Ruth Springer
Ruth believes that curiosity is one of the key ingredients in being both a good teacher and a good leader. She’s stood in front of a classroom full of students more times than she can count and now works to help teachers and school leaders develop the skills and resilience they need to thrive. She brings a wealth of experience as a teacher and faculty leader to her coaching.
“Twelve years teaching history in inner-city London and I never cease to be amazed by our capacity to learn. Schools come in all shapes and sizes, and I’ve taught in my fair share – from dilapidated classrooms and freezing portacabins, to award-winning buildings. The resources have varied too – from chalk, blackboards and battered textbooks to new interactive technologies and state-of-the-art tablets. Yet these are all accessories.
At the heart of good teaching are curiosity and commitment, trusting relationships and empowering conversations. My time as a coach and as a leader of a large Humanities Faculty taught has me that the same ingredients lie at the heart of good leadership. When good leadership and good practice combine, I have seen amazing results achieved.
I am one of the founding leaders of an 11-18 Academy in East London, and am now a Lead Practitioner providing coaching support and training across the school. The growing coaching scheme, which works with teachers at all stages of their careers, has taught me that the development of organisations relies on the development of its individuals.
“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly…who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.. “
Theodore Roosevelt
I know from experience that the demands of school leadership are immense: the pressures of performance and assessment, monitoring and inspections, curriculum reforms and targets take their toll. The challenges are huge, but the rewards are immeasurable. Seeing a penny drop, a new idea born, a risk pay off, an individual flourish: this is the stuff of teaching and the joy of leadership.My experience in schools and previously in the charity sector, has convinced me that all leaders must embody authenticity and resilience, remain committed to core values and always see the possibility and potential in the lives of the people they lead. Such leaders will have the inner resources needed to embrace the acute pressures of the job whilst remaining in love with learning – theirs and that of others.
I am in awe of the journeys that learning can fuel: confidence built, resilience bred, character formed, aspirations lifted. The joy of nurturing these journeys, as a class teacher, as an advanced accredited coach and as a trainer, is what gets me up in the morning.”
Ruth has a BA in Modern History from the University of Oxford and completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Education to qualify as a teacher. She has completed Leadership Pathways through the National College of School Leadership, and qualified in Advanced Coaching Skills with the Institute of Educational Coaching
