New Zealand Pasifika Principals Association (NZPPA) - An Association of Awesomeness!

Today I attended my first NZPPA meeting.  It was to celebrate the end of year and also to farewell a true 'Tuawahine' of the group, founding member Corinne Hansell.  It was apt that my first day with this group was the last day for her, as Corinne has been a friend, advocate and guide for me since the day I started as a teacher at Tamaki Primary School...fresh off the boat from Samoa.  She 'afi'd me throughout my transition from teaching in Samoa to teaching back in NZ, and it was destined that she would afi me once again, bringing me into this group of amazing Principals at the beginning of my journey as a new Principal.  I felt humbled to be in such great company with Principals from around New Zealand sharing an incredibly special cultural celebration hosted by Sutton Park School.

It was a day of firsts for me, in that I joined the group and I also experienced an 'ava' ceremony for the first time.  While I'd been present at a few ava ceremonies in Samoa, I had never actually participated in one, so it was with a touch of apprehension that I spoke the words "Le 'ava lea le Atua.  Fa'afetai le fa'aaloalo - Manuia" as I received the bowl and partook in the ava.  There were 23 Principals present, each one receiving the ava and it was such an experience to see the students of Sutton Park carrying out the ceremony with surety and pride.  We were privileged guests and treated with respect and grace throughout the whole event. 
We were welcomed into the assembly hall with a powhiri.  Beautiful Karanga drew us into the whare where the haka powhiri of hundreds of students rang out across the room.  Following the whaikorero of an amazing student representing the 'tangata whenua' and the reply of our Manuhiri representative Filivaefale Jason Swann, and respective waiata, we were then treated to a variety of performances and speeches from Maori, Samoan and Tongan groups.
Following the incredible ava ceremony we were then led to the school staffroom where we were treated to a feast.  True to Pasifika style there was all the culinary delights including my favourite 'oka' (raw fish).  It was a feast fit for royalty and once again an absolute reflection of the manaakitanga and whanaungatanga staff, students and the community of Sutton Park School afford their guests.  A huge 'fa'afetai' to Fa'atili Iosua Esera and his wonderful school for providing such an amazing event for the NZPPA.  What an honour it was to see.
It was a privilege to be present and part of the celebrations.  It was a privilege to meet and in some cases reconnect with people among the Principals attending and it is a privilege to now be a part of the New Zealand Pasifika Principals Association. 

First Time Principal 101

Three weeks in and I'm still in the 'honeymoon' phase of the beginning of Principalship.  I am establishing relationships with staff, trying not to put change in place just yet, but listening to their aspirations and vision for the school and the community.   Going through the process of interview is nerve wracking and once you've put your feet under the Principal's desk, the enormity of what you have taken on begins to set in.  Upon reflection, I wanted to pen the things that I learnt when making

the decision to begin applying for Principalship.  So here goes...First Time Principalship 101:

1. Don't just apply for anything, think about the environment you want to work in and that you are best suited to.  
2. Check out the school online, have a look at the website, get a feel for what the school stands for - values, vision, points of difference, the community it serves.
3. If you've got a professional blog, highlight it in your CV.  If you don't, start a professional blog.  A blog gives the appointments committee a look at your experiences, professional development, vision, values, philosophy in education.  
4. Find yourself a great Mentor - prior to interview.  I was very fortunate to have an experienced principal mentor who advised me and continues to advise me in my new role.  Here are a few gems he gave me prior to interview:
• Boards want to hire a principal, so when you go to check out the school, if the BOT come to see you at your school, and when you walk into that interview - be a principal.  Move your thinking from being a DP/AP to being a Principal.  This piece of advice made a big difference in my mindset and gave me confidence through out the process - the balance is being confident without being arrogant.
• Be prepared prior to interview! Comb the website, check out the last ERO review, ask the school for their charter, annual report and financial report.  Check out their data, school infrastructure and facilities.
  
• Make a list of questions to ask during the interview.  Remember, boards are just as nervous as you are during interview and they want to impress you as much as you want to impress them.  Try to get a sense of how well they communicate with you - does it feel open, friendly, is there humour there?  Relationships are key to success in any school environment.  
5. Identify your areas of strength, your point of difference and match it with schools you are looking at.  Usually it will be an area you are passionate about and one in which you have extensive PLD and knowledge.  Highlight it and show the panel where you will take the community with it.
6. Acknowledge areas you may need support in e.g: budget/property, but speak of what you do know and how you intend to develop your knowledge further in those areas.
7. Have prepared in your mind a range of scenarios in your head that you have experienced, relating to leadership, relationships, situations with students/staff/parents - both successful and unsuccessful.  
8. During the interview, try to relax.  If something unexpected happens, such as the technology for your presentation goes down, don't panic.  Be rational and solutions focused.
9. Most importantly, speak of the job like it is already yours.  When referring to the school you're applying for, say 'we'..."How do we do that here?", "I intend to take us there...".  When referring to your current or previous school, refer to them with their name e.g "At Auckland School, they...."
10. Lastly, listen to trusted voices around you.  Don't let anyone say you can't.  If you don't give it a go, you will never know.

