Over the last couple of years I've chatted to a number of people about wellbeing in the classroom but usually from a child's point of view. And I've talked about resilience, growth mindset, all that kind of stuff. But one thing I'm always interested in is about a teacher's own wellbeing. I was really happy to be joined by Paudie Moore, aka The Teacher's Coach. And that's exactly what he specialises in.

Hello, hello, you're very welcome to If I Were the Minister

2

for Education from Anshawe.

3

net, a regular podcast where I look

into the world of primary education

4

and let you know what I would do if

I were the Minister for Education.

5

This is Simon Lewis.

6

On this week's special, I have

an interview with someone who

7

you might be very interested in.

8

If you're feeling a little bit

down, a little lack of energy,

9

and you're looking for someone

or to help you out of that rush.

10

Before we do, if you're interested

in this podcast or any of my other

11

episodes, you can go along to OnShot.

12

net or subscribe on any of your

favourite podcasting platforms to get

13

a regular reminder of the podcast.

14

If you also want to, you can subscribe

to my newsletter, which not only reminds

15

you of the podcast, but also provides you

with some extra features, including extra

16

news stories that have interested me, as

well as some technology advice, which I

17

produce on YouTube every couple of weeks.

18

Okay, that's enough of a pitch from me.

19

I hope you enjoyed the interview

and I'll chat to you again.

20

Hello, hello everybody.

21

I am joined today by a very exciting

guest because over the last couple of

22

years I've chatted to a number of people

about well being in the classroom but

23

usually from a children's point of view.

24

And so we've talked about resilience,

growth mindset, all that kind of stuff.

25

But I, one thing I'm always,

I'm always interested in is

26

about teachers own well being.

27

We're big into helping children

with their own well being.

28

What about ourselves as teachers?

29

And I'm really happy to be joined by Paddy

Moore, who is from The Teacher's Coach.

30

And that's exactly what he specializes in.

31

Paddy's here is here with me from

Limerick and I'm really, really eager

32

to find out how I'm going to increase

my own well being as well as I hope

33

it'll help your own well being.

34

Because every time I hear

that word, I tend to shudder.

35

After this interview, I'm

sure I'll be seeing the word

36

in a totally different light.

37

Foddy, you're so welcome to If I

Were the Minister for Education.

38

Speaker 2: Simon, thanks

so much for having me here.

39

It's fantastic to get the opportunity

to have this chat with you today.

40

Speaker: No problem at all.

41

Without sounding like the, the

first question in a job interview

42

tell us about yourself, Foddy.

43

Speaker 2: I'm a former woodworking

Tektron teacher, and I would have

44

grown up really sporty, I would have

grown up on a farm, and so I would

45

have always been really active.

46

However, when I went to college priorities

shifted a little bit, as you do, you go

47

out that little bit more in college, etc.

48

Sports took a back seat, wasn't really as

active, so when I came to a point where I

49

was ready to start teaching, I had found

myself in the worst shape of my life.

50

I had started to pick up

every bad habit under the sun.

51

And when I started teaching, things

went downhill for me very, very quickly.

52

So that thing prompted me

to be in a situation where I

53

needed to To find a way out.

54

And that's something that

I really struggled with.

55

I feel that at the time I was

looking around for something

56

to suit me, but I couldn't find

anything specifically for teachers.

57

Everything that was out there at the time

was very much centered around restriction

58

and these six and eight week plans.

59

That wasn't something that I

really had much of an interest in.

60

I wanted to be able to still live my

life, but live a little bit healthier.

61

I was at a loss, and it very much

felt like there was no way out for me.

62

I had been trying for quite a while

to get myself back on track, but

63

it was just failed attempt after

failed attempt after failed attempt.

64

And it wasn't until after two years

as a teacher, I decided that I

65

wanted to, to, to move from teaching

in the UK to teaching in the UAE.

66

That's Spurred me to, to get myself back

on track because I figured that going over

67

to a sunny climate, going over to the, to

there, I couldn't be hiding away under a

68

nice blazer, a nice woolly jumper anymore.

