18 Responses

1. In my current leadership role, two key capabilities stand out as essential for being effective: building and sustaining high trust relationships, and embodying our school’s values with optimism, agency, and resilience.

   Building and sustaining high trust relationships is crucial. My portfolios include leading the senior school, coordinating with relievers, timetabling, leading various curriculum areas, connecting with external agencies and with colleagues within and across schools, as well as ensuring our specialist programmes run smoothly. Trust is the foundation of all these interactions (which is built by having reliability and competence). By creating an environment where trust is a priority, we can communicate openly, respect each other, and work towards common goals. This trust helps maintain the positive staff culture we value so much. I believe that when staff feel trusted and appreciated, they’re more likely to be engaged and bring their best to their roles, which ultimately benefits our students.

   The second key capability that stood out to me is embodying our organisation’s values and moral purpose, along with showing optimism, agency, and resilience. With so many moving parts in a school, navigating complex challenges are a big part of what we do on a daily basis. By modelling optimism and resilience, I hope to inspire confidence and encourage a positive outlook, even when things get tough. School culture is everything, and I believe leaders have a huge part to play in acting out what we believe and modelling what we want our school culture to be.

   In a nutshell, these capabilities help me manage the logistics of my role and support the emotional and cultural health of our school. By building trust and embodying our values with optimism and resilience, I aim to lead in a way that empowers both staff and students to thrive.

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2. What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?
   In my role as an Assistant principal, I have a deep commitment to the improvement of, my own decision making and actions towards positive outcomes for students, staff, and the school community, similarly addressed In Robertson and Earl (2014). I agree that effective leadership should possess the capacity to initiate and lead change initiatives that enhance teaching and learning outcomes, and overall school improvement.
   Simon Sinek’s work highlights the significance of trust in leadership. In terms of my role I see things the same way prioritising trust-building initiatives establish an environment where staff feel valued, respected, and empowered, to influencing collective effort towards achieving common goals. One of these initiatives we have at kura is staff/ whanau week a time that’s committed to family and staff to meet in a relaxed context.
   The Educational Leadership Capability Framework (2018) provides a structured approach to leadership development, offering guidance on core capabilities essential for effective leadership across different educational contexts. This framework can enhance their leadership competencies and contribute to the broader expertise of educational leadership practice. Looking at the resources to be most effective in a leadership context, I agree that one must embody these qualities presented such as moral purpose, change agency, trust-building skills, and alignment to circumnavigate the complexities of educational leadership but also contribute to develop a culture of excellence, equity, and continuous improvement within a school context.

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3. What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?

   At heart, I am a Boy Scout, always wanting to be prepared for what often never eventuates. This is evident in the multitude of leadership books I have listened to while on my daily commute. I have read/listened to books by Navy seals, sports coaches and a few Fortune 500 CEOs and the like. I have read about leading with your head and leading with your heart, being a servant leader and an authentic leader, being successful under stress and mastering fear. The list goes on.

   Answering the question about what leadership capabilities would I describe as requisites to be most effective in my current leadership context – and why, got me thinking. How much of what I read actually made a difference or moved the dial for me when I do what I do? I do know that I am often inspired by a concept and an idea I just read/heard about. Looking back in an attempt to answer this question made me realise that as a leader there is much to learn and much to burn. Some of what I do is reactionary and in a response to the situation, often based on a gut feeling and what I think my experience leads me to believe. I do know that when I observe my colleagues, they seem to have it all figured out.

   My role as a leader has been ever-changing over the last five years or so. My collaboration with other leaders and our staff has been at the forefront of what I do. When I looked at the 21 Century Leadership (The Innovator DNA) clip, I felt most comfortable with the definition of developer. I think my journey in my current role shows that I am a developer. I do feel that as the needs in my area change, how I present as a leader has also changed. In the initial stages of being in the position, a large part of what I did had a “systems” focus. Over time and especially over the last two years this has changed as the needs of our students have changed. The pastoral side of my responsibilities increased and has created a need for stronger relationships. This suits me well as I enjoy a teamwork focus. I rely on the expertise and confidence of others.

