Editor
With the COVID lock down came unexpected reflection time. Education is never short of topics to contemplate and NZPF President, Perry Rush, was quick to immerse himself in some deep thoughts. He wrestled with issues like the purpose of education, ethical leadership and what the new Leadership Centre might accomplish, the curriculum and value of the Arts, Principal PLD and collaboration and how best to resource both. Most importantly, he thought about the elephant that has sat in staff rooms and principals’ offices for far too long – the growing number of students presenting extreme, violent behaviour challenges and the system’s inability to find workable solutions. As NZPF President, Perry’s job is to influence the political and Ministry levers to enable teachers and leaders to give young Kiwi kids New Plymouth principals come out to meet with NZPF President Perry Rush the best possible learning opportunities. To do that, he needs to know exactly what his colleagues are there is no demand. It’s because the threshold for enrolment is experiencing in schools, what is working well, what the barriers ridiculously high. The expertise within residential schools could are and how the system is performing to enable schools to be used in multiple ways. The schools can be short term options succeed. whilst self-management strategies are established; they can be And so, The Road Trip. He began his journey in Whangarei longer term options for the more complex cases; they can be and fourteen regions later, concluded his whirlwind tour in the training centres for teachers wanting to specialize in behaviour deep south. Some 800 principals came out to listen, discuss and management and learning support. Each of the three residential give him feedback. schools has excellent facilities and well-established relationships Across the country, the call was consistent. The most troubling with their local communities. problem facing them all was indeed students presenting with A scheme currently being trialed in Hawkes’ Bay schools called extreme behaviours. Principals did not hold back as they related ‘Te Tupu Managed Moves’ also found favour with principals who their stories. Wellington principals summed it up well: would support expansion of the scheme. Te Tupu Managed Moves is a system whereby a student may be moved from one school to ‘We have a tsunami of seriously troubled kids coming another to de-escalate extreme behaviour and includes support through. Three are in one class [at my school] with twelve for the student’s family. It was introduced as a solution to schools hours a week teacher aide support. It’s ridiculous. These excluding students. kids can’t access the education they deserve because Principals called for the Learning Support Coordinators’ we don’t have the direct learning support. The school is funding to be transferred directly to schools so that each school propping up learning support and it just isn’t enough. can employ their own staff. Some already pay for their own There is money in the system but its in the wrong places, Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo). The argument like in Kahui Ako.’ for SENCos in schools is all about relationships. Young people Young people presenting with explosive and violent behaviours need support from teachers they know. They need confidence are a growing population. It has been said many times before building and strong, consistent relationships with the teachers that the policy of inclusion is laudable and no principal would they are working with. For the best results, the learning support argue that a single young person should not be entitled to the teachers also need to establish consistent on-going relationships best education on offer. The problem is inclusion was introduced with the students. without the necessary support structures for it to work. To accommodate the growing number of young people It’s not that there aren’t workable solutions. Perry Rush heard suffering trauma, anxiety and other mental health issues, primary them all on his Road Trip. They include alternative pathways such and intermediate school principals would like access to student as easier access to residential schools. Residential schools are counsellors, as secondary schools have now. Teachers are not rich in expertise and very low on enrolments. That’s not because trained psychologists or professional counsellors. Their students
do however need professional support for their mental health issues. Principals felt that as practice-based experts they should have more say over where and how learning support funding was applied. In their view funding was available but was channelled to the wrong places. As one principal said: ‘What Government does is conceptualise a solution to meet a need, without proper consultation with us and they end up a failure. Learning Support Coordinators are a good example.’ Applying funding unproductively became a theme of the Road Show. The next topic was collaboration and PLD. There was almost unanimous agreement that the Communities of Learning
Collaboration is not a foreign concept amongst teachers and principals. It is all about the model. Most principals felt the CoL or Kahui Ako are not the right model for collaboration and PLD provision, in part, because there is little or no impact on the quality of learning that students receive. They unreservedly supported collaboration however and would enjoy a freeing up of funding for cluster-based PLD. Leadership and the proposed Leadership Centre was the final Road Show topic to engender spirited debate. As one Waitakere principal put it: ‘Nothing prepared me for being a principal. We are not
Manawatu principals join President Perry Rush in a group photograph
Debating the issues with Wellington principals
(CoL) or Kahui Ako, were the wrong model producing little if any positive outcomes for children’s learning. One principal from the Manawatū reported he had completed his Masters Thesis research on Kahui Ako and found that every one of the principals in his sample said:
trained in employment law, finance, human relations and property . . . Having experienced principals to talk to is the most important support we can have.’
‘ . . . there was zero influence on learning for children because all the money went on staffing and [this] money could be better used to make a greater difference.’ Principals favoured a system where they formed their own collaborative clusters, identified their own PLD requirements and were funded to undertake that PLD. They objected to the CoL resource going almost exclusively to leaders and insisted they could lead their own CoL for no additional payment. Many suggested that the CoL had generated more inequities in their region with CoL taking precedence for allocating Learning Support Coordinators and funding for PLD opportunities. They also said CoL took too much of their time to the detriment of participating in other networks such as the local Principals’ Association activities. On the positive side, CoL had provided some useful connectivity for principals and some beginning principals said the CoL provided immediate links to experienced principals who were very helpful and supportive. One CoL leader from Horowhenua explained the Iwi connections their CoL had made: ‘We now have a partnership with Iwi which we would not have had before. We have all been to the local marae
and principals, with twenty years’ experience, had never been there before. It’s made a huge difference to whānau engagement for us.’
This comment generated a lengthy discussion on the nature of the principal’s job and how well principals are prepared for the role. It was agreed that some formal training was necessary to prepare principals before they apply for a school leadership position. Many fondly recalled the First Time Principals’ programme and the mentoring and coaching that followed – now assigned to history. They recalled the ‘Aspiring Principals’ development programme – also discontinued. It was generally agreed that middle leaders have always struggled and not since Tomorrow’s Schools, have experienced principals had any systematic ongoing training and development. This mixed and diminishing support for leadership occurs as the role of principal becomes more complex. So what do principals want for their future leadership development? Most importantly principals want other principals or recently retired principals to support, train and mentor them. A Centre that would incorporate all levels of leadership development found strong support. Once again, principals felt they needed a strong sense of ownership over the Centre’s vision and functions and how services would be offered. They consider leaders coming together in one place, in residence, for a course in leadership development has lasting value and also allows for networking opportunities. This does not
Wellington Principals come out in numbers for the road show
Wellington principals line up to be counted
mean that the Leadership Centre has to have a dedicated physical structure. There are many residential options for holding courses. They offered many ideas about what the Leadership Centre might offer, importantly emphasizing that all functions of the Centre would be for principals, by principals. The practice-based nature of the role, and the uniqueness of it means experienced or recently retired principals are best placed to train others. Principals were also very aware that the role of the experienced principal is also to grow more leaders:
There was no shortage of ideas about content for the new Leadership Centre. Of greater importance to principals though is the matter of who sets the agenda. Overwhelmingly, principals believe they are best placed to take on this role. It was a rushed tour of the country but Perry Rush will be pleased he took himself out to meet with his members. If he had any doubts about a consensus view on the critical topics of managing students with extreme behaviours, the future for Communities of Learning or Kahui Ako and the future Leadership Centre, he is now assured the regions are well aligned in their thinking. He intends to survey all principals this term, based on the feedback from his tour.
‘Growing other principals is part of my job. There are so many principals getting jobs with no training or practice and we need to sort this out.’
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