Samuel Ikhinmwin

1. Tell us a little about your current job? What do you enjoy most?

I am currently a Lead Practitioner, housed in a mathematics department of a large federation of schools in inner-London. What I enjoy most is my daily engagement with such a diverse group of pupils and my ability to add value to both staff and students through means of my expertise and experience in teaching.

2. I see you have come some way from doing the MTeach. What would you say are the key things about the MTeach that have stayed with you?

Yes, I can really agree that I have come a long way since starting the MTeach. To think when I began the MTeach I was in my first position as a Mathematics teacher and have since worked as a Deputy Head in Mathematics and now a Lead Practitioner. I would say that the key things that have stayed with me are (1) to be committed to being solution oriented rather than problem oriented; (2) to be confident enough to look for solutions; and (3) to make a difference in your school with both your students and staff.

3. What did your dissertation/ practice based enquiry (PBE) explore? What did you find out how did it influence you?

My final assignment on the MTeach explored aspects of racism, specifically faced by teachers, in schools in East London. The research found that racism was not a rare encounter for the several non-white teachers who participated. It was really interesting for me to look at the differing ways that racism was both encountered and perceived within the school setting. In terms of influence, the research helped me to consider differing approaches to the provision of support that I wished to provide for the teachers that I work with as well as the students whom I am responsible for.

4. How was the MTeach work different from School or other professional development courses (e.g. INSET)?

The MTeach work was real. It was relevant to me, my classroom, my experience and my setting. In many cases school insets are organised in keeping with the school's agenda and intentions- regardless of whether this is appropriate for the school's context and circumstance. As refreshing as a subject knowledge course can be to support my professional development, the MTeach was several times more as it tied me as a teacher, my subject as a resource and my classroom as an arena, together in a really rich way.

5. The MTeach is for teachers only. It often uses the sharing of participants classroom experiences/practice as a starting point. How did this work for you?

This was an amazing starting point for me as the development through the course of tacit knowledge kept me aware of the learning that was taking place which was not so obvious. Being able to share insights from my complex classroom, whilst having other practitioners do the same, helped me to decipher some of the code which is daily at work- which can so easily be missed when unconsidered by the teacher.

6. What is your next career move?

To be honest, my next career move is out of the job. I plan to begin my doctoral studies looking into deeper aspects of leadership that are not given pertinent weight in our current school system. I aim to do this with the view of supporting schools by enhancing their teaching and learning offerings and sharpening their leadership constructs, to provide a better level of care and quality of education for our children.