My educational philosophy is fairly simple. I believe that all children can learn, and it is our responsibility to teach them to reach their full potential, academically, athletically and socially. I understand that everyone is different, and each person has his or her own strengths and weaknesses that should be taken into account. Differentiation is key, and it is important for everyone to understand that it is not easy, but necessary in order to reach each person as an individual.
I also believe that education does not stop at the end of the lesson, or as soon as the student leaves the classroom. Education is ongoing, and takes place on the sports fields, in musical and artistic performances, and in the many other activities that go on both in school and outside of it. It is our job to provide as many opportunities as possible for students to learn and show what they have learned.
Taking this belief a step further, it is important to create an educational environment where taking risks is encouraged, and students are not afraid to try things out of the fear of failure. Instead, students should be allowed to fail forward, using the Design Thinking process to search for ways to overcome the problems they face, thus allowing them to create innovative solutions. Students have the right to show what they have learned and are able to do this through formative and summative assessments and reassessments.
Education should be viewed through an interdisciplinary lens, allowing students to see how the world in which we live is heavily interconnected instead of separated into individual subject silos, as is the case in most educational systems. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths) education should be taught through Project Based Learning, allowing students experiential opportunities to present the skills and knowledge they have obtained to an authentic audience, as they will need to do in the world outside of school. The goal is not to get students into university, but rather to help them be successful after university.
I believe that technology is wonderful, but it is only a tool, and if not used properly, will not improve student learning. Articulating a shared vision that defines the appropriate role of technology in teaching and learning is therefore indispensable. Similarly, some of the schools I have worked in have purchased textbooks and materials that have sat on shelves and in storage rooms once the person who initially ordered them left the school. I believe that schools need to be conscious of the suitcase curriculum syndrome often found in independent schools, and make curricular and resource decisions based not on the individual teacher’s wish list, but on a systematic assessment of what is best for the students in the school.
I believe in situational leadership, understanding that there is no one “right” way to do things, but that, instead, it is important to look at each individual situation and design a plan of action on the basis of a careful situational analysis. I use the IB Learner Profile as a guide for both myself and my staff to help us model what we expect from our students. I work hard to build relationships, and I believe this pays off not only with staff, but also with all stakeholder groups in the school. My decisions are not always universally agreed with, but people know that my goal is to be fair and consistent, and that I always have the students’ best interests in mind.
Finally, I believe that teachers have the largest impact on student learning in a school. This means that the recruitment and retention of good teachers is probably the most important job of any administrator. It is also extremely important that a thorough evaluation of current staff takes place annually, and that support is given to staff not meeting the expectations of the school. If teachers are the most important resource we have, then we need to invest in them and make sure that they are giving our students the best education possible. Otherwise, we are failing the students and their families.