, they buy season tickets worth thousands of pounds a year. Others ensure that they have every channel that is showing football. Sky Sports, TNT, and Amazon Prime are the three main channels in the UK. Each of them has separate subscription prices.
All of this to follow men running around the pitch, not knowing who you are and being so invested. The powers that be are aware of the power of football; hence, the World Cup increases the number of teams, and the Champions League increases in teams. The sheer amount of money and time spent could be traded for something more meaningful. Instead, you spend the whole day focusing on football. Around 11am, there will be a pre-show before the typically 12:30pm early kick-off. Then you have people who can watch 3pm matches on a Saturday, then will watch the game after at 17:30pm. After that, someone from another league could tune in to another match. Easily 10 hours spent watching football content. This is only for one day. For a business owner like Simon, he must be saying to himself, imagine somebody putting the same amount of time into a business or a new skill. The primary benefit is that they are developing themselves, which has a precise value. Imagine a young person who wants to become a content creator spending even 90 minutes on their craft. 90 minutes spent on their craft frequently could change their lives. Some young people have hidden talent but spend so much time on football.
Value in watching football?
Many adults do not know how to start a business; therefore, it is unfair to suggest that they replace football time with learning new skills or anything business-related. Alternative hobbies, such as reading, are beneficial for people to get something. Depending on the genre, one may become a better human being if one goes down the self-development route. Others might want to read as many fictional books as possible as they have a creative brain. Whatever the activity, I think Simon believes that, with football, there is no real value gained apart from celebrating a team’s win. Still, you receive nothing from it, whereas at least when you read, it might motivate you to do something. Despite this, Sport is mighty, especially in bringing people together, I will explain.
Football brings us together!
We have many problems in society, from questions around multiculturalism, racism, transgenderism and so on. It can be easily observed that the general population’s solidarity level increases when a major international football tournament comes around. Everyone became British at school, and although this was a temporary feeling, it was a great experience. Watching England at the World Cup against Brazil in 2002 was an exciting buildup in school. Brazil had a star-studded lineup that included Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho. However, leading up to the match day was a great school feeling. Anyone and everyone had a say on how the match was going to end. Even those who were not necessarily football fans were getting involved in the festivities. It does not fix problems in our society, but there is definitely a feel-good factor that brings people together. That time when people who do not typically interact with each other speak with one another can break down barriers and build relationships.
Final thoughts!
In conclusion, I understand Simon Squibb’s view on the role of Sport in society. It can be time-consuming when many people waste their time watching endless football content. Individuals could find other tasks that could benefit their lives, such as starting a business, learning a new skill or reading. However, football can bring people together. It may not bring much utility to an individual’s life; however, the power of Sport and how it brings people together should be considered. I, like Simon, want new entrepreneurs to be born, but they can be done alongside watching some football.
Introduction – Quick acknowledgement of those participating in Ramadan.
Before I go into this topic, I would like to shout out to all Muslims currently participating in Ramadan. Although I am not a Muslim, I love the concept of fasting and actively participating in them. There are many benefits that I will share on this platform one day. This week, I have been on a raw vegan diet as I needed some time away from cooked and processed food. When I am on raw foods, my brain typically feels at its best; however, I am sure there are those claiming the “Placebo effect”. Anyway, enough rambling. I am glad you are reading this because I am concerned about your child, niece, nephew, students, or the young people in your community. Let me explain, I was in an ICT class, and one of my top students was completing a practical assessment on the computer. She had forgotten one function and kept asking me if she was correct. I could not give them any assurances because we were in an assessment. The look on her face was genuine concern, and I went back over to reassure her of how good she was and not to worry about not knowing. This got me thinking about what I am experiencing and hearing from others around young people.
Concerns about young people
It may have been on the Chris Williamson or Joe Rogan podcast where I heard a guest speak on their friend’s concerns about young interns in their labs. The story goes along the lines of her lab opening its doors to interns yearly but only to most academic students. It provides them with experience in the lab. The guest said that his friend has become more concerned about the psychological state of her interns as they seem to be more scared of taking risks or going against the grain of thought, which is the antithesis of science. As a teacher, I am finding the same thing. Reassurance is at extreme levels, affecting all students with varying levels of academic attainment. I am here to share my thoughts on this phenomenon and what we can do to help young people from a teacher’s perspective.
