by Iseabal Fincher @FincherScience

 I’ve been reading a lot recently about women’s careers through the decades, the barriers we face as women and just how strong we can be. This has inspired me to share my journey. It is a long read so feel free to read the first and last paragraphs to get the flavour of it.

I’m 42 and according to Douglas Adams this means I am 'The answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything'. In many ways I really do feel like this is true. I’ve reached an interesting point in my life where so many of the worries I had before seem insignificant. I have dreams and ambitions that are my own and I’ve made peace with my journey.

 by Amy Carson @TitchyDitch

I feel as though a wound has finally started healing.

Nearly 3 years ago I was approaching the end of my maternity leave. I wasn't happy about it; I was unsure about what it would mean about me as a mother if I returned to work up, I didn’t know how I would cope with working and parenting, how would my mental health fare? As for all people returning to work after an extended period and a life-change I was afraid and had many questions. I decided a good halfway house as I navigated this new duality of mother/ teacher was to return to work part-time in the first instance, so as to have time to find my feet.

by Vivienne Porritt @ViviennePorritt #BirthdayCelebration

I loved our 5th #WomenEd birthday party on May 19th, 2020. Nearly 500 people booked it, over 300 joined on the evening.

I’m looking forward to reading all the comments and have appreciated going through the amazing tweets from the party. 

The video from the evening is on our YouTube channel as are videos from some of our brilliant network leaders: please subscribe. 

by Susan Strachan  @SusanSEnglish  #BirthdayCelebration

Tonight on 18th May, , I met virtually with 300 other women to listen, learn, reflect and be inspired by a plethora of strong women, who are not afraid to have their voices heard. Some of these women know what it can be like to have the guilt of not doing enough or being enough. They banish that guilt  (No 3 in the tips from Zara, @zssnas) or remind themselves that they are enough.

It gave me hope. Hope that this guilt will be banished for good. Not only from myself, but from my own daughter and every other female that I come into contact with, not only in my professional life, but in my personal life too.

by Kaley Riley @MrsRileyEng #BirthdayCelebration

Four years ago, I was asked by my then Head of Department/Assistant Teacher (and, one of my loveliest friends), if I would present on some of my marking ideas at The Priory Witham TeachMeet. I hesitated, and I was nervous, but I said yes. At this point, I was not very far into my teaching career, and public speaking to peers had always been something that I struggled with and wished to overcome.

Nobody really believed it when I told them how I hated public speaking.

by Lucy Hemsley @CheltTeacher  #BirthdayCelebration

I do not over-exaggerate when I say reading 10%Braver changed my life: it dramatically changed how I view myself and my career. I wrote about the book when I first read it. But the book was just the beginning of my relationship with #WomenEd.

This is what #WomenEd has done for me.

by Yamina Bibi @msybibi  #BirthdayCelebration

I amended my talk for the launch of WomenEd Bedfordshire on 4th May 2020 to let me wish #WomenEd a happy birthday. #WomenEd has changed my life. I have noticed my courage growing since #WomenEd community embraced me. You have all helped me to accept myself and provided me with opportunities beyond my expectations.  #WomenEd, you have allowed me to dream again and for this, I am forever grateful!

by Patrick Ottley-O'Conner @ottleyoconnor   Father and Husband

The United Nations @HeForShe movement has reported that they are seeing the stereotypical gender roles of women at home become more apparent during lockdown and want to highlight positive male models with their new lockdown hashtag of #HeForSheAtHome. Globally women do more than men at home and @HeForShe are asking men to share photos to amplify support & show how you are being #HeForSheAtHome and amplify the aspiration for gender equality.

by Rachel Stone @SBMCoventry   #BirthdayCelebration

Well, here I am writing a blog for the first time.

Why now? Well, probably because I have always been encouraged behind the scenes by Hilary Goldsmith, aka @SBL365, since I joined #SBLtwitter but politely ignored the challenge, until now. It has always been on my tah-dah list to write a blog post, but I have just never really had the confidence to do so. My fears? Would others find me interesting? What could I say to make a difference to someone else? Am I gifted enough to be a writer? I have read so many great things that have made me punch the air in delight for the genuine achievements of some School Business Managers. How could I possibly compete and make a difference?

by Elise Ecoff @EliseEcoff      #BirthdayCelebration   Photo by Rampal Singh on Unsplash

Quarantine. Lockdown. Social distancing. Whatever you choose to call the way in which we’ve lived the last few pandemic-filled months, it has clearly been a period in our existence like none other. Endless time spent at home has made us keenly aware of the days, hours, minutes, and moments in our lives as they slowly tick by. And the collective experience of women during this period has been particularly challenging.

by Jackie Hill @hill1_jackie    #BirthdayCelebration

I didn’t know where to start when trying to say what #WomenEd has done for me. There is simply so much I could say …

Should I explain how #WomenEd has helped me to discover the power of Twitter? It's a fantastic source of CPD, as well as connecting me to the EduTwitter community all over the world.

by Caitlin Bracken @LittleMissB_NQT

This is not the blog I expected to write today. I was almost sure I wouldn’t be able to harness the enormous theme of ‘respect’ into something brief and engaging enough for a #DailyWritingChallenge entry… and then a very good friend, an NHS paediatric nurse, brought something to my attention that boiled my blood.

by Lucy Flower @MrsLFlower

'What do you think Lucy?'

A table full of expectant faces crowd my vision. I feel the familiar and tell-tale flush of heat crawl up my neck as I consider what to say. In truth, I have no idea what to think. Usually I make do with a thoughtful nod to someone else’s point of view, increasing in vigour the more eloquently they articulate themselves. Panicking, I echo someone else’s words, and slump in relief when attention shifts away from me.

by Katie Ridgway @MissMeeks14  #BirthdayCelebration

At #WomenEd we often talk about impact and with the movement’s fifth birthday around the corner, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the profound impact being part of this group has had on me. 

by Jess Mahdavi-Gladwell @drjessm   #BirthdayCelebration

On March 7th I was privileged to attend the @WomenEdSE #LeadMeet. It was brilliant on so many levels, I got to see my friend Kate Evans (@purekathryn76) in a different role and saw her shine (I also got to meet her mum who is a legend!).