I think one of the greatest senses of social security is knowing that someone has got your back. In every, or at least most, situations somebody is actually willing to look out for you, even when you are slightly wrong, however nobody needs to know that in public.
I would not have survived the past few weeks without people who have time and time again recharged me as shown above. People who have your back and that want to see you succeed when all odds are against you are really rare, therefore special.
My perspective at the moment is that of a new teacher. Teachers are everyday in need of someone who is going to back them up especially when it comes to the benefit of the learners that they teach. We go through so many struggles day in and day out and we need help, guidance and support in all our endeavours.
Sometimes we seek that support from our leaders whether be it a senior teacher, HOD, Grade Head and/or principal. My theory is that teachers want to teach to the best of their abilities and sometimes that requires doing some out of the box things even as an experiment. So, it would be nice to know that leaders would be in support of such endeavours instead of throwing you under the bus or looking at you like you are asking for something out of this world that is unattainable. I also believe that in order to teach to the best of ones abilities, there should also be support to go for professional training and development which might not always be academic/content related.
I feel strongly about this because I am new to this whole thing of teaching as a full time occupation, and I think in my newness, I have to try new things in order for me to find out what works for me and my beneficiaries. Hence, a key interview question to ask the interviewer, “How open are you to new ideas and change as well as my attempts for growth?” I am yet to find an interviewer who is open enough to answer negatively to this question because I cannot imagine any leader not being in support of growth and development. Unfortunately sometimes the experience shows a different story.
I am not trying to say the person who has your back should always be your hype person even when you are jumping into fires. But they should make you feel safe and supported on many different levels, physically, emotionally, intellectually and professionally and brave enough to let you know when you are off track without making you feel like it is all your fault that you are in a bad situation in the first place.
Yeah, I have been through quite a lot lately. I have learned a lot while realising who is in my corner throughout this entire experience and I have found it heartbreaking thinking about who isn’t. So far, I have risen above and I feel like I am succeeding. I guess that is all that matters at the end of the day.
Thank you so much for reading. Share your thoughts with me on what it means to you when someone has got your back.
Love, peace and light!
(sorry, not audio)
Let's Teach Royalty 
Beautiful piece. I would like to believe that this piece was inspired by the people who got your back. You are soo lucky to have such people.
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Interesting read here Gugu. Knowing that you have people who got your back liberates one to try out new things. Knowing that if you make mistakes, they will come to your aid. Being a new teacher is not an easy journey but being new at any career path is not easy. It is important to find someone that you can trust at your work place who will be there to make you feel supported in this journey. Keep rocking my friend, you are doing well.
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Yes, it was. And in the same breath it was also inspired by those that have shown me that they don’t have my back. We will always experience both sides of the coin. Such is life.
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100% agree. And thank you so much 🤗
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