What makes me tick?

I am very clear in my own mind about what makes me tick. I absolutely thrive on sharing positive experiences and practices with others who are positive and, of course, learning from others. What is it that sets some people apart; able to inspire others and drive them on to higher levels of performance and achievement? Is it the passion they have for what they do? Is it simply that their enthusiasm is infectious? Is there something that can be bottled and uncorked to order? Is it something quite intangible that we can recognise and appreciate but can't really measure in an objective way?

Today I spent time with two colleagues whose enthusiasm and passion for what they do never fails to inspire me. Both perform quite different roles in the school. Firstly, I met with Gill O'Connor (Teacher of English) to review the work that she has been leading on the development of writing practice in our cluster of schools. Gill's enthusiasm and passion for the teaching of writing comes across so strongly. I experienced first hand why it is that so many pupils want to be in her class. I really liked the way in which Gill used her readings and reflections on the principles within 'Assessment is for Learning' to explain to me ( a scientist in a previous life) how she thought the teaching of writing should be developed. I look forward to sharing and discussing her ideas next week with my Primary Headteacher colleagues. My second such meeting of the day was with Christine Babbs. Christine is officially our school librarian but contributes so much more than this to the wider school community. For example, Christine organises the writing and production of our School Magazine, Liberton Link. At today's meeting we looked at how we might enhance the current format. We exchanged a few ides and thoughts and of course, Christine, being Christine, agreed that she would aim to have our next magazine completed and distributed by the end of February.