   I am discovering that my identity as a leader needs to change and develop. As I do, I am learning that it is important to be able to develop confidence in what I do and be able to change some of the things that I know need changing. Embracing change has been a big part of our journey since we created the new part of our school. It is difficult to distinguish between management and leadership at times. This is an area of growth for me.

   Connection is important. In our environment as a special character school, it is easy to become insular. Making relevant outside connections is important and often neglected. Being connected can support our journey to deeper cultural connection with our communities and build learning environments where all students can feel safe, and welcome and be able to contribute something of themselves. Connection also facilitates capacity building. To build my own capacity and that of my staff and students, I will need to develop deeper and wider connections.

   Our school promotes and uses a “high-trust” model. We do not have people looking over our shoulder all the time. I do believe that I am devoted to our staff and students. I do make it a priority to go the extra mile whenever I can. Our environment is probably a much easier place to develop such a trusting relationship. Having said that, we are all human beings and sometimes we are not as “holy” as one would think.

   That leads me to the “Open-to-Learning Conversations – Relationships and Trust” clip. As in every other working environment, having that difficult conversation is not something that happens naturally. Keeping or making peace is one of my traits. Going into a challenging conversation is not a natural thing for me to do. Active listening and empathy in creating an environment conducive to open communication is what we do naturally when there is no conflict. We all need to be reminded about strategies for initiating and maintaining open-to-learning conversations, emphasizing honesty, vulnerability, and mutual respect to sustain meaningful connections. To be effective as a leader I need to cultivate trust to be successful.

   Our school is multicultural but biased toward the European and Asian communities. I acknowledge that I need to develop a greater cultural sensitivity and awareness to foster more inclusive environments and address the needs of all students.

   I need strategic and pedagogically focused leadership practices to address these challenges and promote and significantly influence student outcomes. I also need tools and strategies to support the professional growth and development of my staff. Building relational trust and promoting constructive conversations about problem issues are integral to enhancing teacher engagement and improving teaching quality.

   Goal-setting skills that drive school improvement, foster accountability and enhance leadership effectiveness are important and an area of development for me. These skills will help me establish relevant goals, encourage me to review the outcomes, learn from mistakes, and ensure effective and ethical reporting.
   In conclusion, reflecting on my journey as a leader and some of the leadership resources I’ve encountered, I realize that while inspiration is abundant, the true test lies in its application and impact in my daily leadership context. As a leader, I’ve navigated through various roles and responsibilities, evolving with the changing needs of my environment and the people I serve.
   As I embrace the concept of the developer, I’ve recognized the importance of fostering growth and nurturing relationships within my team and community. As the landscape of education shifts, so does my identity as a leader, requiring adaptability and a willingness to embrace change.
   Connection, both within and outside our school community, emerges as a crucial aspect of effective leadership. Building trust and cultivating open-to-learning conversations are foundational to fostering meaningful connections and driving positive change.
   Acknowledging the cultural diversity within our school, I am committed to developing greater cultural sensitivity and awareness to create inclusive environments where all students feel valued and supported.
   Strategic and pedagogically focused leadership practices, coupled with effective goal-setting skills, are essential for addressing challenges, promoting student outcomes, and supporting the professional growth of my staff.
   As I develop as a leader, I realise there is much to learn and much to burn. As I continue to grow and evolve, I am committed to honing my leadership capabilities, cultivating trust, fostering inclusivity, and striving for a positive impact in the lives of those I serve.

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4. Leading with moral purpose:
   Essential for me in my current context. Our school is on a new journey, with a big refresh and approach to our school-wide pedagogies that started last year, along with a brand new leadership team in 2022. We are initiating regular and challenging conversations about the inequities we see in our school, the needs of our community, and our priorities for our children. These are big conversations with decisions that need to be made. In order to be successful in this, we need to be framing conversations, decisions, and actions through the lens of what is our purpose, what is our responsibility, what genuine impacts can we have on our kids and community.

