ABOUT ME
Hi, I’m Karen Draper,
And as a coach, teacher, learner, and a human being this is what I believe.
‘We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes
it has gone through to achieve that beauty.’
Maya Angelou
MY PHILOSOPHY
I am a proud Birmingham woman living in rural Wales. But I wasn’t always confident to reach out and explore the world, see my potential, or understand how to dream.
I love my family and friends, and the community of people I grew up among. I loved school and all those people I have learned from throughout my life. I love new knowledge and being curious. My early experiences shaped me but did not define every part of me. There is always opportunity.
Throughout my personal and professional life, I have met astounding people who encouraged me to see alternatives. They continue to help me steer the course of my life. I am inspired by the potential in you and what that can inspire in me; synergy you might say.
I believe that leadership and influence is a choice we can all make and that a relationship-based programme, workshop, or conversation drives cultural change; one day at a time.
When people discover, through coaching, that aspiration, aligned with developed self-awareness, greater sense of responsibility for themselves and a commitment to growth, true transformation takes place for individuals, teams, and wider communities. There is no limit if you believe that, too.
My qualifications and professional experience
- B Ed Honours (Bachelor of Education)
- NPQH National Professional Qualification for Headship
- Accredited DISC Expert (Personality Profiling)
- Certified Coach, Mentor, Trainer, and Speaker. I have achieved both diplomas in Personal Performance Development and Coaching in Education with The Coaching Academy.
- Extensive leadership experience as a primary headteacher and a Head of Education in a specialist college planning and evaluating the progress of young adults between the ages of 18 and 25
- Extensive experience as a school improvement advisor and experienced in school inspection
During my career, I have worked effectively across the education sectors with:
- School leaders at all stages of development, supporting them to create, implement and evaluate whole school strategy.
- Middle leaders and teachers, including those newly qualified to understand the crucial role they play and develop their understanding of their professional values.
- A comprehensive range of staff across sectors and age ranges- primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units. For schools in England, colleges and currently a local authority in rural Wales.
- Families and carers to ensure their involvement promotes the collaboration needed.
- And never ever forgetting the pupils, our future. Born to be creative, nurtured, inspired with a love of learning.
- More recently I am meeting people from all walks of life who are teaching me that no matter the challenge, no matter the resources, no matter the experience, anybody can develop a desire to change.
my practice
As a teacher, leader, adviser, and inspector, I coached. My genuine interest in other people’s hopes and dreams ensured I worked to facilitate their success. Relationship driven practice has been key to my continued influence and interest. Understanding when people are ready to make the transformation they desire and how to raise awareness with them excites me even more today than it did at the beginning.
From Accreditation as a De Bono Thinking Hats Trainer to becoming a DISC accredited practitioner, (and everything else in between) observing and understanding human behaviour whilst caring about and wanting to inspire people is key to my success and my client’s empowerment.
I engage with people who desire change, are seeking personal and professional purpose and the freedom to choose, no matter what experience they have had or where their career path has taken them.
Coaching conversations enable clients to become players, agents of their own transformation, turning burnout, overwhelm, frustration and fatigue into potential. That was the case with my very first class of 5-year-olds to the newly qualified teachers I mentored, to the coaching work I am doing with leaders in schools as well as other professionals in all areas of life, today.
This new paradigm requires courage, collaboration and empowered people living the best version of themselves.
CONTACT ME
to schedule an enquiry call