Refresh, Reconnect, Refocus is the perfect title for this professional development. It does just that. A fantastic retreat, space to think, relax and start to reconnect.
Participant feedback
Last week I had the privilege of facilitating a two-day hui, alongside Maurie Abraham, with fourteen wonderful principals from across New Zealand. We gathered together at Hanmer Springs in the South Island for two days of intensive activity around being a leader in education in the context of constant, unpredictable change (VUCA) that is now the norm in all areas of our modern world, including education.
We were delighted to be working with a really mixed group of principals – with representatives from primary and secondary, rural and urban, long-term and first-term principals, and a great cultural mix as well, including one person from the Cook Islands! This made for some really valuable and authentic conversations throughout our time together – no danger of there being a comfortable ‘echo chamber’ here. The one thing uniting the group was a genuine desire to grow personally and professionally, and to understand their role as leaders in the modern education milieu.
“These days reaffirmed how amazing it is to be a principal. Being here with the energy was a highlight. I’m glad to be part of a fraternity passionate about leading tamariki forward.”
Participant feedabck
Maurie led a great session at the beginning of the programme designed to encourage participants explore and articulate what drives them as people, as educators, and as leaders, and to understand this in terms of leading from a place of ‘moral purpose’, rather than compliance with a set of external expectations and requirements. This set the scene for considering the broader context of education and society, and an examination of the drivers of change and roadblocks that challenge us, building towards sessions looking at some future-focused scenarios and the implications for the work each person is involved within their local context. It was an ambitious programme, with a lot crammed into just two days – but the programme now extends into 20-weeks of online connections designed to support participants as they seek to implement some of the ideas they have been challenged to consider.
Participant feedback
“I’ve enjoyed having space to revisit my purpose and to question the congruence of practice with purpose.”
Of course, we also took some time out to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Hanmer Springs, with walks up Conical Hill and an opportunity to spend time in the hot pools before dinner 🙂
Thinking as a system leader
Early in our time together we posed the challenge of considering whether the principals present saw themselves purely as a leader of the school they are positioned in, or whether they see their role more broadly, as a system leader. This challenge was premised on the understanding that, while each principal is charged with the responsibility of leading the staff, students and community in their local school context, they invariably are impacted by what is happening in the world external to the school as a result of policy and regulatory decisions, changes in societal expectations and demographics and the impact of external factors such as cost of living, extreme weather events, trickle down from global crises etc. However we may think about our local school and how we give effect to the leadership responsibilities we have for things within our locus of control – we cannot escape the fact that our local schools are all a part of a broader, education ecosystem.
For example, a principal of a primary school enrols young students who are likely to have come from a pre-school service provider, and then send those students off to an intermediate or secondary school once they have completed their time at that school. And that’s not to mention the many students who may enter and exit the school for just a few years of that time as a result of families relocating with jobs or other reasons.
The emphasis that many schools have placed on the development of a graduate profile provides an important for the work of teachers and the community as they support their learners. At one level a graduate profile may simply reference the specific academic and skill-based outcomes that have been worked toward during their time at the school. It is important that an indication of measures of success in these areas is identified. But this is only part of the picture.
Beyond the immediate academic and skill-based outcomes, a future-focused graduate profile should encapsulate the essence of preparing learners for the challenges and opportunities of the world they will grow up to live and thrive in. In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, where technological advancements, globalisation, and societal shifts redefine the skills and attributes required for success, a forward-thinking approach becomes really important.
A future-focused graduate profile requires deep engagement of staff and community with understanding how the world is changing and the demands there will be that their children will be required to address. It serves as a compass guiding educational efforts towards equipping students with the adaptability, critical thinking, and innovation necessary to thrive in an uncertain future. By articulating not only what students should know and be able to do upon graduation but also fostering qualities like resilience, creativity, and a global perspective, schools empower learners to navigate complexities and contribute meaningfully to society.
Moreover, a future-focused view instills a sense of purpose and direction, inspiring learners to set ambitious goals and pursue lifelong learning beyond the confines of traditional education. In a world where career paths are increasingly nonlinear and multidisciplinary, students need a holistic understanding of their potential roles in shaping the future, alongside the requisite skills to seize emerging opportunities and address pressing challenges.
By embracing a future-focused perspective in the development of a graduate profile, schools signal their commitment to nurturing forward-looking citizens capable of driving positive change in an ever-evolving world. This proactive stance not only enhances the relevance and effectiveness of education but also empowers students to chart their own paths towards fulfilling and impactful lives beyond the classroom.
Achieving this isn’t something that can be done within the space of a few short staff meetings. It requires a determined effort to work with parents/whānau and community – and students. It also requires a deeper level of engagement with understanding the factors at play within our wider education and societal milieu, and the ability to recognise and understand the impact these things may have or are having on what is happening in the local school context.
Attempting to address these things purely within the context of a local school will have some impact – but will ultimately rely on a range of factors that impact on the lives of learners – including what’s happening at home, their experiences at the schools they progress onto as well as the experiences they have in a range of non-school contexts that are also informing how they learn and grow as individuals.
For principals, seeing themselves as system leaders becomes a really important. System leadership isn’t something we abdicate to those in the Ministry of Education or other government agencies. While people in those places inevitably have a different level of responsibility within and for the system than the principals in schools, their role must be seen alongside that of principals. We must stress the interconnectedness of schools within the broader educational ecosystem and the collective responsibility principals share in ensuring the success of all students. For this, principals must see themselves as integral members of a larger community of educators working collaboratively towards common goals.
While principals must align their goals and initiatives with broader educational priorities set at the regional or national level, they must also believe that they can have a role in helping shape and influence what these are. This can be achieved through seeking coherence and consistency across schools to achieve systemic improvements in student outcomes such as the intent with the Kahui Ako structure. Or it can be achieved through networking and collaboration among principals from different schools within the same region or area of interest. The sharing of best practices, resources, and strategies for addressing common challenges is important here. By fostering a sense of community among principals, they can begin to see themselves as part of a larger collective working towards common goals.
The important thing to understand is, you don’t need to leave your school and join the Ministry of Education to become a system leader. School principals are already system leaders – whether they know it or not. Their beliefs, decisions and actions are shaping our system on a daily basis. Principals who think as system leaders will advocate for policies and initiatives that benefit not only their own schools but the entire education system. They will seek to leave a lasting legacy by championing initiatives that transcend the boundaries of their own schools and address systemic challenges within the education landscape. Inspire them to aspire to a legacy of excellence and equity that extends far beyond their tenure as principal.
So… I am truly looking forward to the next 20 weeks with this committed group of individuals, and the opportunity to collectively embrace the role of system leaders. This not only benefits those in our schools and communities, but can bring greater professional fulfilment and personal satisfaction by providing opportunities for principals to make a meaningful impact at scale.
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Refresh, reconnect, refocus
We’ve had a number of inquiries already about whether we’re planning to run this sort of programme into the future, including questions about running it for APs and DPs. If this is something you’d like to be a part of, or know of someone who might be interested, I encourage you to add your name to our registration of interest so that we can keep you informed of our plans moving forward into the second half of 2024 and 2025.
Two days of taking a breath and focussing on what really matters with passionate, engaged educational facilitators in a peaceful alpine setting. Listening and connecting with other principals who came to refresh, reconnect and refocus. This hui delivered all this and more.
Participant response
