by Julia Knight   @KnightWilliams

In December 2019, I took a bold decision to move on from my current school. I like and follow the Twitter hashtag, 10% braver (inspiring women from @WomenEd) but for me, it was more akin to feeling and being 97% braver. So much felt at stake.

But it wasn’t the first time that I had to be brave. I stepped away from leadership in 2016 when the demands of being a mum were no longer compatible with the demands of being in Leadership. My second son’s first words were in Thai- akin to the number of hours spent away from him after a mere six weeks maternity leave.

by @BaarNomad

We spend the first part of our lives having little or no say and we accept this because we are raised to think it is the only way. But is this really true? Should being a dependent mean having no autonomy? Should being a child mean you have no choice or voice?

When I was a kid, I was that little rebel, that kid that cherished the invite to participate in the decision making. I didn’t always like being told what to do. And when I felt the rules of our house and family were restricting my independence, I would argue and fight to have my voice heard. I felt that I was far more mature than people perceived me to be. My mum would often remind me that there are other children in the household that have to follow the same rules. I would argue that I am an individual and that certain rules shouldn’t apply to me or make sense to me. Needless to say this did not go down well with my African parents.

by Annelouise Jordan @Leazy84  Based on @WomenEdBookClub discussion.

The Lost Girls, by Charlotte M. Woolley, truly redefined me as a teacher and, when I say redefined, I truly mean it.

Fact - science is sexist. Charlotte writes about the sexism found in science with reference to the ‘scientific evidence’ published in typical women’s magazines such as ‘Playboy’ with the headlines ‘Do men cheat on their women? The science says yes!’ So if science is sexist then so are we, most of us rely on science, we listen to the scientists, government advisors link closely with scientists. This therefore is extremely damaging to society and even us as educators.To know it is sexist automatically made me think to myself, am I really certain of the things I believe to be true?

by #WomenEd Strategic Leaders

#WomenEd has held five unconferences at the beginning of October since we were founded in 2015. The global pandemic means we can’t do a face-to-face one this year. So we are going even bigger and taking the opportunity offered by our lockdown learning.

Announcing our online global unconference over 2nd, 3rd, 4th October 2020. 

by Jane Green @JGjanegreen #DisabilityEd

Can you tell us how you were diagnosed?

Since birth, I experienced a range of painful symptoms, from sprains, low blood pressure, joint dislocations, stomach cramps, dizziness, migraines, pain from fibromyalgia, sugar rushes, allergies and chronic fatigue. I would dislocate my shoulder simply from putting on a coat! Despite this, I was only told I was ‘bendy’, and I should avoid activities which exacerbated the pain. My hobbies as a child were sport and dancing, however I had to give them up as it made my symptoms much more severe.

by #WomenEd Strategic Leaders

#WomenEd is in its sixth year and we have, in that time, changed beyond our earliest imaginings. Our core strategic group has changed many times also and we have always sought the strongest and most committed voices to steer the group.

by Anonymous

My experience of negotiating was uncomfortable yet exhilarating. It was nerve racking yet I felt courageous. I was trembling in the inside yet I felt liberated. Without a doubt it was one of the most nerve racking things I have ever done because I did not want to be perceived as difficult. My fear lay in how I was going to be perceived by others. My fear was not in the potential decline or refusal of my negotiation but it was in being seen to be ‘difficult’ ‘proud’ or ‘arrogant.’ I feared that if I asked, my colleagues would not like me anymore.

by Christalla Jamil @ChristallaJ

Are you sometimes a headteacher out of work too? I certainly am. Sometimes my husband says, “You’re not at work now darling.” Or my children, who are both adults, chuckle and add, “Oh there she goes again, Mum thinks she is our headteacher!” Yet both these examples are paired with an element of humour. Today, I was hurt, emotional, angry, disappointed, frustrated, powerless and instantly went into headteacher mode. What would I do if this happened at work mode?