Being a high school principal in the 21st Century

1
Being a high school principal in the 21st Century

• Whats it like?

2
What literacies does a citizen of the 21st
Century need?
3
21st century learner
4
The new things in the mix
5
New assessment style

• Purposeful a means to an end and not an end in
  itself
• Actively develops critical thinking and
  information processing
• Two highs
• - High expectations
• - Higher order skills
• ? New conception of formal learning

6
The lifelong learner

• Implicit - learners encouraged to choose a
  specialisation or focus
• Explicit - Life Orientation as a subject

7
New subject scope

• All subjects have new subject content
• Increased or different range and depth
• New subjects
• New envisaged learner

8
20th Century trained teachersParents and
learners who are used to a 20th century system
The biggest challenge
9
PRESSURES ON SCHOOL LEADERS
10
MANAGE THIS NCS documents policy to be
applied Gazette out for public comment this is
policy in the making.
MANAGE THIS Proposed choices to WCED LSM ordered
and delivered
MANAGE THIS Timetabling LSM Subject
choices Budget Facilities
GIVE LEAD Staff Parents Learners
Feelings Fears Look after yourself too!
MANAGING THESE PRESSURES
11
Leadership Now 1

• Dont wait for others to make things happen in
  your life signal clearly that you will give the
  needed leadership.
• Use the talents of your staff, parents, RCL,
  community
• Identify everything which needs to be managed
• Delegate/share/involve all layers in your school
  large-scale advocacy, information-sharing and
  shared planning. Dont keep anyone in the dark
• Consult/get advice/link with other schools

12
Leadership Now 2

• Negotiate subject offerings with neighbouring
  schools where relevant
• Determine your class sizes and match staff
  (teaching load) to subjects (ie give shape and
  offer choices within planned framework dont
  leave things to chance)
• Encourage learners to compete for places in
  classes eg offer only 35 places in subject X and
  then stick to your own rules. Set up waiting
  lists.

13
Leadership Now 3

• Have a strategy to help staff, parents, learners
  with insecurities (likely to mean that you need
  to contain your own anxieties find a critical
  friend to see you through your own difficult
  times)
• Arrange to empower staff
• Relieve staff of pressures where possible

14
Recommit to living with ambiguities
15
Todays conference

• ADVOCACY
• Information-sharing plus news about timelines,
  WCED plans etc
• Finding friends getting networks in place
• Take home pack

16
and then what?

• Help see your staff through the holiday training
  encourage them to make most of it
• Set up and maintain good timelines, checklists
  and procedures
• SET UP THE CHALLENGE
• How can we be a lead school over the next 3
  years?

17
Weve got quite a job to do