69

So it was then that I started to, to get

myself back into a good routine with,

70

with my health and fitness from there.

71

Speaker: Brilliant, brilliant.

72

And, so you, you went over to

the UAE and you taught over there

73

for a little bit of time, was it?

74

Yeah.

75

Speaker 2: Yeah, so I spent two years

teaching in the UK, first of all, then

76

I spent two years teaching in the UAE

and it was coming towards the end of

77

the second year, I found myself spending

more time doing workout plans, doing

78

diet plans than I was doing lesson plans.

79

It was becoming clear at that point

that there was a need for a change.

80

Like I said, I got myself back into a

routine because of the move to the UEE.

81

But I had really found a passion for

health and fitness at that point.

82

And so I then decided that the teaching

I'd given it a fair go after four

83

years, it hadn't really taken for me.

84

So I decided to, to, to go

ahead first with the health

85

and fitness side of things.

86

So at that point, after two years of

teaching the UE I left the teaching

87

completely and I went working as

a personal trainer and it was from

88

there I had gone from almost earning.

89

So what I've been earning as a week as

a teacher, I was earning less per month

90

as a PT, but I've never been happier.

91

So it was clear to me at that point

that I had really found something that

92

I, that I was really passionate about.

93

Speaker: That's it.

94

That's brilliant.

95

It's so important to

do the things you love.

96

And to even, even if we are interviewed

ended as quickly as this, I think one

97

message, if you're not happy in a job,

like there is it, there is life after,

98

after I think particularly in teaching.

99

Cause I think one of the things I found

about teaching is that most people,

100

and I know it's different now because

of different routes into teaching.

101

But a lot of people never leave school.

102

They go to school in junior infants and

come out of it retired as a teacher.

103

They've never actually

left a school building.

104

And that can be, that's

quite daunting in some ways.

105

It's great.

106

Congratulations for

actually making the step.

107

It's not an easy thing to do.

108

So how did you get from being, a

teacher to being a teaching coach?

109

So that's

110

Speaker 2: So it actually, it turned out

to be quite a natural progression for me.

111

Like I say, I started off working on

the gym floor because everybody who

112

I looked up to in the industry at

the time had all started in that way.

113

It was always my goal that I wanted

to become an online coach, but I

114

knew that to become a good online

coach, I first of all, needed to hone

115

my craft on the, on the gym floor.

116

So while I was working on the gym

floor, I was also starting to try to

117

build my online presence, but because.

118

I was just after moving away from, from

teaching most of the people who are

119

following me online were all teachers.

120

Speaker: And

121

Speaker 2: very quickly what I started

to realize was that even though my

122

face to face clients I was seeing

them maybe two or three times a week.

123

It was my online clients who

were getting far better results.

124

And from, from what I saw from that was

even from my own transformation, I knew

125

that the training element was only a

small part of the transformation puzzle.

126

So in the online capacity, we were able

to dig a lot deeper and be able to serve

127

our clients in a much better capacity.

128

But also because it came from the

teaching background, I knew exactly

129

the types of problems that the teaching

clients would have been facing.

130

So after spending two years on the

gym floor, I I decided then to double

131

down on what was really working

and that was serving teachers.

132

And that's when I went fully online.

133

That was just over three years ago.

134

And that's what we've been doing since.

135

Speaker: Brilliant.

136

So you basically, you specialize

in teacher health and wellbeing.

137

So tell me, I suppose it might

be a silly question, but what

138

does a healthy teacher look like?

139

And what are the kinds of

things that makes an otherwise

140

healthy teacher, not be healthy?

141

What affects their wellbeing?

142

Speaker 2: Yeah, I think

that's a fantastic question.

143

I think that for a well balanced teacher,

I think that they, in my opinion, it's

144

someone who works hard but also has strict

boundaries in place at the same time.

145

So they're able to leave work and work

and then have their own personal life.

