Curiosity, honesty and joy

For the team at PHF, the end of a school year is a time for rich reflection and many different emotions as we work with projects at different stages of their TDF journeys. For one cohort, there’s an ending, with a complex mix of celebration and saying goodbye. We’ll wonder how two years could have flashed by so quickly and at the same time talk about how much has been learned and how much has changed for teachers, pupils and school communities. Another cohort will be in the middle of their journey, reflecting on what has gone as planned, what has been challenging and what might need to be thought about afresh in the second year as they start to consider how to embed the work. And yet another cohort will be meeting each other for the first time, sharing their hopes and plans, and having the all-important introduction to Padlet.

This newsletter has contributions from five very different projects across art forms, geography and theme. Three, from the 2023 TDF cohort, are at the end of the TDF programme; two, from our 2024 TDF cohort, are mid-point. I’m struck that each article touches in some way on two key themes.

Firstly, the confidence to iterate, to acknowledge that something isn’t working as expected or hoped, to rethink and to try something different. In a high-stakes environment for both schools and arts organisations, with pressure on time, resources and results, this is so much easier to say than to do. However, over eight rounds (including a pilot) of TDF, one of the crucial things we have learned is that the journey is not linear, not least because the TDF priorities of enquiry-based professional learning, deep reflective practice, partnership working and formative evaluation inevitably map out a more complex route. These articles seem to point towards a few helpful approaches that TDF travellers take, such as letting go of the idea of right/​wrong and fixed outcomes (Letchworth Garden City), finding creative solutions to logistical difficulties (The Story Exchange), making enough time to understand each schools’ individual context (Polka Theatre) and establishing trust between partners (Moving Stories). From a PHF perspective, I would add taking the opportunity to learn and take inspiration from colleagues in other TDF projects, both your own cohort and alumni.

Secondly, these five pieces all give an insight into the experience of teachers taking part in TDF and chime with themes highlighted in our annual TeachMeet at which we heard from 15 teachers across 13 projects. There’s a tangible sense of teachers being given space to explore their own creative and learner identities. This invoked a range of emotions – from fear and guilt to surprise and joy. 

And as Bernie Fury, leader of This is Manchester, explores in her article, when we invest in teachers’ own learning and creativity, then we are opening up new experiences and opportunities for pupils.

Thank you to all who have contributed to TDF this year and we look forward to the learning that next year brings.