   Being a change agent:
   Being vulnerable, this is not something that I see as a strength in myself. Building this capability however is going to be essential to me

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   1. Posted the above by accident and too early. Continued below:

      Change agent:
      Being vulnerable, this is not something that I feel a great deal of confidence in. Building this capability however is going to be essential to me being successful in my leadership role. I take responsibility for my own learning journey and I model this to my staff and my team, being not afraid to take on feedback and change my approach where necessary. However, my efficacy as a change agent and developing changes within my teachers and team is a personal goal. Considering our school-wide goals described above, becoming more capable in my own efficacy as a change agent will be essential if I am to be successful in my current context.

      Building capacity:
      Bringing about pedagogical change includes building capacity in teachers and leaders. We want to value what is present while also providing room to grow. I am working with a strong management team where our main goals in this regard are to negotiate the changes that we see as necessary with our teaching team, and then look to foster that necessary self-awareness. My role is to bring about this self-awareness in my Y2/3 team of seven teachers, provoking them to analyse and develop their practices for the benefit of our learners.

      On another note, I loved the Simon Sinek video. Building professional relationships comparable to the closeness of those found in the military is just not feasible in our context. Bringing staff together during an exceptionally busy and draining work day, having staff who value a separation from work and home in the interest of their wellbeing, can make building close relationships between colleagues a challenge. However one thing we can all do is one of the last things he stated – when someone comes into the office to vent, complain, or unload, to just listen. As leaders we can fall into becoming fixers far too easily. It’s not our role to be a fixer and it’s actually often not what our staff need or want. The ability to just listen and resist the urge to jump in to ‘help’ or ‘support’ is going a long way for me in building genuine relationships with teachers and staff.

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5. Well done to all delegates in this Kakaruwai group on completing and sharing your LCA with me. As we discussed online I look forward to continuing to support you in these areas through the year and reviewing your summative reflections in term 4 of this year. As I said a number of these criteria are situational dependent so the rating will depend on your role in your kura and your responsibilities.
   Thank you to all who have posted above. I have enjoyed discussing and reading your self reflections and hope you have found this process informative and valuable. A strong theme throughout the reflections has been the importance of growing relational trust in the role of leadership.

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6. The following leadership capabilities are requisite for me to be most effective in my current leadership context.

   Building and sustaining high trust relationships (Simon Sinek). This takes time and investment. I believe in nurturing a caring environment so that it enables people to feel free to express ideas, share knowledge and develop practice.

   Listen to others so that they feel heard (Simon Sinek). Listening to others is an important aspect of my role. I try to listen attentively to understand and reflect on what’s being said.

   Being empathetic and supportive of the needs of my colleagues by problem solving to address issues of challenging behaviour in their classes. I provide training that helps teachers to implement positive behaviour strategies that will prevent, reduce and de-escalate challenging behaviours.

   Attending to my own learning and wellbeing as a leader. Grow and developing my knowledge of challenging behaviours through ongoing research to understand the needs of students and discover what the reasons are behind their challenging behaviour.

   Leading change:
   The YouTube video: Innovation v5 (youtube.com) talks about implementing change in an organisation. What skills do leaders need to discover new ideas and deliver tangible results Successful innovation demands 2 skillsets viz, (1) discovery skills necessary to generate new ideas and (2) the delivery skills to execute them. In my role I have to bring about change in the areas of knowledge and expertise. This video has been helpful in getting me to think about how I can bring about this change.

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7. What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?

   In my current leadership context I have several different leadership relationships with several different teams, however, there are stand out requisites that I can identify as common themes that have been the most effective.

   Growing trust through relationships
   I believe the ability to cultivate trust is paramount. It serves as a cornerstone of effective leadership, facilitating open communication, fostering collaboration, and building organisational resilience. When individuals within the team trust their leader, it creates a sense of safety, encouraging risk-taking and innovation while reducing conflicts. I have observed that when individuals within the team trust the leadership, it creates a sense of safety, encourages risk-taking and innovation while reducing conflicts and growing cohesion.
   To be able function with this highly effective level of trust it has been important not to overlook the skill of blending important tasks with maintaining relationships. It is about being purposeful with actions and reactions not just about ticking off items on a to-do list. It’s about doing it in a way that keeps everyone feeling connected and valued. That means being approachable and fostering an environment where everyone feels heard and respected. We have had great success when each team member feels like they’re part of a supportive team, they’re more motivated and engaged in the work we’re doing together.