A Whole New Journey

This term I began a new role as Principal at Nga Iwi School.  I was welcomed with a Powhiri that was probably the most humbling experience I have ever had the privilege to be a part of and will never forget.  The mix of emotions was amazing, being both excited and nervous, happy yet sad, overwhelmed yet calm. The students, staff and community of Nga Iwi welcomed me with incredible

manaakitanga and the sense of whanaungatanga was palpable as I entered the space.  My family, friends, staff, students and community of my old school Tamaki, that came with me as manuhiri were incredible. Their support in me taking this step in to Principalship has been inspiring.

The focal point of my speech after the powhiri was; Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini  which means; I come not with my own strengths, but with the strengths, gifts and talents of others. This has never been truer than right now.  As a new Principal I am very aware of my status as a ‘first time principal’ and am excited about the prospect of growth and development that lies ahead of me.  At the same time I am also mindful of what I have to offer students and staff through the previous experience I have had over the last 28 years in education and the people I have gained that experience through.  I would describe my career as fortunate in that I have garnered support and enlightenment through so many, each person offering their strengths, gifts and talents to add to my ‘kete of knowledge’ in education. In gaining their offerings, I have also been able to pay it forward and will continue to pay it forward to all those I will be working with in the years to come...all the while garnering further gifts and talents as I move on in this incredible journey.

Excited much?   I can’t wait!

HOW SHARING HAS CHANGED MY LIFE

Today our staff meeting was facilitated by Lenva Shearing, lead educator with Hapara and a  facilitator with the Manaiakalani Edcuation Programme.  Our meeting focused on the 'share' part of our 'Learn, Create, Share' ethos. 

We looked at how and why we share, and the impact technology has had on how we share today.  Growing up, the only technology we used to share were the the telephone and pen & paper.   Sharing back in the day consisted of telephone calls - which were monitored by parents to make sure you didn't talk 'all night', writing letters to pen-pals and talking face to face.  If a party was on, invitations were sent.  If a school or community event was on, posters were mounted around the school, shops or street walls.  I was 11 when we moved into a house with two dial up telephones, one in the bedroom, one in the kitchen - we thought this was flash!  I was about 25 when I got my first cell phone...only used for texting and calling. 

Now days, life is very different.  My reliance on technology in my everyday life is almost frightening.  I use technology and the internet at work and at home constantly.  My family are the same.  While I worry about over indulgence in technology, I also recognise that technology is such a huge convenience in our lives that I couldn't imagine life without it.  When looking at it from a global view, technology allows us to communicate more widely and efficiently than ever before and it makes the world a much smaller place.  Keeping in contact with relatives living abroad is a lot simpler than posting letters, waiting days, weeks or months for them to arrive.  Social landscapes have changed where we have moved away from 'formerly' inviting people to events and major occasions with written invitations - accepted etiquette for centuries.  Now friends and family are invited to weddings, birthdays and other family occasions through facebook events and text messages.  Looking closely at the share element of the 'Learn, Create, Share' ethos we unpacked ways in which our students can share their learning.  Sharing can be a wonderful blend of technology and personal forms that can add interest to all learning programme.  Engagement comes with context, connection and fun and there are so many creative ways for students to share.  Blogging/Vlogging are just the start to whole world of sharing on a global scale.  So we need the share element to keep learning purposeful and give students an audience in their learning.

Vision PLD with Jude Parkes - Developing Writing Skills

Today during PLD with Jude, we looked at the writing demands and shifts in expertise within the Literacy learning progressions for writing from Year 1-10.  In seeing and discussing the progressions and the 'why' behind the progression we had opportunity to identify how well the progressions are set within our classrooms.

When asked what writing looks like in our classrooms, teachers identified a range of things that apply in their room.  It was agreed that the process of writing looks similar across the school, but oracy, scaffolding and extension of ideas varies across the school. Vocabulary walls and clines were evident in classrooms as part of scaffolding.  It is important to have these in place, but every so often it's a good idea to take them away to allow for independence...and put them back later.

Approaches used within classrooms here were - clinics, reading/writing applications (when writing focus is reports, then teacher is reading reports during reading time).   It's important that writing approaches are varied and include - Modeled writing, shared writing, guided writing interactive writing, language experience, innovations in text, skills focused mini -lessons, paired writing, peered writing, collaborative writing, joint construction, writing projects, independent writing.  Approaches should provide challenge, difference and surprise.

Gradual release of responsibility - direct instruction (I do it), guided instruction (we do it), collaborative instruction (You do it together), independent practice (you do it independently).  This means that writing groups should change.

