帶走 Dài zǒu: Take aways

I recently went to my first IB conference in Singapore. It was a new and interesting experience for me. An opportunity to see how things align with my leadership learning of the past as well as to learn in a new context and with different colleagues.

The sessions I attended including the key notes were very thought provoking. Some confirmed and some challenged my thinking. I have had time to discuss with the colleagues I attended the conference with and ruminate on the information presented. I compiled a list of the things that resonated with me and that I will take forward and work to apply or live as a leader within my context.

Top ten takeaways from the conference….

• In order for leaders to be effective their behaviour needs to align with the leadership expectations of the “followers.” Knowing your context and culture is important for a leaders’ success. As a leader I need to immerse myself in the culture of my school and to learn what the important characteristics and attributes are for leaders within our context.

• Are you a Robot or a Rebel? Are you willing to take risks in your current environment that support student learning? How do you support student agency? How can I as leader create conditions for rebels to take risks and explore new practices that support students?

• It is better to change from a position of strength than a position of desperation. Being proactive verses reactive allows leaders to lead from a position of strength. What are some proactive changes I can make that will support improvement?

• If we teach less but better, students will learn more and learn better (Pak Tee Ng) How do I support teachers in refining their practice?

• Does the culture of the school dictate how creative a leader can be?  Leaders of the future will be distinguished by their ability to collaborate and to be creative whatever their context. How do we support creativity within our learning community?

• Always make time for #5mins4fun. How can we infuse some fun into our staff meetings and PD?

• Teaching is not my job,….it is my passion….getting better at it is my job! How do I continue to inspire and ignite passion in staff?

• Learning walks: Focus on looking for learning! How can I improve my strength based feedback for teachers?

• Teachers need to create innovators not innovations! How do we support student action to create innovators for the future?

• The illiterate of the 21st century it will be those of us who cannot relearn and unlearn. What are some practices within our organization that we need to unlearn or relearn in order to move our organization forward?

It is easy to open your mind to new possibilities and learning when you attend such a powerful conference. As a leader how do we sustain this leadership learning? How do we adjust and apply this learning in our context to support our students and staff?

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