146

I think a healthy teacher is someone

who feels energetic, who feels driven,

147

who feels excited by what they do.

148

And I think that what kind of gets

in the way of that sometimes is that

149

because just, just like me as a coach,

teachers get into the role because they're

150

passionate about helping other people.

151

And I think that's absolutely fantastic.

152

However, that can sometimes

skew the work life balance.

153

And it can sometimes mean that

we're, we're, we're putting too much

154

into our job and then there's not

enough left to look after ourselves.

155

Another thing that I find

affecting teachers when it comes

156

to prioritizing their health and

fitness is the academic calendar.

157

In fact it's, it's obviously one of the

perks of being a teacher is, is the, the,

158

the, the regular breaks, but that seems

to make it quite challenging for teachers

159

to be able to find a consistent flow.

160

with their health and fitness routines

because they're going to need one kind

161

of routine that's going to serve them

in their term time, but they're going

162

to need another type of routine, maybe

50 to 60 percent of full capacity

163

that will be able to enable them to

stay consistent when they're out of

164

their normal school routine as well.

165

Speaker: Yes.

166

Yeah.

167

Yeah.

168

No, that makes, that makes a lot of sense.

169

And, and are you, are you saying that a

teacher a teacher whose health and being

170

is working out quite well is, they have

that divide between being in work zone

171

and not being in work zone kind of thing?

172

Would that be, would that be fair?

173

Speaker 2: Absolutely.

174

I think there has to, like you say,

I think there has to be a divide and

175

I also think that there has to be

something that, that teachers can

176

be quite prone to is putting other

people's needs ahead of their own.

177

And again, I think that's a fantastic

quality that they're willing to do that,

178

but more often than not, that can, that

will lead to their detriment as well,

179

because we need to appreciate that.

180

we can't pour from an empty cup.

181

And if you're not doing things on

a regular basis to fill your own

182

cup up first, that's eventually

going to end up wearing you down.

183

So that's why I'm saying I feel

it's really important that we have

184

that divide between work life and

personal life and make sure that

185

we're doing enough to be able to, to,

to fill our cup up in both regards.

186

Speaker: Yeah.

187

And do you think it's a kind of a, I'm not

saying completely unique about teachers,

188

but Do you feel teachers are re, somewhat

unique in that thing that, that your,

189

your day doesn't start and end when

you're in the, in, in the work building?

190

You're constantly thinking about your job.

191

Is, is that, is that something

unique to teachers or have you

192

found that's, maybe, maybe it's,

it's across the board these days?

193

Speaker 2: I think it's 100

percent unique to teachers.

194

I think it's very hard for anybody outside

of the teaching profession to understand

195

just how draining the role can be.

196

And I think we've all done the early

role when someone makes a comment

197

of, Oh, you're off half the year, or

you're off at three o'clock in the day.

198

I think it's very hard for, for

someone outside of it to understand

199

just how physically, mentally,

emotionally draining it can be.

200

And if you're not equipped with the

tools, with the strategies to be able to,

201

to reenergize yourself in all of those

three areas, Again, it is going to have

202

a negative impact and I think sometimes,

because as teachers people look to us to

203

have the answers, like students will look

to us to have the answers for everything,

204

I think even in social situations as a

teacher people expect you to have the

205

answers to a lot as well, and I think

that we can sometimes unfairly do that.

206

Thank you.

207

Put that expectations on ourselves

too, in that we expect to have, that we

208

need to figure this out for ourselves

when in fact you're an expert in your

209

field, but you don't, you, and as a

teacher, you have to wear so many hats.

210

So at the end of the day, the last thing

that you're going to want to do is,

211

is to have to be your own health and

fitness coach at the end of the day too.

212

Speaker: That's true enough.

213

That's true enough.

214

So I, I'm, I'm a, I'm a teacher.

215

He, he, I've recognized, okay, I need

to look after myself and I come along to

216

you and I say, okay, I think I need to,

need to do something for myself here.

