Browse all of our articles below, or choose from the following topics:
Browse all of our articles below, or choose from the following topics:
Trying to beat bullying seems a strange quest. The language alone implies an enemy to be vanquished or a finish line to be crossed and having our efforts rewarded with a big trophy. It suggests that we can walk away from the battle to enjoy the spoils of victory. Unfortunately, much as we might like to envisage a final moment of triumph at the end of the battle, it isn’t going to come.
Read more
Teachers are extraordinary. Despite ever-increasing accountabilities, demands on time, unreasonable expectations, media and societal scrutiny and rather average pay – they back up day-in and day-out to live out a deeply held passion for empowering, enhancing and improving the lives of young people. It’s quite noble stuff when you think about it that way.
Read more
When did resilience become something that we associated primarily with younger people? In the rush to identify the lack of resilience in our students, shown through a lack of initiative, a waning ability to cope with adversity and a growing wish to be rescued from any social, physical, emotional or academic difficulty, we have forgotten exactly what resilience is.
Read more
I’ve never really understood the expression “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.” What is the point of a cake that you can’t or won’t eat? In fact, the whole notion that only one pleasurable, effective or enjoyable choice should be available seems unfair to me.
Read more
In my attempts to be a thoughtful leader, I’ve reflected on the types of conversations I’ve had recently with school leaders all around the country. As part of my preparation for these articles, I make dot points about what school leaders say their current challenges are. The one that comes out on top every single time is busy-ness. If you ask any school leader how they are, busy has become the answer that, while it might be quite true, they are now socially conditioned to provide.
Read moreThe Pygmalion Effect is based on the ancient Greek myth about Pygmalion, a talented but troubled sculptor. Pygmalion was unlucky in love and his many disappointments led him to harbour a grudge against women in general.
Read more
The stressed teacher may well be highly impacted by student behaviour, but it is not the previous behaviour of a student that is causing their stress. It’s the absence of a plan for things to be better. Stress is amplified by a strong sense of pain that the subject feels could well be permanent. Indeed, this sense of permanent anguish is something that also contributes highly to suicide rates.
Read more
As a coach of school leaders around Australia, I admit that within each coaching session I’m a little bit selfish. Prior to every session I’m determined to be fully present – to listen at my optimum capacity, to provide creative suggestions, to understand the impact and to draw thinking back to our agreed Executive Coaching Framework.
Read more
The experiences we create and recreate in our schools require some reflection. When was the last time you focused on the feelings you create as priorities to productively enhance future engagement and performance? When was the last time you tweaked or tailored a generic task, such as a performance conversation, so that the context made a positive impact? When was the last time you went out of your way to do nothing other than make a staff member feel happy, valued or special for no other reason than they’d feel good in your school.
Read more
Leading change from one model of practice to a new model can be challenging, rewarding and fraught with dangers. For example, many school leaders I work with are looking to move from the punitive model of punishment with all of the blame, stagnant results and negativity that comes with it – to the restorative model, where responsibility, action and relationships are the cornerstones.
Read more
