I have been thinking a lot about change today. I am in my last couple of days with CORE Ed in this National Facilitation role before I head off on annual leave for the holidays (then back for a team meeting in January for three days and that is it!).
I have been in a QLC/PPLC group with 4 of my colleagues for a number of years now and one of the things we looked at early on was metaphors. One of the metaphors we played with for quite some time was that principalship and school leadership was like being in a rowing skiff - an oarsman:
* you were looking to where you have been to see evidence of progress, the wake I guess. But think assessment, annual reporting cycles, etc.
*Fitting with this is the fact you are facing backwards and only occasionally get a chance to look out front to where you want to be and ensure you are still heading in the right direction.
*and further … the harder it gets to pull on those oars, the more difficult it is to get a chance to turn around at all.
* you can be hit by something coming from the side because those suckers take a long time to turn around.
*one mistake and you are in the drink. Especially if the going is a bit rough.
*it is dam hard work and you need to be fit!
the list could go on and on …
I have been thinking however that another kind of craft is more desirable
I think we need to be helmsmen in a yacht:
*we are looking forward with our heads up. We know where we are wanting to go and have our eyes fixed on the horizon.
*We do however, have time to look closer to home and deal with the small stuff as it comes up without tipping ourselves in.
*we are riding the winds (of change - …. OK a bit corny!!) In fact though the wind (change) is what powers us along!
*turbulence is not an issue
*you are responsive and can change direction to avoid obstacles, accommodate short term needs like debris in the water, etc, all very easily
again the list goes on ….
I would hope that our schools can be more like yachts than skiffs, our school leaders and teachers more like helmsmen than oarsmen.
That would be my challenge to you for the new year … take the time to turn around from needing to see a wake to prove you are moving forward. Trust that you will know it is happening by the small (but significant) things that prove it …. the waves on the bow, the rise and fall as you move over the sea. Check these things are happening (assess ’smart’ and well) but lets focus on the big goals, the things that make the real difference, those that may be in the distance - and go for it.
Enjoy the last of the school year…
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