Leadership is a risk, a challenge, it’s hard and painful, but also an extremely rewarding endeavour. Effective and lasting change requires leaders who can overcome their own personal frailties and insecurities and keep stepping up for the greater good. There are two things that every leader asks at some point: – Who am I toContinueContinue reading “The Leaders Dilemma: Who am I and why would they follow me?”
Category Archives: Leadership
Navigating the 21st Century: A reality check amidst constant change
In education and in life in general we are in the midst of immense change, which can be unsettling and disturbing. Much of that is because we assume that our current life experiences have been the norm forever, when in reality, it has only been within our lifetime. As I have written about before, whenContinueContinue reading “Navigating the 21st Century: A reality check amidst constant change”
21st Century PD: Its time to catch up! 8 ideas for engaging adults
I smiled to myself as I considered the irony of the conference presenter decrying the ‘sage on the sage’ as she herself was the ‘sage on the stage’. Isn’t it time that the educational community addressed the context and delivery of professional learning? Our challenge is to be able to blend expert knowledge and experienceContinueContinue reading “21st Century PD: Its time to catch up! 8 ideas for engaging adults”
What do we need in Australia to transform schools? A vision for education with the learner at its heart.
This week thousands of Australian school students will sit the NALPLAN tests – National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy. Results of these tests will form the basis of ranking Australian schools on the My School website. “The US is taking a U-turn away from test-based accountability,” said Professor Darling-Hammond. ”We hope not to meetContinueContinue reading “What do we need in Australia to transform schools? A vision for education with the learner at its heart.”
A new vision for a new paradigm: An open letter to the Australian School Education Minister
There is a groundswell for change, yet until there is a vision for educational reform at the highest level, then we are doing a disservice to the great majority of our young people and our nation. Dear Mr Garrett, It’s time. Time to shake up the school education system in this country. Not just forContinueContinue reading “A new vision for a new paradigm: An open letter to the Australian School Education Minister”
Schools + Change: Resisting or embracing
Change often fails because the Rider can’t keep the Elephant on the road long enough to reach the destination.* The journey for change at Northern Beaches Christian School (NBCS) began in earnest about six years ago, when the principal, Stephen Harris, recognised a few key things: The world is changing rapidly – at a paceContinueContinue reading “Schools + Change: Resisting or embracing”
Motivation: We don’t need more carrots or sharper sticks
What really motivates us to do good, meaningful, satisfying work? You may be surprised to know that science tells is it’s not just about the money. At the recent Apple Education Leadership Summit, Dan Pink drew on the science of motivation to challenge commonly held assumptions about motivation and then outlined the three true motivators.ContinueContinue reading “Motivation: We don’t need more carrots or sharper sticks”
There are only 2 things that a leader must do…
When Martin Luther King gave that famous speech, he didn’t start with “I have a plan” but “I have a dream”. Leaders’ undeniable dual-foci must be VISION and the ability to COMMUNICATE it. That’s it. This was one of my key take-homes from the opening keynote by Simon Sinek who is leading a movement toContinueContinue reading “There are only 2 things that a leader must do…”
Professional development that gives voice
How do you engage more than 100 teachers, ranging from K-12 and across the faculties? The un-conference is the solution. There are no formal presenters, no PowerPoint presentations and no agenda, other than one big important question that is relevant to everyone. Here is what some teachers said at the end of the day: This is aContinueContinue reading “Professional development that gives voice”
Australian schools: From Good to Great…and then maybe Excellent! Learning from Singapore
“As the skills of educators rose, we needed to change our approach in how we managed them. We could no longer prescribe what they did, we had to treat them like professionals who had good judgement, knew the students well and could make their own decisions.” Encourage peer-led creativity and collaboration of professional educators throughContinueContinue reading “Australian schools: From Good to Great…and then maybe Excellent! Learning from Singapore”
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