National President, New Zealand Principals’ Federation
When you think of schooling in Aotearoa New Zealand, what comes to mind? What are the unique features of how we approach the education of young people and how do those features find expression? During my teacher training, I remember being given an assignment by my professional studies lecturer, to record my philosophy of education. This was a tough ask for a fresh faced 19-year-old Naenae boy who hadn’t yet had enough life experience to develop a philosophy of anything. Such early naivety was best captured in my English Literature paper when I told my lecturer that I preferred the work of popular junk fiction author Wilbur Smith to Sylvia Plath. That little bomb shell didn’t help my grades much. I was digging through my papers the other day and came across the philosophy of education assignment-6 simple statements about my early educational beliefs. It makes for interesting reading. ■■
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That the liberal arts should be central in learning. The arts encourage self-expression and there is no truer learning than sharing one’s own experiences of the world through the arts. As Don Quixote once said, “Facts are the enemy of truth”. I hold this to be true. Truth is personal and all learning is the expression of what each of us judges to be true. Facts may or may not support this. Teaching should help children discover what is true for them. The job of the teacher is to help expand a child’s experience of the world so that they can become more mature, more knowledgeable, and more skillful. Literature helps children learn about what is possible. I plan to share great literature with my students and help them learn about the world outside of themselves. Learning should be fun and creative. I aim to make learning in my classroom an adventure that my students will look forward to every day. Children learn differently and have different interests. My approach is to have many opportunities to personalise learning so that children enjoy learning, and it is relevant to them.
Through the years, these 6 statements have found shape in my work. We form ideas and opinions because on a personal level they resonate. I am an artist myself, so it is no secret that the love of the arts is at the heart of my educational philosophy, similarly, I have a deep respect for partnership between young people and teachers, and so it not surprising that I afford young people the right to articulate what they consider to be important and then I find a way to honour that in my teaching. In an age when principals are punch drunk with administration
and accountability, it is vital that we rediscover the essence of our educational soul. What is it that you stand for and what do you privilege in your work? Cutting through the noise of the job and getting to the heart of a principal’s work is the essence of great leadership. Our responsibility as leaders is to chart a course and bring our teaching team along for the ride. Sometimes we will hold firm together in the face of inclement weather, whilst we create the conditions for truly inspirational work to surface. This is taking a bold view of leadership. It demands that principals are brave and able to push back on parts of the system that seek to control and mould principals in sameness. The educator Paul Goodman set us this same challenge. It is no less true now than it was when he was de rigueur. He describes Progressive Education as a reaction to a school system that has become rigid. Progressive Education aims to right the balance. He
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goes on to say, ‘Progressive Education is a political movement – it emerges when the social problem is “breaking out”, or to put it more positively, when an old regime can no longer cope with new conditions, new energy is needed.’ I believe that principalship needs to ‘break out’ and that ‘new energy’ is needed. A progressive, grassroots sense of the professional principal self needs to rise and push back on the tentacles of the system that have been allowed to reach into schooling. For too long principals have been organised and controlled by the system and we must not let that cause hesitancy and timidity of decision-making. We need principals to connect to principals to grow understanding of the pedagogy and approaches that enable creativity, connection, beauty, joy, and rigor in learning. There is nothing wrong with the principal who is clear about the need to push back on the inappropriate demands of the system to preserve deeply held beliefs about teaching and learning. The profession needs that sort of backbone. The very best professional work arises when professionals act on their personal, professional knowledge. I encourage you to look inwards and examine your own personal educational philosophy. What do you hold dear? What do you enable in your kura that reflects your philosophy? You are not employed to be a service delivery agent for your community, delivering to their aspiration alone. You are the lead professional. So, be bold and lead! Your community, staff, and students will thank you for it!
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