   Efficacy and agency for effecting transformative change
   This leadership requisite has been one of the most challenging in my current context as I am relatively new to the school and accelerated to the senior leadership team within 2 years of joining the school as a classroom teacher. It was necessary for me to demonstrate agency in my confidence and skills to lead the team through periods of change and innovation. It was about being proactive, thinking creatively, and inspiring others to join the journey. Proving my creditability whilst listening and facilitating action was important to move things along.

   Disposition to learn and moral compass
   As several of the teams I joined were already well established it was important that I integrated in smoothly and showed that I valued the expertise and experience already in the teams. I actively showed humility; listening to the teams, understanding their ways of working, and being open to different perspectives. We revised and reaffirmed shared values creating an easy transition to move forward together. It was important that the teams saw me for who I am as a person and a leader. That I demonstrated integrity, honesty, and fairness and that they could see I had a strong ethical compass.

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8. What leadership capabilities would you describe as requisites for you to be most effective in your current leadership context – and why?

   My current leadership context is one which is very new to me, as well as only being mine for this Term before I default back to Deputy Principal. Throughout this Acting role I have had many opportunities to reflect on my leadership context, capabilities and challenges. I do agree that leadership capabilities share some inter-relatedness (Robertson, J. and Earl, L, 2014) however, independently they provide a breakdown of the critical aspects of leadership to reflect on independently and more deeply.

   Within my current context and role, the leadership capabilities that I see as requisite to my current leadership context are:

   Building and sustaining high trust relationships
   This is the heart of effective leadership which means as a leader I have to have my finger on the pulse at all times to ensure the “heart” is beating effectively and healthily. When introducing any changes I ensure these decisions have been researched and are supported by best practice evidence as well as engage the ideas and needs of all staff. I strive to support and maintain a collaborative approach to decision making where the knowledge and wishes of the staff are used to make informed changes within our kura. We have morning mini meetings (huddles) everyday for 15 minutes to ensure we are all on the same page and have ample opportunities to share celebrations, challenges and to seek support from each other. We also have a well established ‘wellbeing’ programme that celebrates each staff member and engages them in connection with each other both within school and outside of school – these are all respectful and considerate of each staff member’s needs and wants showing awareness of self and others.I have worked hard the previous few years to develop my self awareness and emotional intelligence as I understand that this is crucial to working within a team of people who all hold varying belief systems and to engage with empathy and humility from a place of understanding. Whilst this is what I strive for, at times it is difficult to help others understand that the why behind change sometimes outweighs the desired outcomes. Subconscious biases also play a part here.

   Embodying the organisation’s values, and showing moral purpose, optimism, agency and resilience
   Like the All Blacks I too will “sweep the sheds” to make sure that the school is supporting the best possible outcomes for our students, and an environment where our staff want to come to work and teach everyday. Part of my professional portfolio involves leading the implementation of our PB4L and values practices at our school so I am well versed in modeling, encouraging and building these capabilities in others. Again we share successes and challenges regularly and this includes progress towards our strategic goals. Staff are encouraged and supported to find and take on PLD opportunities that will further support their professional, classroom and school wide goals. I have experienced many challenges within my role, and personal life, which has developed strong resilience and I am incredibly optimistic – sometimes maybe too much so. These characteristics ensure that I am able to make tough decisions when needed; showing courage and role modeling persistence and determination to all.