Culture of error
I want to introduce to you the culture of error. In teaching, there is a thought of creating a culture of error in the classroom. It provides students with a safe space to solve problems where they will inevitably make mistakes. Within those mistakes, they can attempt again to make that final destination, which is usually a correct answer. This is a crucial practice, particularly when entering a room full of students who dislike looking like fools in front of their peers. This is one of my most important areas of teaching. When you provide a harmonious room in which students are comfortable, they can thrive; however, no matter what we do in the classroom, we, as teachers, have some huge battles to face when trying to change a student’s mindset. Some I will discuss below.
Social Media – Our most significant challenge!
Social Media is the biggest challenge we face today. Most of the time, people will put their best version out on Social Media. Usually, they will put pictures up of when they are at a luxury place or one with just great visuals for a photo or video. They post their gains in life. Also, young people often watch people they are inspired by, but their growing brains ignore the processes these successful individuals may have had to go through, to which their only focus is the outcome. A combination of each can have real damage to the self-esteem of young people. They feel their life has zero value or they are not worthy of all the riches they see. Some believe some of the rags-to-riches stories they consume online are unreachable. It makes them question their whole life, which then creeps into their self-esteem, leading to a lack of confidence. Again, the beginning of confidence starts from within. It is the ability to say to self, “I can do something,” without letting thought distractions impact the action. Many of our young people are too outcome-oriented, which impacts building processes in their lives that can help them reach their goals.
Another considerable factor is the home they are being brought up in. I was at a parent’s evening, and I wouldn’t say I like these evenings (not because it goes into my evening time) but because I get a snapshot of the relational dynamic between child and parent. Yesterday, at this parent’s evening, a parent told me they believe their child to be overconfident. I responded, “I do believe she demonstrates confidence; however, I am unsure if she is overconfident. Plus, I’d rather have a student who is overconfident than underconfident. Considering how so many young people struggle with themselves, I think this is a small issue that can be honed.” The parent did not appreciate those words; however, I could not control their feelings. This leads me to believe that many young people suffer from a lack of confidence due to their parents. I remember listening to somebody recently, and what they said stuck with me. They asserted that a child’s early voice in their mind is their parent’s voice. Therefore, whatever is constantly told to them will be in their child’s voice when they are going through their early stages of life. I suggest that sometimes their parent’s voice never leaves them, causing many problems at school. You hear so many successful people talk about their upbringing. The typical story of a dad (usually) being so strict and having the highest expectations and drilling this type of behaviour into their children. This benefits some young people, but for many, it leaves a psychological scar and, in some instances, where they never recover.
Solutions to the identified problems – Positive Language
We must be mindful of the language around our young people. I am not talking about over-affirming them with positive words and, instead, training us to remain positive in natural conversations. It can be not easy, hence why I said train. We will need to train ourselves for many of us, including me. I will need to ensure what I say in front of my children and students. This can go a long way. Being a mentor in the past has fueled my confidence that powerful, positive words can make a huge difference. I have plenty of students who have said my words, which is why they stayed on the course or even had the confidence to do well in exams. We need to hold compassion for ourselves because this will be a rough ride where we will make many mistakes. It will be worth it when we have confident young people.
Discussing Social Media Content with young people
There is some absolute garbage out there that is ruining the minds of our young people. We must know what is out there as it is in our best interests. When I can, I will discuss the type of content they watch with my students. I am horrified by some content, whilst I am pleasantly surprised by others. This is important because long-form podcasts are beginning to expand to small podcast platforms. Before, only the vast platforms would have three hours of content. Now, more and more folks are doing this. We all need to be mindful of it because some of the narratives being pushed can only be described as destruction. I know that young people do not always want to talk and share their thoughts and feelings; however, we must try to get into their lives. Discuss specific narratives being pushed and ask if they believe the narrative to be true. Those types of open dialogue conversations will again help them filter out nonsense. I asked them how it makes them feel when they watch specific content. Watching podcasts of successful people, I am always inspired to follow my dreams, hence this blog post. Some young people do not necessarily take it the same way as me. We need to start speaking to our young people.
