In this interview Louise Earnshaw says that since leaving her job as a teacher she is being kinder to herself and has found her personality again. Through her career change she has become the owner of all of the decisions that are being made and that’s why she can be kinder to herself, because she's not panicking about the next thing that somebody is going to tell her to do. She says that she finds this really liberating as she explores life outside of a classroom. Please join us in this Peak District woodland with your flask, a pencil and a drawing pad.
I think that you'll find this interview particularly valuable if you:
experienced bullying when you were at school
feel dismayed by the pressure and toxic environment in your workplace
struggle with knowing when to stop work for the day
are considering self-employment in the outdoor or creative industries
think you've been taken for granted in your job
Themes during Louise’s interview include her concerns about finances, imposter syndrome, feelings of inadequacy during her early education years, the positive impact of outdoor pursuits, and managing her time now that she has more freedom and flexibility.
"When I became a teacher I decided that every child deserves to have a chance."
At the end of the interview, Louise gives you a simple creative task that might help you to take a step towards making a change in your life.
Here’s the list of questions that I asked Louise:
What does it feel like being sat here on a Wednesday morning when just a few months ago you would’ve been doing your job as a teacher?
Is the outdoors instructing something that you did alongside teaching?
How do you balance all of the different elements of your work?
What was it about Ali Foxon’s training that made you fly with it?
How long had you been thinking about leaving teaching?
Did you feel powerless to be able to do anything about it in the educational system?
Have you taken a big hit financially?
What would you say are the unmet needs that you experienced as a teacher that you’re discovering about yourself now?
Is there anything that unsettles you now that you have more freedom?
Why do you think you doubt yourself?
Did you go into teaching because you had a challenging experience at school?
What question would you like to leave us with?
Listen to Louise's interview
Also available on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and you can download it here to listen offline.
Links to Louise’s work:
References
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The Adventure Element website
Dr Ali Foxon website
Dr Ali Foxon on About the Adventure Podcast
Sam Marshall - Artist and Printmaker website
Recording information
This episode was recorded in a Peak District woodland on 5th July 2023.
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Final notes
Email Sarah, the podcast host, with your comments, questions or suggestions for future guests: sarah@sarahventurer.com
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