   Building and sustaining collective leadership and professional community
   I am proud of the collaborative model that is encouraged and maintained at my school and I continue to ensure this is enhanced in my current role by listening to the needs and desires they have within their professional practice and addressing/actioning these where possible. All changes in practice or pedagogical approaches are based on informed decisions around best practice and outcomes for all learners. We are a dedicated and high performing team and I encourage and support the other educators to pursue ongoing learning to support their engagement and innovation within their classroom programmes and pedagogical practices. I role model this also and celebrate the successes and improvements of all others as well as providing many opportunities for sharing of knowledge and passions to build capability school wide, as well as reflecting on these to ensure they are adding value to our strategic goals and vision.

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9. My current leadership context is that I am reasonably new to leadership (4 years as a team leader (2017 to 2020) and then moving into senior leadership (2021 to present)) and I work as part of a senior leadership team of four (3DPs & 1 Tumuaki).

   While Robertson, J. and Earl, L. (2014) discuss the inter-relatedness of leadership capabilities it is important to identify key leadership capabilities that may be of more significance or seen to be of greater importance to move a school forward, given the context of a given time. When you look at how our school is placed currently and my current leadership journey, the leadership capabilities that I see as requisite to my current leadership context are:
   • Building and sustaining high trust relationships
   • Building and sustaining collective leadership and professional community
   • Attending to their own learning as leaders and their own wellbeing

   Building and sustaining high trust relationships
   At our kura, of late, we have faced the challenge of having a frustrating level of staff turnover. While the majority of this is due to reasons that are outside of our control, such as kaimahi moving out of Auckland or closer to family, or needing to work closer to home, it is problematic all the same. While you strive to develop your staff, it can be hard when you invest in a kaiako and then they have to leave for whatever reason and then you have to start the process all over again, especially if you end up having to employ kaiako who are overseas or ECE trained. Therefore, putting things into place to ensure kaimahi wellbeing and productivity is fundamental. Building and sustaining high trust relationships is an important part of this process. I liked how Simon Sinek explained how best to build trust at work as I identify with that concept as I personally treat my workplace and my colleagues as an extension of my own family. In my experience thus far, taking time to get to know colleagues in a genuine way, nearly always reaps rewards and brings positive results. Not only do they feel valued, heard, and cared for but in feeling those things, people tend to be in a better frame of mind to do their mahi and experience growth as a kaiako which brings positive results for our kura. In PLD I took part in last year with the Education Group, leaders at our school learnt about giving colleagues generous assumptions. I believe this helps with this leadership capability as it requires leaders to believe the best in their colleagues and trust in their ability, even if they fall short from time to time. If these relationships are formed, not only do kaimahi work more efficiently and grow within our kura, but they will want to stay as they feel trusted, valued and cared for.

   Building and sustaining collective leadership and professional community
   Our school motto is ‘He Waka Eke Noa | We are all in this together’, and it is important to us that this is prevalent in everything we do. This motto is aligned with our school’s brand story of our school and education as being a waka and if everyone is rowing in unison and working together, our waka will continue to travel well regardless of the challenges it comes across. This includes how we work as a senior leadership team as well as working with middle management. We believe that we need to set the tone of what it means to work collectively as a team, to be on the same page, and to grow together. This team of people vary in experience, so it is important that we cultivate leadership in all of us and this then stems down to how we work with all our kaimahi. When our leaders experience this feeling of community and working together to achieve our goals at that level, it makes it easier for this same culture of community to be replicated in their teaching teams (or rōpū) as we call them at our kura. Only then can we truly honour our school motto of ‘He Waka Eke Noa’ as well as our school vision of ‘Paddling together to build mana and success for all’.

   Attending to their own learning as leaders and their own wellbeing
   As I mentioned earlier, I am reasonably new to leadership and, as many of these readings and videos addressed, we should always have a disposition to learn. I am a big believer in teamwork and growing together as a group. Robertson, J. and Earl, L. (2014) highlight that having a disposition to learn involves learning that is collective and social. This is just as important in the growth of colleagues and leaders as it is in the classroom with ākonga. I believe that being able to grow collectively and learn from each other is the most effective way to learn. This is why I am very excited to be on this development journey where we can learn collectively with and from each other in order to become more effective leaders which will then reap rewards at our kura.

