027 - Sliding Doors Stories - Part 2

We’re excited to share the second in our series of brand-new bonus episodes of the Pit Pony Podcast - a heartfelt collection of our guests’ incredible sliding doors moments. These powerful and inspiring stories celebrate the magic of life after teaching and the joy that comes from embracing new opportunities.

In this episode, you'll hear from:

✨ Rowena Hicks: From Classroom to Author

• Rowena reflects on a transformative moment of self-worth and freedom, showing her the power of taking control and valuing her own happiness.

✨ Amy Meade: From Classroom to Learning & Development Manager

• Amy shares a deeply emotional moment, that was only possible when she became unburdened by the restrictions of her teaching schedule.

✨ Nicole Bateman: From Classroom to SEND Advisor and Sensory Expert

• Nicole recounts on a dream fulfilled, that cycled all the way back towards the path she thought she would take when she was at university.

These moments are proof that stepping out of the classroom can lead to life-changing opportunities.

Thank you as always for listening.

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Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital Real

Transcript

Hello fellow pit ponies, and welcome to our special bonus episodes that we've put together for your pleasure, which capture those beautiful moments at the end of our episodes, in which our guests share with you the magical experiences they've enjoyed since leaving the classroom. We refer to them affectionately as the sliding door stories. The stories are different, unique and incredibly powerful, and serve as an inspiration to us all.

So on behalf of myself and Sarah, enjoy. Rowena Hicks, Classroom to Author, Sliding Door Story. It's so easy for me that really, because last June I put myself on a plane to go and visit my son in Bali.

And I sat on this semi-empty plane, in turn time, going to somewhere hot just because I wanted to, and I could. And I realised that actually I'd taken some control in my life, and that I was going to be okay. I wasn't completely better, but actually I could, yeah, I could start to look at myself with value, in terms of making a decision for myself, not just what everybody else has won, everybody else wanted of me.

It was a beautiful moment of realisation. Amy Meade, Classroom to Learning and Development Manager, Sliding Door Story. The most significant sliding doors moment for me is, I had grandparents that passed away during COVID, and their wish was that they wanted to be returned to the altar, to have the ashes scattered in the bay that they grew up in.

And I knew, because this was all kind of, the trip had been delayed going out there, because there was COVID, etc, etc. And it just wasn't the right time. And I was still teaching when my family were talking about wanting to plan the trip for the next year.

So, I left December 2022, but they'd started talking about it in 2022, about going out to the altar next spring, and going to the bay where they grew up to scatter their ashes, and doing a family ceremony out there. And because I was still teaching, I knew that I would have to go through the agony of having to, you know, write to the governors, write to the head, you know, plea for this time off. And I know I wouldn't be able to stay out there the whole time with the family.

I'd just have to probably, you know, I might be lucky if I can go for the weekend and maybe fly back on the Monday or something like that. Like, I knew I wouldn't get the whole time out there with the family. So, there was already a compromise.

And obviously, how I ended up, you know, planning and teaching is all quite sudden in some respects. But it meant that once I had left, that I knew I was going to be able to go out on that trip with the family for the whole time, and not have to ask anyone's permission. All I had to do was, you know, just book time off work in an online form, and that was it.

And it was the most special thing. Like, I can't explain, like, being in an airport when it's not the school holidays. Like, that felt amazing.

You know, and then actually to be able to be out there with the family, to watch them. We watched the sunrise over the bay and scattered their ashes and said goodbye to them. And I thought, I might not have been able to have done that if I was teaching, because I couldn't guarantee that I would be allowed the time off to do that.

And I'm trying not to well up because it's a podcast, but it's, you know, to me, it meant everything. It was the most special trip I've ever had in my life. Nicole Bateman. 

Classroom to SEND advisor and sensory expert. Sliding Doors story. So, it was probably about two years ago when I got a train up to London, and I was walking over Westminster Bridge, saw the Eye, saw the House of Parliament.

And I was on my way to be the parent rep of the ethics and law committee for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. And I, as I said before, you know, I first of all went to do medicine. And but actually, when I was in sixth form, I always loved the medical ethics.

Like I loved it. And that's why, you know, with the Flossian ethics and all of that, it was like the combination. And I was like, oh, I want to be on one of these medical ethics committees.

And so walking over that bridge and thinking, oh, wow, like I'm actually on the ethics and law committee of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health. And it brings in also not only that, but with my son, I was able to then speak at an epilepsy conference for pediatricians like, you know, from all over the country that are part of the Royal College. And so that I'm like, yes, it brings in the epilepsy.

It brings in my, you know, my passions from when I was younger. And it all kind of, yeah, it's all come together. Well, we hope you enjoyed the sliding door stories of our guests.

And please remember to subscribe to our channels and follow along for the magical Pit Pony moments that you will find at the end of our episodes every week. On behalf of myself and Sarah, see you on the other side.