Paddy Ford - President New Zealand Principals’ Federation Don’t Drop The Baton NZPF Conference 2008

Paddy Ford - PresidentPaddy Ford - PresidentNew Zealand Principals’ FederationNew Zealand Principals’ Federation

Don’t Drop The BatonDon’t Drop The Baton

NZPF Conference 2008NZPF Conference 2008


Don’t drop the BatonDon’t drop the Baton

New Zealand schools are good at what we do. New Zealand schools are good at what we do. We have one of the best education systems in We have one of the best education systems in the world. the world.

Our funding system is rather unique and while it Our funding system is rather unique and while it is not perfect we have continual arguments on is not perfect we have continual arguments on what could be done to improve it.what could be done to improve it.

I get to visit schools around the country and am I get to visit schools around the country and am impressed by the passion of our colleagues. Our impressed by the passion of our colleagues. Our initiatives and our ideas. Our unique approach.initiatives and our ideas. Our unique approach.


We are good!We are good! We deliver a curriculum free of the autocratic demands We deliver a curriculum free of the autocratic demands

placed by other nations on their teachers around placed by other nations on their teachers around curriculum delivery.curriculum delivery.

We have so far avoided the entrapment of national We have so far avoided the entrapment of national testing and associated stress relating to teaching to the testing and associated stress relating to teaching to the test.test.

We have an education review system that allows us to We have an education review system that allows us to set our own goals and report on the achievement of set our own goals and report on the achievement of those goals.those goals.

We can direct, within reason, our own resources to We can direct, within reason, our own resources to develop the culture we want in our schools.develop the culture we want in our schools.

We can employ the staff we want to maintain the vision We can employ the staff we want to maintain the vision we have for education.we have for education.


We are a part of our communityWe are a part of our community

We work with our communities to form a partnership in We work with our communities to form a partnership in educating our children. While your BOT meeting may not educating our children. While your BOT meeting may not be the favourite time of the month, the photos we just be the favourite time of the month, the photos we just received from the ‘out and about’ campaign showed how received from the ‘out and about’ campaign showed how extensive our community involvement is.extensive our community involvement is.

We have an inclusive education system. For all its flaws We have an inclusive education system. For all its flaws and funding issues we do have the ability to mainstream and funding issues we do have the ability to mainstream our pupils for the benefit of our communities.our pupils for the benefit of our communities.

We have a Professional Development programme that We have a Professional Development programme that did not exist 5 years ago and is a very realistic attempt to did not exist 5 years ago and is a very realistic attempt to address issues raised. First time Principals, Aspiring address issues raised. First time Principals, Aspiring Principals, PDPC, PPLG and contestable funding (more Principals, PDPC, PPLG and contestable funding (more on this later).on this later).


Don’t Drop the BatonDon’t Drop the Baton

If we are so good what is the future? What is the If we are so good what is the future? What is the strategic plan? What direction are we going? strategic plan? What direction are we going? What are the solutions?What are the solutions?

More money? Budgets are boring! We could More money? Budgets are boring! We could double the funding tomorrow and still have double the funding tomorrow and still have complaints. complaints.

In China they teach 50 pupils per class - but In China they teach 50 pupils per class - but they only teach 11 sessions a week.they only teach 11 sessions a week.

Are we going to wait for the Government to Are we going to wait for the Government to develop new initiatives to give us the satisfaction develop new initiatives to give us the satisfaction in our employment that we crave for. in our employment that we crave for.


How do we keep running this race with How do we keep running this race with a vision to win and not drop the baton?a vision to win and not drop the baton?


The Baton (or progress in education)The Baton (or progress in education)is affected by powerful forcesis affected by powerful forces

InitiativesInitiatives AccountabilityAccountability Managerial diversionManagerial diversion We may be Unfit for PurposeWe may be Unfit for Purpose Strategies with PotentialStrategies with Potential Recruitment and RetentionRecruitment and Retention Clusters Networks and PartnershipsClusters Networks and Partnerships International BenchmarksInternational Benchmarks


InitiativesInitiatives

We get ‘initiated out’! An endless stream of We get ‘initiated out’! An endless stream of disconnected innovations that no one could disconnected innovations that no one could possibly manage. Abrahamson calls it ‘repetitive possibly manage. Abrahamson calls it ‘repetitive change syndrome’. change syndrome’.

Initiative overload, change related chaos, wide Initiative overload, change related chaos, wide spread employee anxiety, cynicism and burnout.spread employee anxiety, cynicism and burnout.

How many of us believe the ‘system’ is on our How many of us believe the ‘system’ is on our side? Our surveys indicate 62% believe we get side? Our surveys indicate 62% believe we get good advice from the Ministry and 50% believe good advice from the Ministry and 50% believe they get good advice from SE.they get good advice from SE.


AccountabilityAccountability

Externally imposed, ill conceived and Externally imposed, ill conceived and poorly driven. Having an annual plan is a poorly driven. Having an annual plan is a good idea. Sending it to the Ministry is not!good idea. Sending it to the Ministry is not!

