At a seminar led by Margaret Weir of Annanhill Primary in Kilmarnock, who qualified as a chartered teacher a year ago, chartered teachers spoke of the difficulties in finding a place for their new role in schools.
Mrs Weir’s session, “Grow your own leaders”, focused on how chartered teachers could be leaders in learning within schools. However, many in the session said they struggled with colleagues both above and beside them.
One said: “They (management) don’t know what to do with us. They feel threatened. There is a feeling that they didn’t choose us for this position, that we chose ourselves.”
Others were turned down for additional duties because these were seen as being more appropriate for a promoted post. Another complained of the “who does she think she is?” culture, and said she often had to bite her tongue when tempted to refer to new research in case her superiors reacted badly.
One said: “I’m finding it very difficult. I’m getting to the point where I’m thinking about leaving the authority and offering my services to another.”
Mrs Weir conceded some were not finding it easy and described being a chartered teacher today as part of an outreach process.
“We must use our positions to speak out,” she said.
