Finding Joy and Purpose in Leadership

 As 2023 handed over to 2024 I was making my way through the training for and finally completing the Tarawera Ultramarathon 100 Miler event. I posted a bit about it, using some of the thinking and lessons I was learning from that to explore the key elements of leadership, especially the importance of  knowing your 'why', understanding your purpose.

The photo below was taken at the 110k mark at 3 30am deep in the Okataina Forest, 23 1/2 hours after the start with just over 12 hours to go. I was well and truly buggared and had really struggled the previous 6 hours with a bit of throwing up and struggling to take the required nutrition on board.

At this point my daughter joined me as my pacer for the last 50k. Just after the photo was taken she suggested right now was a good time to remember my 'why'. This was a timely suggestion because my 'why' had been centred around really testing myself to see what I was capable of, and now I was in unknown territory distance wise and was facing a real test.

She also knew that my father (her grandfather to whom she was very close) was an inspiration to me. She reminded me that he often competed in the Redwoods and that we would feel his presence. As the mist settled in the forest, as the shadows crowded in and as strange noises emerged from just outside those shadows it was easy to feel his presence.

A few kilometres later as we were climbing to the peak she also made the cheery observation that in 3 hours time the sun would be rising for the 2nd time in the race and that it would feel like 'a new day'.

Despite the evidence in the photo I experienced a huge amount of joy as we set about bringing life to my 'why'.

Joy and purpose

Two weeks ago I was participating in an on-line session where a computer programmer from USA was presenting on the capability of AI to enable personalised learning for school students. He was a talented young man who would have been hugely successful in the corporate world, but had instead created a start-up that had attracted investment of money and expertise to break apart the shackles that seemed to be resisting our desire to find ways to truly personalise learning.

It was obvious that he was working from the standpoint of firmly placing the students at the centre - who were they, what were their interests and needs and what pedagogy would best promote their learning - and then determining if and how technology could support that.

His opening line to us was:

        "I'm where I'm meant to be in life. I've found joy and purpose."

This so resonated with me that I lost focus on the presentation for a bit as I rolled that thought around in my mind.

I've spent a lot of my time recently working with school leaders in ways that are supported by my leadership framework:

The importance of 'Joy' seems to be missing, but I suspect it could be one of the descriptors that would fit nicely in that sweet spot in the centre.

APDP Leadership Opportunity

Derek Wenmoth and I are about 3/4 through our Principal Leadership Support Programme, Refresh, Reconnect, Refocus, and the feedback from principals has been strong, including:

“I was in desperate need of a programme like this. This gave me the opportunity to participate in a transformative journey of professional learning and wellbeing, where I rediscovered my passion, reignited my purpose, and reconnected with my vision for leading in education. Together, we got to nurture not just academic excellence, but also the holistic wellbeing of our school communities. Because when we thrive, so does the entire educational ecosystem.”

We have been asked by non-Principal senior leaders (APs and DPs) to run a similar programme in 2025 with a particular focus on their leadership context. We have committed to do that and are seeking no-obligation registrations of interest through the link attached to this flyer.

Have a look and see if it's for you. If it isn't, please share with a colleague who might find this opportunity is just what they need.

Let me know if I can help in any way.

Chatter About Charter School: Maurie's Musings

 If Charter Schools are the answer, what’s the question? 

I’ve been out and about amongst school leaders a lot and we often spend time talking about the wider issues the sector is facing, as well as what’s going on in their schools and what is dominating their thoughts.

Recently there have been a lot of wonderings about what the impact of Charter Schools might be on the wider education sector and what it might mean for them, their school and their colleagues and their schools. 

There’s not a lot of detail around yet, but the plan seems to be to move quite quickly.

This post attempts to capture my own musings on the topic influenced by what I have heard.

What is the problem that charter schools are seeking to address? 

In a recent press release, Associate Minister of Education David Seymour stated, “Charter schools provide educators with greater autonomy, create diversity in New Zealand’s education system, free educators from state and union interference, and raise overall educational achievement, especially for students who are underachieving or disengaged from the current system.” Based on this statement it would appear that Seymour believes that the state (government and Ministry of Education) and unions who look after the conditions of those who work for schools are getting in the way of improving the academic outcomes and the level of engagement of students. 

The Minister of Education, Erica Stanford has set out on a path of mandated common approaches to the delivery of education within the state school system. She has, among other things, mandated an hour a day each for reading, writing and mathematics, mandated structured literacy and banned cell phones in all schools. She seems to be pushing a one-size-fits-all approach and claims to be guided by the ‘Science of Learning’ in making these decisions. She obviously believes these, singular solutions, are the best approaches for all of our learners.

On the other hand, the Associate Minister of Education, David Seymour is rolling out his Charter School model which totally goes in the opposite direction, where it is all about innovation and choice. These schools, who will receive serious funding, will be able to choose their curriculum and their approach - they can make their own decisions about cell phones, about structured literacy, about how they allocate time. Presumably, he is basing his approach on a body of evidence.

They both can’t be right

One of the main concerns seems to be the environment of mixed messages that the sector is receiving from the Minister and Associate Minister

This poses the question - who is right? If more flexibility and choice is the answer, as Seymour is proposing, then why are state schools having that flexibility and choice restricted? Wouldn’t it make more sense to leverage the flexibility currently within the state system which includes Kura Kaupapa, Kura-a-Iwi, Special Character and other innovative approaches that exist?

If a more uniform, mandated approach is the answer, as Stanford is proposing, then why are we channelling millions of dollars into another model that is free to operate outside this approach?

How will Charter Schools operate within the education ecosystem

Up to 35 existing schools will be able to move to the Charter School model. Currently these schools can access support through the Ministry of Education for a wide range of reasons, including Trauma and Response, financial management, serious behaviour support and RTLBs, Iwi relationships and advice around leadership, school and community relationship issues.

Those schools that move to the fully-funded Charter School model will, presumably, have no free access to these services. This raises the potential concern that school leaders in the Charter School model may find themselves floundering and exposed without such support.

Some of us are wondering if more funding that state schools could be accessing, when schools are financially stretched,  may be diverted to similar supports being funded to be available for those in the Charter Schools.

As well, some are wondering what the impact might be on existing Professional Growth Cycle Networks. The assumption is that Charter School principals will not be required to participate in this valuable networking that supports their professional growth. If this is the case they will be missing a development opportunity. And what happens if they wish to participate but colleagues are not wanting to engage in such ways with school leaders who may be seen as undermining the State system?

How will existing staff be impacted

Concern is growing about the impact of radically changed employment conditions on staff employed in schools that shift to the Charter School Model. Those staff are currently employed according to a set of conditions in their current Employment Agreement. It remains unclear as to how these contracts and conditions will be affected if a school chooses to become a Charter School.

Many of those staff will not be in favour of the change and may, therefore, be restructured out of their position. There is a range of compensations available to them when this occurs which may result in a huge financial burden on the State and on boards.

There will also be some staff who may be happy with the move to being a Charter School but will need to maintain, at a minimum, their current conditions of employment.

Talk that the inability to transfer conditions or to be able to access redundancy rights that are within their current Agreements may be included in the legislation is a huge concern as this would signal a trampling of their current employment rights which are enjoyed by employees in most sectors.

These are just my musings which I believe others will also be thinking about. What are your thoughts?