217

What, what kind of, what, what,

what, what would be the first thing?

218

You'd do with with a

teacher who comes to you

219

Speaker 2: think that what's going to be

most important is to first and foremost,

220

realize that everybody's individual and

even though we said that we had teachers

221

specifically what a teacher who is a

mom of three young kids is going to

222

have a completely different lifestyle.

223

So maybe.

224

A guy who is in his fourth year

single, so their lifestyles are

225

going to look completely different.

226

So the first stage of our, of our program

for everybody that joins is we enter them

227

into what we call a foundation phase.

228

And that's basically us having a

bit of a lifestyle audit for you.

229

So we're going to see exactly what you're

doing on a daily and a weekly basis,

230

see what's serving you, see what's not.

231

And then we're going to start to

implement habits and routines from

232

there that are going to start moving

you in the direction towards the

233

goals that you're looking to achieve.

234

Speaker: Okay.

235

Okay.

236

And, and in terms of the kind of

goals that teachers might come to

237

you with, what, what are the sort of,

what, what sort of goals are, are,

238

are, are they generally looking for?

239

Is it, is it, is it, it's obviously

fitness is part of it, but I presume

240

there's other, other aspects.

241

What kind of stuff do you come across?

242

Speaker 2: There's three main ones that

we deal with on a most regular basis.

243

One is going to be weight loss.

244

People want to be able to come

in, they want to be able to feel

245

fantastic in their own skin.

246

So weight loss confidence is going

to come as a byproduct of that.

247

And I think the confidence is going

to come from you showing up and

248

doing what you said you would do.

249

So when you start setting and

achieving goals for yourself, that's

250

of course going to have a positive

effect on your overall confidence.

251

And what we found is that when you

get somebody thriving in terms of

252

their health and fitness, they're

That confidence trickles into every

253

other aspect of their life as well.

254

Weight loss, confidence, and then

energy, I think, is one of your most

255

valuable currencies as a teacher.

256

And I think if you don't have good energy

on a daily basis, it's going to be very

257

hard for you to be able to enjoy life.

258

It's going to be very important for

us to be able to equip our teachers

259

with the strategies, with the tools,

of how to be more efficient with their

260

time, how to be able to create energy,

how to be able to manage energy.

261

How to manage the stress that goes

hand in hand with the teaching.

262

And those are three of the key areas

that we primarily focus on with

263

the teachers that we work with.

264

Speaker: Brilliant.

265

And so tell me then so we've

talked about the problems that,

266

teachers might come to it.

267

So what does a healthy teacher look like?

268

Would you say, I know, I know

that's a, a broad question, but

269

Speaker 2: I think a healthy

teacher would be one who would

270

have a good work life balance.

271

Someone who can show up at their work,

give their best to their, to their work.

272

But when it comes to the end of the

day, when it comes to maybe 4, 4

273

30, they can leave work and work.

274

They can come home, they can

compartmentalize, they can leave that

275

there, and then they can be, they can be

free to enjoy the rest of their evening.

276

Whether that means that they're gonna

go, go for a run, go to the gym,

277

maybe go spend time with friends.

278

they need to have more of a

balanced lifestyle to be able to

279

have that overall health focus.

280

Speaker: Yeah, no, that makes sense.

281

I, I work with principals mainly.

282

I'm a, I'm a principal myself.

283

And there's all these reports

out at the moment, there's a

284

sustainability report being done

by, by an organization, the IPPN.

285

And the reports are saying the principles

around the country are, have twice the

286

amount of stresses as the national norm.

287

They've, they're like, the, the

figures just seem to be incredibly

288

scary that we're pretty much killing

ourselves from because of our job.

289

And, and I, I, I, I then again

wonder, I, I, there, with all

290

the best rule in the world as a,

as a principal versus a teacher.

291

Is there something, can, I think, and

I, I, I don't doubt that if a principal

292

used the same concepts, they'll probably

end up in the, in the, in a better place.

