Ctrl-Alt-Advice

Dear Business Ed Bestie,

I’m a one person Bus Ed department and I’ve worked hard for years to build up my resources. Lately, I’ve noticed lots of teachers asking for materials or ideas. I want to help but part of me wonders - am I just making it easier for them to ‘coast’ whilst I’ve done all the work? Should I be more protective of what I’ve made? They will learn more about the courses if they made their own resources?

Possessive in Pittenweem*

Dear Possessive,

First off, let’s raise a cup of tea to the lone rangers of Business Ed across the country keeping Bus Ed subjects alive - you are doing an amazing job! It’s not an easy gig being in a school where you are the only subject specialist.

Now, to your dilemma; sharing isn’t weakness - it’s a power. The idea that you are too nice for sharing is like thinking you are too generous for bringing in the really nice biscuits to a staff meeting. if anything you are setting the tone for a more generous, collaborative subject area - and that is the kind of legacy that lasts longer than any display you put up in your classroom!(And will get way more attention than that display too!)

We all know the hours it takes to make a decent admin lesson or an interactive BGE lesson that keeps learners engaged and focused. And yes, it can sting when others benefit from your hard work without a thank you or offer to reciprocate. But image if everyone shared just one good thing a term - our collective planning stress would drop faster than a Higher Business Management prelim pass rate in January.

You are not too nice. You are a LEGEND.

So don’t gatekeep your greatness - share what you can, when you can.

And to those reading this who might have benefited from a lovely person like this in the past - consider sending a wee thank you and sharing something you have used.

With solidarity and her favourite red Stabilo pen (if you know you know!),

Business Ed Bestie

The Serious Bit

In all seriousness though, teaching can sometimes feel like a solo sport. Workload is an issue and sometimes it’s easy to put your head down and only focus on your own classroom.

But we are not rivals, we are not auditioning for ‘The Apprentice:Teachers Ed’, or “I’m a Business Teacher - leave me alone’. No one is handing out awards for the best Displays tweeted out on X or put on Pinterest.

We are in this together!

Business Education is an amazing set of subjects taught by an equally amazing set of educators. Whether you are a one person department or part of a large team, collaboration is our secret weapon - not competition.

So let’s lift each other up and stop the comparison game and start sharing and collaborating.

We don’t need to gate keep good practice - we need to share it and learn from it.

*No teachers from Pittenweem or the surrounding areas were involved or harmed in the making of this post!