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10. As Team Leader of 8 Yr 5/6 classes and Lead ICT Teacher across the school, I believe that the leadership capabilities that are prerequisites in allowing me to be most effective in my roles; are to be culturally responsive, well organised and have good communication amongst my team, staff, students and the wider community.

    Working with such a large team, it is important that I am culturally responsive to all of my teachers. Being able to acknowledge, accept and embrace the different cultural values and beliefs they bring to the team, especially when they may be different to mine, allows us to all understand each other and how we can work as a team. Having an understanding of who I am, based on my own whānau’s culture and whakapapa, allows my team to also be able to acknowledge what I bring to the team. As Vince Lombard’s model states,“Only by knowing yourself can you become an effective leader” (Kerr, J., 2013., pg 8).

    Being a well organised person, in both my leadership and everyday teaching roles, sets clear standards and expectations for my team. This allows them to know what is expected of them, what is coming up and where we are heading long term. Being well prepared with planning, programme details, resources and data allows my team to feel well prepared and supported and encourage productivity. Alongside being well-organised, there still needs to be room for flexibility. As a leader I need to be able to react to sudden changes with a positive attitude and use solution based strategies to enable my team to adapt quickly to change (Roberts, 2013) and cope effectively.

    In my leadership roles, clear and precise communication, including active listening and speaking honestly, between myself and within the team, the wider school and outside providers, is a key aspect in being able to lead and work successfully together. Building my personal communication skills during my time in leadership has seen me develop strategies to communicate in both positive and challenging situations, build important relationships and connect with others, and show empathy, respect and uphold the mana of my team, especially in the fast paced environment we work in.

    These prerequisites are important because as a leader they form my foundation blocks in being able to lead my team effectively and from the perspective of walking alongside them as a facilitator, rather than dictating to them, but also being able to acknowledge when necessary, to lead from the front or from behind.

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11. I work as part of a Senior Leadership Team (3 DPs and a Principal) and as a relatively new team, have been learning not only to be leaders, but to work together. From these readings and videos, one theme that comes through strongly is the importance of leaders needing to keep learning or having a “learning disposition.” Another message that came through was the importance of networking. The video on innovation reminded me of some PLD I took part in some years ago around the Diffusion of Innovation Theory with its innovators, early adopters, laggards, etc. Leaders need to be innovators and be able to see projects through and good relational trust will help with this, as well as being able to encourage the late adopters and laggards.
    The Leadership BES emphasises the impact of pedagogically focused leadership on student outcomes (Robinson, Hopeha, Lloyd 2009). Good leadership is required for ensuring effective pedagogy in schools to do this and again, leaders who build relational trust will be more effective in the long term. The Educational Leadership Capability Framework (2018) set out a number of dimensions, but Robinson and Earl (2014) say these can’t be separated out and need to be considered as part of a whole package.
    From this, I have come to realise that leaders need to build on all of these capabilities, acknowledging that they will have strengths in some areas, but need to reflect and work on other areas. It supports the need for being able to work with a good leadership team and knowing your purpose or your why and to work with each other’s strengths. In conclusion, a leader must wear many hats and be available to many, and yet must take the time to be aware of their own wellbeing and learning. As our Principal always reminds us – “heavy is the head who wears the crown!”

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12. These resources shed light on the dynamic and interdependent nature of education and school settings, emphasizing that there’s no singular path to becoming an exceptional leader. As I step into my role as an assistant principal, I recognise the importance of continuous learning and the cultivation of high-trust relationships.
    Leadership thrives on individuals who prioritize their ongoing development. Actively seeking feedback, engaging in reflective practice, and fostering a learning mindset are vital components for leaders aiming to adeptly navigate challenges, inspire their teams, and achieve positive outcomes.
    The notion of trust emerges as a significant theme in these resources, resonating deeply with me. Professor Viviane Robinson’s insight that trust is an outcome, not a prerequisite, shows the importance of building trust through demonstrated competence, moral purpose, and treating others respectfully.
    By integrating relationship-building into daily tasks and responsibilities, I recognize the potential to create a positive and supportive work culture. This approach goes beyond merely acknowledging the importance of relationships; it signifies a proactive commitment to prioritize the human element in the pursuit of educational goals.
    As I embark on my journey as an assistant principal, I am committed to integrating these principles to drive success in my role and contribute positively to the educational environment.