293

Is there anything extra though, let's say,

that a school leader might need to think

294

about, because the job is, Just so crazy.

295

Would you, would you have principal

clients where you've had to do

296

something a little bit different

or is it just the same stuff

297

that, that, that they need to do?

298

Speaker 2: I, I know

exactly what you mean.

299

My mother was actually a primary

school principal herself, so

300

I've witnessed firsthand the

workload that comes with that.

301

And we've actually got, we've

actually got a handful of principals

302

on the program at the moment.

303

And I think that What we need to

realise is that as a leader of the

304

school, it's going to be important

for you to lead from the front.

305

So if it's the case that we're saying

that it's going to be important to focus

306

on well being in the school, it can't

be a case where you as a principal are

307

there till half eight, nine o'clock every

night and burning the candle on both ends.

308

I think that it's going to be important

that, as I say, that you lead from

309

the front and you make sure that if

you're going to be preaching about the

310

importance of well being, you need to

be seen to be, to be prioritizing that

311

in your own day to day life as well.

312

I feel that in terms of the

actual strategies to serve

313

principals, there's not much of a

difference that needs to be there.

314

Of course, we need to be able to allow

for the fact that a principal is going

315

to have maybe more responsibility on

their shoulders than a classroom teacher.

316

However, that is going to work,

that is going to depend very much

317

on an individual basis as well.

318

Speaker: Hmm.

319

Hmm.

320

No, that, that, that makes

that makes a lot of sense.

321

I, I, I know it's probably the same,

the same sort of thing, but I suppose

322

in every job, there's, there's, it's,

as you say, it's an individual thing.

323

I, I, we talk, we've, we've skirted

around the, the, this word well being a

324

little bit, or I have anyway, at least.

325

And, and, and I suppose I want to

ask you about your opinion as someone

326

who, who deals with teacher being.

327

About the Department of

Education's idea of well being.

328

They have a well being framework.

329

I'm not sure if you've ever

had a look at it or seen it.

330

And I wouldn't mind hearing your

thoughts on that framework and

331

whether you think it's any good or if

it, if it's missing anything, what,

332

what would it really be missing?

333

And so a bit of a review of it.

334

Speaker 2: Yeah.

335

So first of all, I think it's fantastic

that it's something that the Department

336

of Education are focusing in on.

337

I think that's amazing.

338

Speaker: Okay.

339

Speaker 2: When I went through it,

though, what I noticed was a gap

340

in terms of teachers themselves.

341

I think, again, it's, of course, it's

going to be student focused, but I

342

feel that there's a gap in terms of

343

how teachers can look after themselves

first and foremost, because I think

344

it's going to be very hard for

a teacher to be able to promote

345

well being if they're burnt out.

346

stressed out, maybe they haven't been

prioritized, haven't been able to find

347

the time to prioritize their health and

fitness for the last number of years.

348

I think it's going to be

very hard for them to then be

349

able to serve their students.

350

So I think in terms of the policies

that the Department of Education has

351

set out, I think that there's a gap

in terms of how do teachers look after

352

themselves first and foremost, and

be able to show up their very best.

353

For their students then as well.

354

I understand that there's there's a big

focus being put in in terms of CPD and how

355

to which is going to be teaching, which

would be educating teachers on how to

356

be able to serve their students better.

357

But how do we, how do we look after

ourselves better is something that I think

358

there could be a bit more of a focus on.

359

Speaker: Yeah, I, I, I'd agree with you.

360

It's, it's certainly something that I,

I saw when I read the framework, I was

361

thinking what about, what about us?

362

And a question I asked a previous

guest, because she was quite critical

363

of the framework, was this idea that

there's a lot of reliance and I think

364

a lot of pressure on teachers because

they have this idea that there's

365

this one good adult in every school

who looks after, the, the well being

366

needs of, of, of children and that.

367

Did you find the teachers?

368

seem to take on that pressure

a lot at their own expense.

369

Speaker 2: 100%, 100%.

