We are Leading Learners… so Breatheee

133 days since my post on ‘Life Work Balance’… and guess what… its life. We must live a balanced life, and if you are ‘holding your breath’ while at work, then you must be holding your life while at work, it is probably time to Breathhhhheeee.  

My life as Principal meets its 8th year,  I reflect on the things that were important 8 years ago that are still very relevant today.

‘If we want things to remain the same, we have to do things differently’, in relation to the transformation of ABC.  Mark Scott 2008 ABC CEO.

Setting the Scene as the Leading Learner.

Day 1 Talking to staff as a first time Principal. 28th Jan 2011. Marsden High School

Welcome back to the year of 2011. The year of the Flood. I extend my heartfelt wishes to all staff and their families who may have been effected by the tragic scenes in early January. Thank you to all those who, I know have in some small way have given assistance to those that have been in dark times due to devastation of the swelling waters.

What is memorable for me, is the way in which, no matter how small, people helped to make a difference to those who were worst hit by the event. As a collective, everyone’s  small part added to the  huge, overwhelming positive difference.

With this I welcome all back, to be part of making a overwhelming positive difference, no matter how small the part you play…we are powerful together.

The Principal is the “Leading Learner”….

There will  be no time in my career, that my role as a learner will ever be as significant as it is today. I will need all of you, as my colleagues to work as a team to ‘honour the past and own the future’.

I am a learner, as you are. And what will we do is….keep it simple.

I picked up a book off the floor of my 18 year old son, just finished his HSC, got into the course he wanted and leaves for Uni on Tuesday.. the book… “Don’t die with the Music in you” by Wayne Bennett.. gives me mindset for the  journey as principal of this great school.

“The main thing is to make the main thing the main thing”.

As a leading learner, I have continued to keep my learning as paramount to understanding the significance principals play in communities and schools. And what skills, knowledge and mindset are pure to the fundamental role of school leaders.

I have investigated how research informs our transformation of schools to meet future demands of learning and challenging the traditional in favour of creative and entrepreneurial skills to drive student skill development. And the power of visiting other educational contexts and have taken a lot from visiting five universities in Shanghai, East China, Yogyakarta (Indonesia), San Diego and Oregon (US) and eight varying school districts. Through my research I have identified key leadership characteristics that makes for interesting reading and reflection.

‘If its good for student learning… then its worth pursuing’.

Folder of Papers