Harvard Graduate School of Education - Leadership: an Evolving Vision 2007

This was a presentation by Millie Pierce on the pupose of public schooling. Some of us a had a difficulty separating schooling from education but we agreed to accept the term.

Millie set out an alternative 3 Rs – rigour, relationships and relevance:

1. Rigour: academic/disciplinary learning
2. Relationships: children need to have something to believe in – “I am here to save your life” - her challenge was to accept the role of being the interrupter in children’s lives in order to break the cycle of pernicious poverty
3. Relevance: relevant curriculum and connect to life skills

She then proposed that the role of the school leader is to be an advocate for every child in the school

Parents sometimes say - “I don’t care about other children in the school” – is this acceptable? We need to challenge this perception - all to often we compromise our values to keep a parent happy.

We felt that it’s the leaders job to maintain balance between the needs of the individual and the needs of the whole school.

We sometimes need to share the baggage carried by children with other staff – need to share confidential information – break free from traditional assumptions – trust the professionalism of teachers not to share – teachers need to learn not a to treat children’s behaviour as being personal attack.

Fact - Reading scores in third grade determine the number of prisons which will need to be built in 25 years time”

Corporate parenting responsibility – this is something which all teachers need to accept.

Fact - Measurable drop in discipline referrals following case conferences – touch teachers compassion – when they understand they change they the way they behave towards children in crisis.

Fact - 95% of children are capable of attaining their potential – only 5% have learning difficulties, which inhibit them from attaining their potential

Millie once stopped a teacher teaching by removing her from her class - she had damaged too many children - when she was asked by her superintendent what she was doing? - she reponded – “I can do anything I want – I’m the Principal”

Fact - If you have a bad teacher for one year sets you back three years and a bad teacher for two sets you back five – or perhaps for life?

Give every child what you want for your own children

“Do what you want to do and you’ll find a way to earn” - this is a message for children.

The group feel that there is incredible resonance with what Millie was saying and how it relates to what we are trying to achieve through A Curriculum for Excellence and Integrated Children’s Services.