A few months after the passing of legendary educator Wendy Moss, her friend and colleague shares inspiring reflections on her legacy
It was less than an hour after receiving a terminal diagnosis that my dear late friend and colleague Wendy Moss smiled and said, “There’s always a silver lining.” She was referring to the relief of no longer having to take large antibiotic pills that couldn’t beat the illness she’d just found out she had. Her ability to see the big picture and bring warmth and humanity to every situation transformed the sterile hospital room into a place of hope for the future. That was the “Wendy effect” in action.
Wendy was one of the UK’s greatest champions of adult education and a legendary figure at City Lit. Since the 1970s, Wendy impacted the lives of hundreds of tutors and thousands of students through developing teaching of literacy, supporting research, facilitating teacher education programmes, and much more. In these socially and culturally turbulent times, her belief in education as a powerful equaliser feels more relevant today than ever.
Now, as we mark half a year since her passing, I’ve found myself reflecting on the lessons left behind by Wendy, my friend, colleague and former tutor. This blog will share three of these lessons. Whether you’re an educator, student or simply passionate about social justice and equality, Wendy’s life has something to teach us all.
“Appreciate people for who they are”
Wendy had a way of making everyone feel that they mattered. She appreciated individuals for who they were, in both their beauty and complexity, and focused on their strengths, not weaknesses. She inspired you to believe that you were more capable than you knew and that you knew more than you thought. Her determination to see the best in people — and see their potential — made a real difference to both students and teachers.
It came as second nature to Wendy to support learning that allows students personal choice, space and respect. She also supported teaching that embraces thewhole person, building on their choices and preferences. Her relationship with students was one of partnership, a bit like her relationship with us all. Within this partnership, students and educators could flourish.
“Treat teaching as an art”
Wendy used to say that teaching is a complex skill for which there are no simple answers. Even though she had been teaching since the 70s, she said: “Different groups, different topics, different contexts — there is always something more to learn”.
Wendy worked hard at City Lit to promote innovation in teaching, including encouraging educational research and communities of practice among teachers. She believed that the art of teaching needs constant adjustments and that your artistic toolkit can only develop through taking risks and trying new things over time. Wendy wrote, “In fact, if we stop, rather like if a musician stops practising, we tend to go downhill.”
Her belief in teaching as an art will always remain relevant — especially in this era of unhealthy government scrutiny into the education system, where teachers can feel that their creativity is stifled. Also, in a rapidly changing world, we need to adapt to change and facilitate learning for adults who are exposed to information differently now. Wendy showed us what it meant to treat education as a fluid and flexible artform.
“Believe in education as an equalising force in society”
Wendy believed that a key role of education is to contribute to the development of democracy. I will never forget her passionate speech while lying in her hospital bed, when she said that the flourishing of populism was possible because of the government’s poor investment in adult education and unions. She believed that education is an equalising force that can provide everyone with opportunities to learn and develop critical thinking. She also believed that diversity helps societies to flourish.
At City Lit, she was devoted to promoting inclusive learning and an approach to teaching that gives everyone a voice in the classroom. She was also skilful at creating spaces where people felt comfortable to be themselves, ask questions and make mistakes.
In this era of rising inequalities, growing extremist views, environmental crises, and a rapidly evolving relationship with AI, Wendy’s legacy is more important than ever.
Learning from Wendy’s life and legacy
Wendy taught us that it is the task of educators to help students be curious and appreciate people in their entirety, in both their beauty and complexity. This includes focusing on each individual’s strengths over their weaknesses, just like Wendy did. She also showed us that it is crucial for us to help students distinguish between facts and fakes. This includes recognising assumptions, including our own, and considering alternative perspectives or wider contexts.
We may not be experts in doing both of these things all of the time. But, if Wendy was here, I know that she would make us feel that we have what it takes, even though we may not be able to see this ourselves.
Teaching is truly an art form that thrives on continuous practice, experimentation and innovation. Learning, on the other hand, is a courageous journey that involves taking risks, facing occasional setbacks and having the resilience to rise again. Let's honour Wendy's legacy by embracing the same courage, resilience and kindness she embodied.
Wendy Moss talking about her role at City Lit in 2019 for the Centenary Awards.
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