About Rich Galloway

I am a teacher on a journey of learning. I should say that I haven’t always been a teacher. I left the profession at the turn of the last century, before returning to the classroom about three years ago. Getting my own class again took a lot more time than I initially figured. It also took me from Ontario to the Yukon, Alberta, back to the Yukon and then finally to Egypt. I can honestly say I have taught on four continents, which isn’t bad for someone who has just over seven years full-time teaching experience. So I am an older dude. If I’m being honest, and I’m lucky, which I am, I’m probably a little more than halfway through what will be, hopefully, a long and healthy life. It does make me an oddity on a number of levels. An older male primary school teacher who is not burnt out, nor in SLT and who still enjoys the cut and thrust of a classroom. I could say the usual things about being a teacher, dedicated, hard-working, organised etc. and it would all be true. What sets me apart from most people my age, so I am told, is that I am open and willing to adapt my practice. It doesn’t mean that I flip flop all over, chasing this fad or that. It does mean I enjoy working with experienced teachers, who are often a lot younger than me and learn from them. It is ironic that this time around I am much more interested in education than ever I was as a young man. I find myself fascinated by the process in which children learn and what the most effective way of facilitating their learning is. I’m also interested in what we teach and why? How technology can help and/or hinder learning, as well as assessment and how the different forms of assessment influence learning, both from a teachers perspective as well as that of the students. The more I learn the more I realise that teaching is a highly skilled craft, equal parts art and science. Which is why I say I’m a teacher on a learning journey. I find myself as much a student as my students, in my quest to be a better teacher.