A member's view of the EBEA
What I got from being a member of the EBEA…..
In 2007 I attended my first ever EBEA conference in London. I was able to attend presentations by key players in the world of business and economics education such as Nancy Wall, Ian Marcousé and, most especially, David Butler the then HMI in charge of Business and Economics education at Ofsted.
As a solo department I also gained a great deal from chatting to other teachers and swapping experiences and e-mail addresses with them. I took advantage of the workshop opportunities and remember clearly Ian Marcousé describing seasonal supply and demand using the example of a Cadbury Caramel on a hot, sticky day compared with an ice cream.
Two months later my department played host to David Butler in his capacity as Ofsted inspector as he conducted a subject survey. I chatted to him about the EBEA and to my surprise he passed my details on to Duncan, then Chief Executive, and asked him if he had any work I could get involved in.
From here my career changed dramatically. I went from being the only teacher of a subject that many forgot even to list in school, to someone who was asked for their opinion and listened to by the people I looked up to in my professional and academic life. I wrote articles for the newsletter, hounded my MP regarding changes to the curriculum and became an examiner and moderator. In other words my confidence grew and grew. I became a member of council and have presented at the Annual Conference every year since 2008.
In 2009, as a result of the additional work I had contributed at the EBEA, I was lucky enough to be awarded New Teacher of the Year. An accolade I would never have dreamed possible two years earlier and one which still makes me feel incredibly proud today.
I would recommend that everyone join the EBEA and to get as involved as you have time for – send in those good lesson resources (it’s good proof that you are demonstrating good practice for your performance management if other professionals are using your resources!), write an article for the journal, campaign to your MP about issues you feel strongly about or ask about presenting or other opportunities within the EBEA – there’s ALWAYS room for one more!
If I am asked what the EBEA is for I will always give the same answer – it’s a community of teachers at all stages in their professional life, supporting each other and making life that little bit easier for each other. We offer some excellent resources but that is not primarily what we are for – it is a bonus!
To be honest if I had not had the good fortune to be inspected by Ofsted in 2007, I doubt if I would be teaching now – I have a great deal to thank the EBEA for.
Sandra Butler – Head of Business and ICT in a high school in Kent
