Leadership Reflection Term 1 2017

Leadership

This year I have been leading a small team in the newly created middle syndicate (years 3/4). We are a small syndicate of 2.4.

In the beginning, it was difficult knowing what was expected from me as a leader and I guess it is a role that I will continue to grow in over time.  I have been lucky to be working with my syndicate leader from previous years and now the DP who I have been able to get support from and much of my developing leadership style has been cloned from watching and observing how she's lead a syndicate in the past.

I have enjoyed leading and thinking about the programs and direction the new syndicate takes. I have learnt to delegate as I've realised I cannot do everything!  This year our BT has really stepped up and used her initiative with getting jobs done, which has made it a lot easier.

I find our senior management meetings invaluable as a way to learn from the other leaders and know what the expectations are.  I also found meeting with the board and sharing our data helpful and also to hold my syndicate accountable for our practices and ensuring progress for our children.  It is great having their support with resources and finance to put our ideas and programs in place to benefit our children.

I really enjoy monitoring progress and data.  It is highly motivating to see what is working (and what is not) when we are tracking our children so closely!

The middle leader course I added this term was insightful.  I do believe it was too short and the course should have been spread over at least a couple of days.  Things were glanced over but I guess we know where to look.  I think the best thing for me was learning how to have difficult conversations with others (question prompts), and making sure our inquiries and programs are research based in accordance with BES.  I can be a bit of a 'driver' (just give something a go) but I know I need to make sure I need to do my research first and make sure our programs have gone through the scrutiny of research!  Lastly, that all syndicate leaders should be meeting regularly to discuss BES, leadership, programs etc.  Mainly to make sure we are communicating, sharing and creating consistency through the school with what we are doing in each of our syndicates.

Parents are one of my biggest challenges.  I need to be more diplomatic and listen more to their concerns and problems.  I will need to continue working on this.  Balance is important.

This year we are making a real effort with goal setting with the children and also sharing progress with the children and their parents.  This clarity is important so they understand what we are doing and how their children are going.  For the children, it is about preparing them to become better self-managers of their learning and begin to understand that they need to make decisions over what their next steps are.  Introducing (honest) reflection is a big, part of them being able to do this.

Lot's to keep working on!!!