Fathers Case Studies
Need some inspiration, or wondering how other fathers have fitted CPD into their schedules? We hope these stories of real dads using shared parental leave and time with their children as CPD opportunities give you the tips and direction you need. Just click on their lovely faces to read their stories in full.
Have a similar story? Help inspire other MaternityTeachers and PaternityTeachers by sharing it with the MTPT community. We’d love to hear from you!
Easing Back into Gear
Science Teacher and father of two, Paul Hunter (@MrHBio26), describes how taking shared parental leave enabled him to enjoy time with his new daughter and develop his subject knowledge and educational networks.
The Start of a Great Adventure
Simon Beale is a History Teacher, Head of Department & Assistant Headteacher in West London. He is passionate about sharing classroom resources on twitter (@SPBeale), which lead him to co-found the History Teacher Book Club. He is dad to Florence & Felicity, twins conceived through an IVF donor after a long fertility journey with his wife, Alex.
5 Weeks?!
Pastoral Leader and MTPT Project Accreditation Coach, Chris Reddy (@brightwayscoach) explains how taking 5 weeks shared parental leave with both his sons challenged parenting stereotypes and enabled him to make family memories that will last a lifetime.
An Amazing Feeling
Head of History and father of one, Tom Allen (@tomallenhistory) spent six months of shared parental leave with his daughter. As well as supporting his wife and getting to know his new daughter, he completed subject-specific paternityCPD and travelled to Australia to strengthen family connections.
The Big Decision
Former Director of English, James Ashmore (@ashmore_edu), SLE, education consultant and father of three talks about how taking shared parental leave benefitted the careers of both him and his wife, and improved the wellbeing of his whole family.
Lockdown: Rationalising Responses to Behaviour
Teacher of Sport and Uniformed Protective Services in the Further Education sector, Chris Wilde (@ChrisWildePE) reflects on how taking on the lion’s share of childcare during lockdown enabled him to transfer lessons from “Dadding” to his FE practice.
Lockdown: Babies and Books
FE Lecturer, Jonny Kay (@jonnykayteacher), explains how his period of furlough during the 2020-21 pandemic coincided with the birth of his second daughter and gave him the time to write a book, improving his own teaching practice in the process.
Sharing More Equally
Associate Assistant Principal and Literacy Lead, Farrah Heerah (@farrahheerah) explains how having the opportunity to take shared parental leave resulted in greater parenting equality between herself and her husband, and invaluable support for her as she returned to work.