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13. Henry Ford said “If You Always Do What You’ve Always Done, You’ll Always Get What You’ve Always Got.”

    Being in a leadership position gives you the opportunity to influence others and to implement change. With this comes a great deal of responsibility.
    Using 21 Century Leadership, I can see the value in all 3 leadership profiles, personally I think I fit more into the Developer category. Looking at my team, identifying their strengths (staff) and encouraging / equipping them to use their strengths for the collective benefit of our students, is a skill in itself. As I was listening to the clip I can almost categorise our teachers into the 3 identified profiles and opens up another way of thinking when working collaboratively in teams.

    There is value in knowing your team / staff and building trust. Listening to your staff, students and whānau, so that they feel heard and understood. Acknowledge their feelings and listen to what they are saying. Know their strengths and weaknesses, know where to extend them and where to scaffold / support them. Know when to push them and when to give in. Create a foundation for a trust relationship to form.
    As part of building that trusting relationship, see them as more than just the Teacher, see the whole person – get to know the whole person, take an interest in them. Come back to why they wanted to be a teacher, in the business of teaching and planning we sometimes forget why we do what we do. We then need to be reminded of the difference we can and do make.

    As reiterated in the Leadership Learning article, a few ideas stood out as what I would think is needed to be the most effective in my current leadership context:
    Having a disposition to learn is a key requirement for leadership learning, it comes back to the moral purpose of making a positive difference through education for every student in your classroom / school. This includes cultural responsiveness, actively embedding culture, language, history and traditions into our school being connected to our community.
    Learning is personal, social and emotional – you won’t always get it right, it depends on where you find your information and to what voices you are listening to in your school context for teachers and whānau as experts for their tamariki. As well as voices from outside through the MoE, other agencies etc.
    Leadership learning involves new learning in an unpredictable and changeable context, not just for students in your classroom / school but also for staff.
    Always coming back to the why, the how and then reflecting did it work, what worked well, what didn’t work well, what can I change and try again. Reflect again, make the necessary changes to enhance learning outcomes for all students. This is a continuous cycle.
    Inviting other teachers to discuss the changes and collaborate with implementing the change you were considering. Looking for experts on your team and working together to initiate change.
    Making sure we research the changes we are planning to make, observe and collaborate with other schools as part of the research before implementing the proposed change. Being well-informed and well-prepared before we make the changes, lessens frustration along the way.
    The benefit of having a professional learning network who can challenge you, give advice or ponder different perspectives to move forward to new learning.

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14. My current role is the Senior Syndicate Team leader and Intermediate Teacher of a small rural school on the outskirts of Hamilton. Within this role, I work hard and place a strong emphasis on building positive relationships with ākonga, whānau, kaiako and outside agencies to help all students feel valued and supported. Not only do these strong relationships enable me to work successfully in teams to support students with diverse learning and behavioural needs (which we are seeing an increase in); they also support me in considering students’ individual needs, and being culturally responsive when planning, teaching, and assessing. In addition, I view positive relationship building as a living enactment of the principles of Te Tirit o Waitangi – protection, participation and partnership. (Robertson, Hohepa, Lloyd, 2009; Robertson, Jam, Earl, Lorna, 2014; The Educational Leadership Capability Framework, 2018).

    Another important leadership capability for me to be effective in my role is that of building capabilities. Our Syndicate Team is newly formed and has a diverse range of experience and knowledge to draw upon, therefore it is important that everyone has a voice at our meetings and feels valued and respected. This will help develop trusted reciprocal relationships and support us in growing our knowledge to benefit our learners. Building capabilities can also give team members the confidence to take risks knowing they will be supported and take on more responsibility for their own professional development and job satisfaction. (Robertson, Hohepa, Lloyd, 2009; Robertson, Jam, Earl, Lorna, 2014; The Educational Leadership Capability Framework, 2018).

