Create a National Commission for education governance.

Hello Friends,

I'm recently though the UK's School/Uni system. I aced it: A, A, A, 1st Class Science Degree, prizes, extra-curricular, internships, masters sponsorship offers... So, why have I signed this petition? 

Our system is a load of hoops that I learnt to jump. The whole time I felt the pain of my friends who didn't want to or couldn't learn to jump like I did. The system couldn't see what I saw in them and took away their confidence.

While being showered with praised for jumping those hoops, I couldn't help but feel the emptiness- I'm only doing what I'm told, I'm only allowed to do what I'm told! Following this path lead to a technically excellent and lucrative career; a career that is so not me or where my heart is. Stepping away from it was one of the hardest and best things I've done for myself. Though the world seems to think that because I can do that work, I should do that work. I don't understand this assumption. 

Ultimately, as I reflect on what happened, it seems to me that my teachers were trapped. So much of what my wonderful teachers did were things they were made to do with us by someone I'll never meet. These mandated practices and pervasive requirements for evidence of adherence mean that teachers must find a superhuman amount of willpower to simply be human and present for their students.

Students see glimpses of who their teachers really are, especially when the syllabus and exam prep are done. That's when teachers really teach, but Governments bent on control of education don't seem to understand this simple fact. 

Yours, 

Leah 

P.S. I'm blogging from leahkstewart.com if you'd like to follow my current work.