Modelled writing involves the use of exemplars and teachers read them out to ensure understanding.  think alouds are also important within this context.  Shared writing includes 'I write and You write' at the same time.  Sharing of the pen, ideas and taking turns leading and often teachers revert back to and between both shared and modeled writing throughout a lesson.

A conversation should be had across school about what the writing process looks in our classrooms.  This conversation needs to be revisited in our school due to changing staff and PLD focus over the past couple of years.  How effectively are we sharing learning intentions with our students during a lesson and do we revisit before, during and after lessons.  Asking plenary questions at the end of lessons or the end of the day gives teachers an opportunity to find out if the purpose behind the learning has been achieved.  Using visuals as scaffolds and prompts to support learners is important and needs to be reflected on during planning.

Opportunity for talk alouds and think alouds should be given to children during lessons.

Pobble 365 - a good resource for writing and can be used within Language experience - repetition with variety.

Leaders Influencing Teachers' High Expectations (LITHE)

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am currently participating in a course called 'Leaders influencing Teachers' High Expectations', led by Christine Ruby-Davis and Richard Newton.  I am attending with our leadership team made up of myself, our Principal and three lead teachers.  We've had two sessions now, focusing on research, barriers and proven strategies that promote or inhibit teacher's high expectations.  As with any new learning, I connect discussion themes to my own knowledge and previous experiences and this learning has given me pause to reflect on how my own behaviours have impacted classrooms I have led.
Working with our staff on developing teachers high expectations, our new learning from the LITHE course was shared in a staff meeting workshop which I facilitated.  The discussion, questions and reflection that resulted was thoughtful, challenging and deeply reflective.  Staff were open to the ideas which challenged their educational values and beliefs and in some ways were confronted with their own ideas on pedagogical practice.  It was inspiring to listen to them share their experiences and reflect on the messages shared, making connections and relating them to their students and our community.
Below is the slide deck we prepared for the meeting workshop.  We began the meeting with a youtube Tedtalk by 'Rita Pearson' about championing our kids (it's 'Believing in our students' in red on the cover slide)....a wonderful start to encourage teachers to reflect on where they come from and the impact they have on their students.  We then move into research and questions around what "high expectations" teachers do to accelerate the learning in their room.  Check out the slide deck below:

Supporting staff with challenging students.

As a school leader, supporting and guiding teachers and students in developing purposeful working relationships can be a minefield.  We've all had those students throughout our career who have challenged our thinking,  tested our patience and made us doubt our ability to teach them.  When a

staff member has a student with special needs, learning needs or behaviour issues, it's my job as a leader to ensure that they are supported in their endeavours to develop the best programme necessary to meet the needs of that student.  This is not always easy and it is becoming a more and more common occurrence in main stream schooling.

    There is very much a tension between doing what is right for the individual student and doing what is right for the teacher and class when challenges arise.  Students come to school with the right to be safe and happy in an environment that offers learning that is engaging, challenging and fun.  Any teacher will tell you that it only takes one student to tip that environment on its head.

   So how do school leaders support, monitor and minimise disruption through student behaviours? It's no easy task.  Teachers work extremely hard to design and implement engaging programmes and set high expectations of their students to make sound progress and achieve expected outcomes with the hope that they can go beyond even those.  They have a preconceived picture of what they want to happen and how it's going to work, that's what planning and preparation is about.  One hopes they cover all the bases and have anticipated any possible hiccups that may happen along the way, readying a plan B just in case.   When teaching in a class with more than one challenging student, sometimes having a plan C, D and E often still doesn't cover a lesson that goes to custard when unpredictable behaviours occur.

In leadership there are a number of ways to support teachers with challenging students.  First and foremost, establishing a relationship with the students whanau is a priority.  Opening lines of communication helps in establishing expectations, creating behaviour plans and sharing 'same' messages both at home and at school.  Through these relationships, schools can advise whanau of the extra support available in the community to assist with their child's development, such as community programmes in the arts, sports and other possible interests of the child.  There are also support services to support families financially and avenues for further guidance in health and cognitive development.

In school, supporting classes with challenging students is imperative to positive outcomes.  The tension between taking students out and leaving them in class to work is an ongoing debate.  One school survey of 118 students identified that the number one issue identified by students  was that they couldn't stay fully focused on their work because of classroom disruption.  The message for leadership through this survey was that a closer look at classroom and behaviour management was required.  In focusing on these things it was realised that programmes for challenging students needed to be implemented to offer those students an alternative learning avenue to the classroom, and at the same time gave teachers and students respite from disruption for parts of the day.  At the forefront to programme development is purposeful outcomes wholly established to progress student learning and achievement. 

     We are hoping that the development of 'makerspace', wellbeing programmes and tuakana teina programmes will go a long way to more settled classrooms, a feeling of value and engagement for students involved and less grey hair for  teachers.  Leadership will monitor progress through qualitative data from students, teachers and whanau.  We will measure against engagement, key competencies and identified outcomes.