AN INVITATION TO A JOURNEY IN LEADERSHIPI was asked recently to put down my thoughts on how a school will need to respond to issues students present at school that demand a "care" response. Having undertaken that exercise I then thought that it would be remiss of me not to put this matter of "care" into perspective. That is:
- There must be a clear understanding of and commitment to the core business of schooling - not merely to transmit the culture but to equip young people for future decision-making.
- Care policies and practices must be underpinned by philosophically sound and organisationally sustainable practices - care must be seen as the "oil of learning".
- There must be embedded in the school's procedural behaviours a belief that leadership must be distributed and support personal growth in a shared and supportive learning environment - all school staff have a leadership role within their sphere of influence.
- Capacity building across the school community will ensure sustainability of good practice and positive outcomes - the "whole-child" approach must direct school interventions for improvement.
So there are four connected monographs in this series of commentaries on a "Journey in Leadership", each drawing on a personal experience in a complex school environment. It is important to remember that the stories that follow are indeed personal, and are dependent on the beliefs, attitudes and values of the author. However they do tell of a model for school organisation and structure that will create a different view of curriculum, pedagogy and community engagement that in the circumstances in which they are applied make a difference to the life-chances of many young people.
That's why the stories are worth telling.
Bill MannPrincipal: Girrawheen SHS
Perth WA
August 2006.
