Editor
The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lock down There is a disconnect between what principals need to be great gave us opportunities to slow down, reflect, enjoy family time leaders and the Ministry’s distribution of resources. Here are just together and indulge in a new appreciation of our immediate a few initiatives that principals say would make a substantial environment. Most importantly, the pandemic difference. exposed humanity at its best. Principals are asking for professional Leadership World-wide we witnessed acts of empathy, supervision. It is not a big ask. Most professions generosity, care and kindness. We witnessed is essentially provide supervision or mentoring as of right for neighbours looking out for each other and their leaders. It is a function that many retiring strangers caring for strangers. We saw people a social principals would willingly take on as a final step using innovative ways, including technology, their career journey. relationship inThey to maintain interconnectedness with friends, would like to see the Principal Leadership family and work colleagues. We watched essential between Advisory (PLA) service expanded so that more workers put their own health at risk every day principals can have access to peer advice as they so that the rest of us could maintain access to principal, need it. supermarkets, pharmacies and emergency health They ask that sabbaticals be compulsory so that teacher, services. Stories, jokes, songs and memes poured every five years, principals can take time out to into our inboxes as clever wits and satirists used students and refresh and reflect on their practice. the experience to entertain us and give us all a They would like more resources to be made community. jolly good laugh. available for collaboration and professional Thinking about these selfless acts makes learning and development. me think of school leadership. We witness many examples of They would like to see the business unit and curriculum humanity from school principals not just during health crises advisories, promised in the Tomorrow’s Schools Review, but at any time. Showing humanity is not only a welcome value established. in leadership, according to Baker & Poskitt (see p.21), if we Perhaps more than anything, they would like practical adopt the caring, connected approach to leadership it leads to initiatives funded to address the growing number of violent better teaching and ultimately, better learning outcomes for our young people in schools. The Road Show revealed that the young people. greatest challenge schools are facing is how to respond to Leadership is essentially a social relationship between the daily disruptions teachers and other students face when principal, teacher, students and community. As Baker & Poskitt confronted with outbursts of violence from severely traumatized explain, through principals creating a culture of care, teachers young people in their schools. For most there is little alternative and students learn they are valued and respected and feel safe to to exclusion, which is not an option any caring principal wants be themselves. They feel a strong sense of belonging and support to take. and are therefore more likely to be successful in the teacherSolutions to these requests do not necessarily mean new learner relationship and in turn, learners are more likely to excel. streams of funding. It is about Ministers and the Ministry The question is who is caring for principals? listening to principals and allocating funds to priority areas. It is The NZPF President’s recent Road Show (see p.7) revealed disheartening to see millions of dollars pouring into the pockets that the job of principalship can be a lonely experience. It is of Kahui Ako leaders, when members of these communities of demanding and complex and as Minister Hipkins has said in learning , including the leaders, would prefer that the money was relation to the Tomorrow’s Schools Review, ‘The Tomorrow’s applied to professional learning and front line services. Schools policy gave principals an impossible job.’ The COVID crisis brought the caring culture of principals Relative to other leadership positions, the Minister is quite to the fore. The Ministry heard them, listened to them and correct. Principals are not just responsible for the policies and responded in kind. The children of Aotearoa New Zealand thus administrative functions, they are also leading the pedagogy and had the very best lock down education experience possible. are responsible for the professional learning of their teachers and Principals say, let’s learn from COVID. Let’s continue the the pastoral care of their students. That would be fine if they had partnership, the sharing and the listening. Let’s build a caring the resources to employ support for these roles, but they don’t. culture right across our education system. That way we are all Nor do they have adequate support for themselves as leaders. winners.