370

And I've actually, I've actually dealt

with a handful of teachers who were the

371

well being coordinators for their schools.

372

And these teachers themselves

were struggling big time

373

with prioritizing themselves.

374

And I feel that again, that's where

the gap is here is that if, if you.

375

if you're struggling yourself, how are you

going to be able to support other people?

376

And I feel that there's, there's a lack

of support for teachers in, in that area.

377

Speaker: Okay.

378

And, and if we, if we had a magic

wand and, and I know the name

379

of this podcast is if I were the

minister for education kind of thing.

380

And if we, if you were the minister for

education, but I want to ask you about

381

that later, but if, but on this specific

point, exactly about looking after

382

teachers and we had our magic wand of

being the minister, what would that kind

383

of look like if for, for let, let's look

at that because we are all going to have

384

a well being coordinator in our schools.

385

What do you, what kind of supports do you

think they need in order to do their job?

386

Speaker 2: I think that they're going

to need to know, number one, how to be

387

able to put strong boundaries in place.

388

How to be able to have a better work

life balance so that they're not, like

389

we said earlier, burning the candle

on both ends, bringing work home with

390

them, and then Shown up on maybe 30

to 40 percent battery at all times.

391

They need to be, they need to be taught

how to be able to create energy, how

392

to be able to manage their energy

so that they're going to be able

393

to show up at their best as, as the

leader for their class, for their

394

students, even for their colleagues.

395

I think that would be one one thing

that where I would start with.

396

Secondly, I think what teachers need

is to be taught how to be able to have

397

more helpful co op mechanisms in place.

398

I think the job itself, as we said

earlier, it's quite demanding both

399

physically, mentally and emotionally.

400

And I feel that if you're not,

401

if you're not sure how to be able

to re energize yourself physically,

402

mentally and emotionally, it's going

to be very hard for you to give

403

back at your very best then as well.

404

And I think that without us.

405

knowledge.

406

It's too easy to then turn to

the unhelpful coping mechanisms.

407

And that's why so many people that we

deal with, they, they struggle a lot

408

with snacking, with comfort eating.

409

Some people might even turn to

alcohol to help self suit because

410

they don't know any better way of

helping to deal with that stress.

411

So I think that equipping Teachers

with strategies, with skills of how

412

to be able to overcome these would

enable them to be able to show up in

413

a much better, in a much better way.

414

Speaker: Yeah, I know that,

that, that makes sense.

415

And I suppose, we've talked about the fact

that, this is a service you're providing

416

to, can you tell us a little bit more

about, the, the, the teacher coach, I'm

417

calling it right, teacher's coach service.

418

That if, if teachers were interested in,

in, in maybe getting in touch to Maybe a

419

bit of a blurb on what they should expect.

420

Speaker 2: Myself and my partner,

who's also a former teacher we both

421

work in the business together now, she

heads up the nutrition side of things.

422

We work with teachers who want

to be able to take control of

423

their health and fitness for good.

424

We want to make sure that everyone

that comes through our program, it's

425

not just going to be another phase.

426

We want to make sure that everything

that we do, we're teaching our teachers

427

how to be able to live with the results,

live with their results for life.

428

So we want to make sure that anyone that

enters our program, it's going to be

429

the last coaching program that they're

ever going to need to sign up for.

430

So we want to make sure that number

one, they know exactly how to be

431

able to stay consistent once they

leave their time in the program.

432

But number two, we want to make sure

that everything that we do is adding

433

to the quality of their life rather

than making it are taken away from it.

434

So we want to make sure that

everything we do is complimenting our

435

lifestyle rather than complicating it.

436

So we want to make sure that if we're

going to start prioritizing your health

437

and fitness, we're going to make sure

that we're showing up better energy.

438

We're going to make sure that

we're showing up and having a

439

better relationship with food.

440

We're going to make sure that we're

going to learn how to be able to

441

factor in what's important to us.