External intervention results in pro forma External intervention results in pro forma compliance.compliance.


Managerial DiversionManagerial Diversion

Manage the budget, the plant, personnel, Manage the budget, the plant, personnel, public relations, the BOT, the initiatives, public relations, the BOT, the initiatives, the staffroom notice board, the lost the staffroom notice board, the lost property, the buses, the fund raising, the property, the buses, the fund raising, the before school/after school programme….before school/after school programme….

Aided and abetted by some ‘super’ Aided and abetted by some ‘super’ Principals and familiar to NZ Principals Principals and familiar to NZ Principals who work in smaller schools.who work in smaller schools.


Unfit for PurposeUnfit for Purpose

The role has changed dramaticallyThe role has changed dramatically It is incredibly more complex and substantially It is incredibly more complex and substantially

differentdifferent You may be ill fitted to the purpose and lack the You may be ill fitted to the purpose and lack the

experience..and you drop the baton..(but we can experience..and you drop the baton..(but we can help you pick it up and run with it as you will help you pick it up and run with it as you will see)see)

Includes unethical behaviour (buses, media Includes unethical behaviour (buses, media comments, staff poaching) A minority in NZcomments, staff poaching) A minority in NZ


Strategies with PotentialStrategies with Potential

It’s a good idea but it doesn’t work It’s a good idea but it doesn’t work because of:because of:

TimingTiming

lack of sense of purposelack of sense of purpose(healthy food a school priority?)(healthy food a school priority?)

Constraints (we don’t all have a pool)Constraints (we don’t all have a pool)


Recruitment and RetentionRecruitment and Retention

‘‘how are we going to keep them on the how are we going to keep them on the farm once they have seen the farm?”farm once they have seen the farm?”


International BenchmarksInternational Benchmarks

The ongoing debate about arbitrary and The ongoing debate about arbitrary and externally imposed literacy targets. externally imposed literacy targets.

Information overload can drive us to Information overload can drive us to distraction.distraction.


Cluster Networks and PartnershipsCluster Networks and Partnerships

Like Fullan I see cluster networks and Like Fullan I see cluster networks and partnerships as vital to the future of Principalship partnerships as vital to the future of Principalship and to the success of the system as a whole but and to the success of the system as a whole but the cluster must not be a time waster and you the cluster must not be a time waster and you must want to be involved. Open plan classrooms must want to be involved. Open plan classrooms are an idea that worked, but only for some!are an idea that worked, but only for some!

However to my way of thinking not dropping the However to my way of thinking not dropping the baton involves networking and is the only option baton involves networking and is the only option I see at this stage.I see at this stage.


Networking/Clusters/Collegial SupportNetworking/Clusters/Collegial Support

Email trees work Email trees work (unless you are the President)(unless you are the President)

Visiting and mentoring and ringing works better!Visiting and mentoring and ringing works better! Clusters work but sharing results works better.Clusters work but sharing results works better. Our surveys indicate that 82% of us believe we get good Our surveys indicate that 82% of us believe we get good

advice from our professional organisation and our advice from our professional organisation and our colleagues.colleagues.

Yet external accountability hand in hand with internal Yet external accountability hand in hand with internal values, practices of responsibility and efficacy works. values, practices of responsibility and efficacy works. Have you ever heard a colleague say “we’ve failed Have you ever heard a colleague say “we’ve failed dismally to reach our targets and I’m going to quit!” Yet if dismally to reach our targets and I’m going to quit!” Yet if you have connectability with your fellow Principals you have connectability with your fellow Principals through networks or clusters and are open about your through networks or clusters and are open about your goals and successes you do receive positive feedback.goals and successes you do receive positive feedback.


Creating connections to family and whanau Creating connections to family and whanau (more networking)(more networking)

BES evidence shows that ‘we need to BES evidence shows that ‘we need to make connections to students lives in make connections to students lives in order to optimise student outcomes..’ order to optimise student outcomes..’ what better argument is there for our NZ what better argument is there for our NZ curriculum that is not top down but has the curriculum that is not top down but has the ability to be locally driven using school and ability to be locally driven using school and community cultural contexts. What is community cultural contexts. What is important to us?important to us?


Be an effective PrincipalBe an effective Principal

Use NZPF or Leadspace or local network.Use NZPF or Leadspace or local network.

Don’t do the work that you asked others to do.Don’t do the work that you asked others to do.

We need continued diagnostic data over time to We need continued diagnostic data over time to compare ourselves with ourselves. We need to compare ourselves with ourselves. We need to know what we want to improve.know what we want to improve.

We need to be assessment literate and able to We need to be assessment literate and able to discuss this within our schools and our discuss this within our schools and our networks.networks.

Documents

Paddy Ford - President New Zealand Principals’ Federation Don’t Drop The Baton NZPF Conference 2008