NAPP 2016 Hui

Two weeks ago I attended the NAPP 2016 Hui in Auckland, which was part of the National Aspiring Principals Programme. The focus was Ko wai au? Ko wai koe? Identity, language and culture. The two days were jammed pack with a range of speakers who provided lots of food for thought. 

Over the past few weeks I have been reflecting on some of the key messages and the points that resonated with me.

• Moral purpose is the compass that guides you.
• The learner should be at the heart of all you do.
• Never stop questioning.....asking WHY?

Jan Robertson

• Coaching leadership is about empowering others. You don't have to have all the answers.
• Coaching is 80% listening. It is about creating the space to bring knowledge to the fore. 
• Coaching is understanding through another persons lens.

Rachel Bolstad

• We need to have a sense of agency about the future.
• Who is shaping the narratives around future education?
• Whose voices are heard in your community?

Our final PLG session helped me to connect some of these key messages to my own professional growth. We were challenged to reflect on the following three things:- 

• What are you going to START doing? 
• What will you STOP? 
• What will you KEEP? 

It was Jan Robertson's coaching session that prompted me to make 'listening more' a goal this term. It also made me examine how I react when issues arise. I am a problem solver and like to "fix" things. However, in doing this I will often overload myself, and on reflection this also doesn't help others to take ownership. I need to stop trying to fix things. This is where I believe coaching will become a powerful tool for me to use. With these two goals in mind I purchased the latest edition of Jan Robertson's book, 'Coaching Leadership', and had read half of it by the time I touched down at Queenstown airport on my return trip home from the hui. 
Finally, I will keep questioning. Rachel Bolstad, @shiftingthinkng, talked about future-focused education, the possibilities and how we as leaders might turn these possibilities into reality.

During the on-line hui I wrote this in response to one of the big questions around future-focused education and leadership....

I think as leaders it is important to invest time in developing a shared vision of what “future-focused” education might look like for our learners.  In a world where anything that is able to be reduced to an algorithm may end up being computerized in the future, “interpersonal” skills will become vital. Schools will need to encourage creativity, innovation, and the ability to solve unstructured problems. Perhaps by using a framework such as Timperley, Kaser and Halbert’s Spirals of inquiry (2013), schools could critically reflect on what is currently happening and involve the whole school community in rethinking what is most important for the future.

I will continue to question, reflect and examine what we are doing and WHY.

Where to next?
Over the next few weeks I plan to look back over the twelve 'Big questions' that were the starting point for our on-line hui, and were also a focus throughout the face-to-face hui.  I plan to read back through the conversational threads and reflect on these question further. They will no doubt form the basis for further blog posts or reflective posts within the 'My Portfolio' platform.