442

If you'd like to go out for a meal or

maybe a couple of drinks on the weekends.

443

You're going to need to know how to

be able to factor that in, rather

444

than saying, I'm going to join this

program, I'm going to hit it at 110

445

percent for the next eight weeks,

and then I'm just going to go back to

446

old habits and routines from there.

447

Yeah.

448

Yeah.

449

We want to make sure that all of the

changes that we do achieve, or all

450

the results that we do achieve, you're

equipped with the tools, with the

451

knowledge, with the systems of how to

be able to live with them for life.

452

Speaker: Brilliant.

453

Brilliant.

454

It sounds, it sounds great because

I know there's a, a, a, Back when I

455

was growing up, there was a lot of

particularly weight loss programs that

456

seemed to be one of those, it seemed

to be unrealistic nearly to people's

457

lifestyles, point counting and things

like that, where, you were, you could eat

458

whatever you wanted as long as you stayed

under a certain amount of points, but

459

it never really taught you, good habits.

460

Is that, is that kind of what we're trying

to, we're, we're moving to, moving from?

461

Speaker 2: 100%, 100%.

462

One thing that, that I think that,

The switch that's needed there is

463

that we need to stop looking at it as

a phase and start looking at it as a

464

lifestyle and you hit the nail on the

head there by, by mentioning habits,

465

like everything that we do, we need

to be able to see ourselves being able

466

to sustain for a long period of time.

467

And I think that that's unfortunately

where a lot of kind of, a lot of

468

teachers will set themselves up

for failure before they even begin.

469

I think because as teachers.

470

We're quite driven, quite ambitious.

471

We can sometimes set that

bar too high to begin with.

472

So we might go from not, not working

out at all to five days a week.

473

And then we wonder why in four weeks

time, we've completely fallen off track.

474

We need to make sure that everything that

we're doing at the, at the beginning.

475

It feels realistic, it feels

sustainable, and then you can build

476

as you go from there, if necessary.

477

Speaker: Yeah, yeah, no, that,

that, that makes that makes

478

a lot of sense for, for sure.

479

The last question I have to ask you

is the one I ask every guest on the

480

podcast, which is if you were the

Minister for Education, you have your

481

benign dictatorship for a day, and

you can do whatever you wanted, and

482

you can do more than one thing, and

it doesn't have to be about health

483

and fitness or well being at all.

484

But it's to change the education

system in any way you want it.

485

Preferably a primary level,

cause that's where I'm at.

486

What would you, what is the one

thing you would do if you were

487

the minister for education?

488

Speaker 2: I might be, I might be looking

to earn a couple of brownie points by

489

saying this one, but I think the one

thing that I would be, be focusing on is

490

making sure the teachers are paid fairly.

491

I think one thing that we I'm going

to say I have been, maybe some

492

of your listeners have also been,

is been related to a childminder.

493

And I feel like I, I know people

who send their kids to childminders

494

and they pay in rural Ireland,

they pay 30, 30 euros a day.

495

So if you were to say 30 euros a day

per student and you had a regular

496

class of 20 students, if you said 600

euros a day, five days a week, 3, 000

497

a week, Yeah, 3, 000 euros a week.

498

That would be 12 grand a month.

499

I think that that would be fair pay for if

we're going to be compared to ChildMinder.

500

I think that if you were to improve

teachers pay, improve teachers well

501

being, improve teachers work life balance.

502

I think that we wouldn't be

having the issues that we're

503

having now with teacher shortages.

504

I don't think that we'd have the issues

now with so many teachers feeling the

505

need to go further afield for employment.

506

A lot of our younger teachers are

immigrating to different parts

507

of the world for better work, for

better work life balance, really.

508

And I think that that would be one of

the first things that I would be looking

509

to tackle if I was in that position.

510

Speaker: Yeah, I think, I think one

of the things, and I think we've been

511

like almost complacent around teaching

that was, because it was always

512

considered this cushy number third.

513

great holidays, half day, blah,

blah, blah, blah, that people

514

sometimes would, would accuse us of.

