Written for Men Teach Primary by John Bee – @mrbeeteach

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”
I love that proverb. It suggests that we can become anything you want to be, no matter what your starting point is.
I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. Opportunities in the North East of England in the late 80s and 90s were somewhat limited opposed to the rest of the UK or the world. I did school, then college and then went to look around a few universities at a few different courses – still not knowing what to do. After some soul searching and applying to a few places, I was accepted onto the Primary Education with QTS at the University of Sunderland. Dr Kim Gilligan saw something in me and helped me think critically about the world. Before this, I was quite content seeing the world through my own distorted lens. As their strap line of the University of Sunderland says, it really is life changing! It changed my life to springboard into a profession I am incredibly passionate about. I am so glad I did.
Social class, I have come to realise, plays a big part in my life. My whole family are very working class, many used to work in collieries or the pits before they closed. I was on free school meals, had never been on a holiday abroad and grew up in considerable deprivation. I was part of a generation of children who thought McDonalds was for special occasions and birthday parties. At the time, that was my normal and I knew no different. I used to be ashamed of this but, with experience, I realise it is the very thing that keeps my feet on the ground, my aspirations high and gives me my drive.
My first Headteacher was amazing. She really supported my early career and professional development, she was great with people and I learned so much about teaching and life from her. Mrs McGrow’s humanity and compassion is something that sticks with me and will continue to stick with me. She really thought educating the whole child was important and showed me that every child matters. I spent much of my time in KS2, with short stints in KS1 and EYFS. I suppose I have always been really keen and wanted to do the best I can possibly can at everything I can. I’m still unsure where the drive/need to push so hard comes from but I think my upbringing may go some way to answer that question. I see my younger self, with the odds stacked highly against me, in many of the children I have taught.


With experience in my first school, I learnt that love, care and compassion eat strategy for breakfast but after 5 years in my NQT (now ECT) school, I was ready to spread my wings and took the plunge into middle leadership. In 2016, I secured a position in a primary school in Gateshead as Key Stage 2 Leader and maths leader. This was to be, unbeknown to me, the role where I really developed and embedded my professional skills, pedagogy and leadership capacity. My first action was to enrol on a new and exciting professional development course with the Great North Maths Hub as a Primary Mastery Specialist. I was thrilled to be accepted and it is still a role I enjoy fulfilling. At the same time, I started a master’s degree in Education, back with the University of Sunderland. After 3 years, I had finished my MA and graduated in October 2019. By November 2019 I was writing my first two books on approaches to teaching mathematics with Bloomsbury Education. This is still a ‘pinch me’ moment and it still blows my mind to this day. Alongside this, I attended a 2 week research visit to Shanghai, China in November 2019 just before the pandemic (where a parent at my school actually complained that I had brought COVID back from China with me!) to observe teaching for mastery in my capacity with Maths Hub. I look back and wonder how I did a masters degree, wrote the books, had full time teaching commitments and worked as a primary mastery specialist. I remember the long days, weekends and holidays of work and little time to relax. For this period of my life, these habits became my character. However, these incredible experiences have enriched and punctuated the last 6 years of my careerand I am incredibly grateful for everyone who has helped me along the way.



Just before my book release, I launched www.mrbeeteach.comto house many of the resources I had enjoyed creating. Since it’s conception, it has subscribers from all around the world and is used in lots of countries. This is another ‘pinch me’ moment. In 2021, I completed an NPQSL and I am about to embark on a new position in September as Deputy Headteacher.

These experiences have enriched my life and as each year passes, I become more and more passionate about what I do.They have changed my life for the better and in ways I could only dream of. What we think, we become. Despite my starting point, I think I’m doing just fine.