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I can imagine the knowledge of your colleagues moving out of the UK to teach in countries with better weather, packages and working conditions. They tell you how things are better in comparison to the dire conditions you are working in. I may need to be more moderate with bad conditions. However, the point remains that conditions are complex and are getting more complicated. I was in the same position and have leapt twice to China. I am still in China and trying to persuade former colleagues to make it happen. Some would need help knowing where to start, so I am writing this blog piece. The tips I will give you are from my personal experience and come from the perspective of whether I would do this again. Here we go;
Identify multiple destinations and begin researching them – Honestly, the Middle East is not the only place. The Middle East is the only place most people are aware of. However, there are so many places you can go. Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia and Singapore are some of the areas that offer excellent packages, good establishments and a good work-to-life balance. Ensure you have three to four places on two continents at the very least to give you some options.
Listen to testimonials / read reviews and begin to network online – Before identifying any establishment, you should acquire as much information as possible regarding each potential location. Adaptation can take 3-9 months; therefore, you need to be aware of the differences before arriving. Being in China is vastly different from the UK; had I done the appropriate research, I may have been psychologically prepared. YouTube has many international teachers who share their experiences from the most uncommon places on Earth to the most notable places. Take your time to watch and make notes. If you are on LinkedIn, I would network with users already in the potential area you are looking at and ask them questions. Finding those from your region would be best suited for you as they have made the journey you are about to embark on.
Ask yourself when the best time is to leave – The journey to go abroad does not have to be this year or next. You may have personal commitments that stop you from leaving instantly. You need to ask yourself when the time for you is. This stage is crucial because you want to avoid making rash decisions. You want your choices to be logical by knowing the best time.
Begin researching the school you are interested in – I suggest checking out schools in the region you are looking at. You will get a feel of what to expect and see some of the working conditions you are working in. Remember, parents pay large sums of money to attend these schools. You will work in some fantastic spaces at well-recognised international establishments. Believe me, when I think of the school I work at now, it is hard for me to consider any school back in the UK as the resources here are out of this world.
Visit the TES Website and search for teaching abroad agencies – Both options are good as I have received offers both ways. I would favour agencies due to their relationships with the best schools. Also, you are almost guaranteed an interview if they forward your CV to a school. 2016, it took me three weeks to sign a contract after beginning my job search. It was a quick process. You may not be as lucky as me, but most agents I have come across get almost everyone who signs up for them a job. This time, I received a job offer after applying to them directly via TES. They have jobs all over the world in abundance. Their filter section is user-friendly, and you can hone in on places you want.
Preparing for interviews – Big international schools typically have a three-stage interview process. The first is usually with non-specialists (SLT members). The second is with your Head of Department and another colleague. The third is with the Head of School. I have only interviewed at British curriculum-led establishments, and their questioning is similar to what you will get in the UK. The only exception is knowing the country you are going to. For example, if China is a destination you are heading to, speak about how you know Chinese students who struggle to ask for help and nod to suggest they understand what you have delivered to them to “save face”. Saving face is the cultural term to explain that some Chinese students need help communicating their lack of understanding. How would you create a safe space for students to be comfortable?
Be bold and ask questions about the country – I have always wondered about the country I may visit. For example, I may ask about the type of food available and how widely known certain products and items are. I have often wondered about the weather as I do like tropical climates.
Review the contract offer thoroughly – Schools in China typically give some of the best packages. It is a no-brainer when I begin to calculate and compare to my package in the UK. The accommodation packages vary but be sure to check them out. Ask your recruiter any questions you need clarification on.
Bonus tip – If you want to stand out, consider the after-school activities you want to run. Most teachers will have to run at least once per week, and the sports ones usually go first. I could go outside the box and create my own. Currently, I have started an after-school activity on financial literacy.
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Thank you for reading.
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