National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation
As 2015 gets underway, I am hearing from many quarters that and as we grapple with our ever-increasing responsibilities, principals want a year in which they can be free to concentrate on compliance issues and community expectations we are becoming helping their children realise their learning goals, strengthening more vulnerable. Our roles are highly complex and as if it isn’t their teacher capability, making their school communities proud enough to manage the every-day demands and challenges and feeling optimistic about the future direction for education that children and staff bring, we also face the unreasonable in New Zealand. They know that it is quality teaching and expectations of politicians and the public to solve every social ill. leadership that can and does make a difference for children’s It is time to put ‘principal support’ back on the table. Although learning and they want to get I have only briefly discussed on with it. this issue with the Secretary for I consider myself privileged to Quality teaching and Education he seems willing to leadership arises when principals have mentored and coached listen and help. and staff are operating in a high To have a truly effective support trust environment; when they are principals post Christchurch mechanism for principals we thoroughly engaged with their earthquakes. need local associations working children and their communities; alongside the Ministry. The when relationships are strong; when they are motivated, focussed, Canterbury region is grateful to the Ministry for supporting a committed and well supported; and when they are stimulated through collaborative practice, sharing their best ideas with each other. There is no room for undesirable distractions when you are striving for quality. AQUILA BOOKS Regrettably, we have had a flood of unhelpful policy distractions Tel 07 8821447 | Fax 07 8821449 | aquilabooks@xtra.co.nz | www.aquilabooks.co.nz in the past few years including national standards, charter compliance requirements, the IES, charter schools, and of course how could we ever forget the most scandalous of all – Novopay! Neil Mackay Total Teaching 2015 Tour These policies have all negatively affected the morale of our profession. They just kept coming at us one after the other. Neil Mackay, the internationally renowned dyslexia expert is returning Perhaps the most demoralising aspect of all was that principals for a speaking tour in 2015. In the climate of ever reducing support and and teachers were given no opportunity to contribute to the ever greater pressure on classroom teachers, Neil presents strategies development of any of these policies. Consequently they do not which close the gap between thinking, reading, writing and equips sit comfortably with the profession and neither do they provide teachers to take “notice and adjust” when students are stuck. a springboard for raising student achievement. Neil will be exploring his concept of Total Teaching, and students will A 2014 review of 680 principals appointed for the first time benefit when their specific needs are identified and addressed in the between 2006 and 2008 showed an attrition rate of 30 per cent. unsupported classroom. It is little wonder that principals are leaving in droves. Many are exhausted from fighting incomprehensible policies while others Neil will be holding seminars in: are just disillusioned. Most are in continuous ‘brace position’ AUCKLAND 4th and 5th FULLY BOOKED May awaiting the next policy bombshell to hit. How pleasant it would HAMILTON 6th May be to have a year without the threat of another Government WELLINGTON 7th and 8th FULLY BOOKED May initiative. CHRISTCHURCH 12th and 13th FULLY BOOKED May DUNEDIN 14th May I consider myself privileged to have mentored and coached INVERCARGILL 15th May principals post Christchurch earthquakes. While undertaking this important work my role changed from one of supporting Whole School Events – Neil is available to attend schools from 18th principals to fulfil their school leadership roles, to coaching to 22nd May to speak to the teachers in your school or group of schools. principals in how to protect themselves from oppressive and Price and details on application. at times quite unjustified external pressures. An analysis of the NZPF Helpline calls shows a similar trend, a nationwide problem. www.aquilabooks.co.nz/total-teaching-tour I have come to realise just how vulnerable we are as principals
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mentoring network in the wake of the earthquakes, and we are thrilled that the Secretary for Education responded to NZPF’s call to appoint advisors in Northland. The reality is that principals in all regions of the country need this type of support. Research, including the Ministry’s own 2010 workforce report, shows that professional mentoring of principals is the most effective form of principal support. I would agree and add that the best people to take on such a mentoring role would be highly skilled principals who have professional credibility and are trained in coaching and mentoring. Local associations would be well placed to play a key role in the appointment of mentors. We also need to review the processes for principal appointments and leadership training. These issues are too important to leave to the Ministry or the School Trustees’ Association`. Principals must own these processes and the only way to achieve that is to involve them right at the start. Principal appointments are the domain of Boards of Trustees. The Schools’ Trustees Association recommends that when appointing a principal, an advisor should be involved. I agree and in my view, another principal would be the best person to advise a Board because they understand the complexities and breadth of the role and the capabilities required to lead a successful school. I believe this is another area where local associations could assist the Schools’ Trustees Association to identify suitable candidates for the advisory role. It is an area of concern long overdue for review.
Leadership training is another area in need of examination. Given the high attrition rate of first-time principals it might be time to revisit the First Time Principals’ Programme to ensure its relevance, rigour and effectiveness in training our fledgling leaders. Aside from the first time principals, I believe it is also time to look at what professional learning development opportunities are available for our experienced principals. I suspect very little. I will be following up on these ideas with a view to establishing at least the beginning of a sustainable and comprehensive nationwide support system for principals by the end of my tenure as president.
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