515

But the, the actual private sector,

I feel, has caught up in terms

516

of looking after employees being,

and their, and their rights.

517

Like perks, we, we just don't, that

we now, in some ways, we have to

518

compete with, that teaching isn't this

kind of cushy job that it used to be.

519

It's, it's definitely more complex

than we know, we know all that.

520

And I but but I think the, the other side

of it is that, that the private sectors.

521

Caught up like there are, imagine,

I, I, I think the thought of actually

522

working from home is so appealing.

523

I know that will never happen

for me because I've chosen to

524

be a teacher, but, but it didn't

exist when I started teaching.

525

So would I have gone into teaching if I

knew I had, there was another job where

526

I I might be able to work from home or

I might have a flexible work work time.

527

I might be able to take,

certain types of leave.

528

I could do this 80 20 kind of style

where 20 percent of my day is spent on

529

things I actually like, enjoy doing.

530

All those sort of things,

I think, feed into it.

531

And then, of course, as you say,

conditions in countries like in the

532

Gulf States or even, other places.

533

We do have to compete with it.

534

So I don't think, I don't

think you're wrong there.

535

I think sometimes we're,

we're so complacent.

536

And I think the, I'm not so sure.

537

Blaming the media because it's everybody

whenever I say I'm a teacher, the first

538

thing they ask me is about holidays

you you at some point, you go actually

539

do you know when it comes down to it?

540

Yes, that is absolutely a

wonderful kind of thing.

541

To have If we're comparing, we're not

comparing, like with like anymore,

542

different jobs have different things

to make and you, you, you, you found

543

that teaching was something that, you

found that you, wasn't something that

544

you were going to be able to sustain,

and this is a job now that you can

545

sustain, and was good for your wellbeing,

not, not because of hours or any of

546

that, but, the day that you, you found

that you were I think, I think we

547

do have to make teaching attractive.

548

Or more attractive.

549

We can't just presume.

550

It's, ah sure, aren't they grand,

they're just minding, minding kids.

551

And so on.

552

Would that be fair?

553

Am I being, am I being unfair there?

554

Speaker 2: I think we're both very

much singing off the same hymn sheet.

555

And I think that it, If there isn't

something done about it, like it's a

556

profession where people are leaving

in their droves almost every year.

557

So I think there is a need

for change in some way.

558

But I don't think I'll ever be

in that position of power, so I

559

don't think it'll be up to me to

come up with the solution to it.

560

Dreaming.

561

Exactly.

562

Speaker: You never know, you never know.

563

But listen, it's been an absolute

pleasure talking to you, Paddy, and

564

thanks so much for for joining me on

If I Were the Minister for Education.

565

If people want to reach out and find

you, what's the easiest way to get you?

566

Speaker 2: On Instagram,

pottymoreteacherscoach will

567

be the best way to contact me.

568

Brilliant.

569

Speaker: Thanks so much, Potty.

570

A pleasure talking to you.

571

Speaker 2: You too, Simon.

572

Thanks so much for the opportunity.

573

Speaker: There you have it.

574

I hope you enjoyed that interview,

and if you have and you'd like to

575

hear more interviews, please from

me with some of the most interesting

576

people in primary education.

577

You can go to unshot.

578

net for more of them.

579

If you've enjoyed this podcast, you

can subscribe to the podcast using

580

your favorite platform, whether that

is Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts.

581

Podcasts or Spotify or any

of your other platforms.

582

I'm also on YouTube as well if you

want to tune in and watch along.

583

You can also look at my techie tips every

couple of weeks which are also on YouTube.

584

And you can subscribe to my

newsletter which has even more stuff.

585

Which is which can be found on on shop.

586

net slash subscribe.

587

And that will give you an email every day.

588

Two weeks and I promise

no junk mail in there.

589

So that's it for me for this week.

590

We'll catch you again

in a couple weeks time.

591

All the very best.

592

Bye bye.