Positive and upbeat Principals create a “ripple effect” leading to positive and happy communities. The happiness of individual Principals has a far reaching affect. According to author Andy Cope, “Your happiness reaches three degrees of people removed from you, so if you’re really happy and positive, then every single person you meet during that day is going…
Meetings Are Toxic
I’m currently reading REWORK by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson and have come to the section ‘Meetings Are Toxic’. This is an area that troubled me as a school principal so their observations about meetings really resonated with me. “The worst interruptions of all are meetings. Here’s why: They’re usually about words and abstract…
Is it Time to Review the School Day?
The typical school day from 9 am to 3 pm remains in existence in most schools (and has been that way since Adam was a lad!). Given the changes in society in the past 50 years I think it’s time that the length of the school day, as well as starting and finishing times were…
IKEA’s Creche For Men Got Me Thinking…
IKEA has introduced MANLAND, a creche for grown men! The area is equipped with playstations and other devices designed to cater for husbands and boyfriends with a “limited retail attention span”. READ MORE HERE I wonder whether Bunnings are contemplating setting up a similar zone in their stores. Apparently IKEA’s idea was inspired by the…
7 Sins of Change Leadership
Have you had enough of change? Many working in education complain of change fatigue and this adds to teacher stress. The only constant these days appears to be change! It has been said that the only person who likes change, is a baby with a wet nappy! However some change processes are more successful than others….
How to Increase Parent Engagement
The following resources from Ontario are really practical ‘tool kits’ for schools keen to increase the involvement of parents. Teachers today face additional stress as society continues to increase the demands placed on schools as a result of parents being busy. The school is expected to take on more of what might have historically been…
Where Do School Responsibilities Start and Stop?
The prevalence of childhood obesity is regularly raised in the media. I was intrigued to read that in California nearly all public schools have been keeping track of the weight, height and Body Mass Index (BMI) of their students in Years 5, 7 and 9 for nearly 10 years. The article reported that some schools…
The ‘New Model’ Mentality in Schools
Today I entered into the usual school staffroom conversation, you know the one, you’ve been involved often….”Wow, I can’t believe how busy we are at the moment! Things are more challenging than ever before. I can’t believe that it is worse than last year. We seem to be taking on more and more and we…
Clear Links Between Health and Education
Schools that work purposefully toward enhancing the mental, social, emotional and physical health of both their staff and students frequently report the results that principals want to hear: • higher academic achievement from students • increased staff satisfaction and decreased staff turnover • greater efficiency • the development of a positive school and ultimately •…
Could Playing Before Eating Help Learning?
A growing number of schools across the world are trialing play time at the beginning of the break and then sitting down to eat. A Principal in Douglas County in the United States commented, “In the morning, they’re just full of energy. They want to get out and be with their friends, so they’re kind…