    I acknowledge that education leadership requires a wealth of capabilities, however, for me, building positive relationships within our school community and beyond and empowering team members to feel valued and supported ensures that the moral purpose of education can be fulfilled. When working together as a strong team we can ensure that all of our students experience success in our education system.

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15. Adopting a pedagogical leadership approach whereby there is a strong focus on the leader’s involvement in teaching and learning. This is the model that focuses on educational purposes. This then guides the establishment of goals and expectations as they are linked to pedagogical, philosophical and moral purpose. This requires having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of the core business of teaching and learning. On the same note no leader is an island and as such has to develop strategies to work with a team; this requires building high trust relationships where individuals feel valued as this will engender and sustain improvements in teaching and learning. This will allow leaders to build the capacity of others to lead and embed change in schools. As a leader one should have a disposition to learn. This learning could be leading and participating in teacher professional learning and development. In my specific context the requisites to be effective would be to be a leader of learning. In order to be a leader of learning means that all change, initiatives and goals that are established are focused on enhancing student outcomes. Student outcomes are not achieved in a silo – it needs a team effort and so requires leaders working with a team that has a shared understanding of the purpose and goals of the organisation.

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16. After reflecting on the resources provided, the key leadership capabilities I believe are needed to be most effective in my current leadership context are qualities and skills that foster innovation and trust within the kura and lead to improved student outcomes.

    Innovative thinking and implementation are important because this is the ability to discover, introduce and implement innovative new ideas successfully with staff (21 Century Leadership). Building trusting relationships is essential, this will mean listening with empathy and ensuring others feel heard, genuinely listening and showing care for staff professionally and personally, and demonstrating integrity in my actions and interactions with staff, students and families (Simon Sinek: The Issue of Trust). Being strong in pedagogical leadership is also very important, this will impact greatly on student outcomes, (Spotlight on Leadership – Executive Summary : School Leadership and Outcomes). Making sure that as a leader I am a knowledgeable source of advice on teaching and learning and can lead staff discussions that will improve teacher practice is crucial (BES Leadership cRV). A good leader can influence others to act, think or feel ways that advance the kura’s values, visions and goals. Part of my role as a leader in my school is to advocate for the learners and their learning needs. By tackling these difficult tasks I can demonstrate competence and gain trust from those around me. Developing respectful relationships within the kura and wider school community is also necessary. This involves recognising the importance of each person’s role, depending on colleagues to play their part, balancing work tasks with building relationships and also demonstrating competence in my leadership role.

    By integrating these aspects, I can foster an environment where innovation thrives, trust is built, and everyone feels respected and valued, ultimately contributing to the success of students, staff and the whole kura.

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17. After watching and reading the resources above my key connections and takeaways are as follows:

    In Leadership the youtube clip suggested there should be an Innovator, Developer, Executor and a balance of these three to be most effective. I believe this could be true when you are producing a homogeneous product or outcome. However in the service of education I believe Collaborator is missing. Education is a dynamic and fast changing – technological trends, policy changes, Socio economic trends, globalisation etc. Without collaboration skills or the willingness to collaborate as a leader then the outcomes for learners will never be maximised, because they are living in the society that is dynamic and fast changing. This was further echoed in the next reading – Leadership Learning – although learning is personal, it is also social and cultural, involving the co-construction of knowledge that occurs in collaborative work and engagement with ideas. I have in a past Kura been involved in Reverse Mentoring , providing guidance and insights to experienced leaders. This provided the opportunity to break down barriers and facilitate innovative thinking.

    My favourite part …”negotiating the change includes valuing the expertise that exists in the school already – and being willing to listen and to use the knowledge and skill of others. It also means trying to understand someone else’s perspective and changing directions to respond to the realities of the situation and of the importance of engaging others in the process of change. When this occurs, “Staff feel valued, more appreciated, want to be part of the decision making process””….

    I believe collaboration and relational trust plays a key role in leading people in the education industry.

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