Professional learning and development
A key component of being a leader of learning is to be learning yourself. Being connected to professional and other communities is important to continually enhance capabilities and share and challenge understandings.
In this section, middle leaders are guided through:
- ways to keep connected that improve your professional practice
- planning for your future career in school leadership.
Shaping your career – How do you extend yourself as a middle leader?
Examples from practice | Professional learning opportunities | Further reading
Examples from practice
Professional learning through Network Learning Communities (NLC)
Watch 'Network learning communities' here. Duration: 4.44
In this video Iain McGilchrist talks about his involvement in a network learning community and how this has supported him in his role as a secondary middle leader.
What learning communities are available to support you in your role as a secondary middle leader?
Meaningful learning through curriculum integration – a secondary case study
Fifteen secondary schools have been involved in this NLC which focused on integrating curriculum and breaking down the traditional secondary school silos.
NZC update issue 8 (PDF, 1 MB)
This update focuses on findings from the recent evaluation of the Network Learning Communities (NLC) initiative. This evaluation found that most of those involved in the NLC initiative were very positive about the support it had given them for curriculum implementation in their schools.
Professional learning opportunities
He Kākano Professional Learning Programme
He Kākano is a significant new in-depth professional learning programme for secondary and area school leadership teams. The programme focuses on growing culturally responsive pedagogical school leadership. It has developed a number of excellent resources that are of relevance to all school leaders.
Teaching and learning research initiatives
The Teaching and Learning Research Initiative seeks to enhance the links between educational research and teaching practices to improve outcomes for learners.
CORE Education eFellowship programme
This Fellowship celebrates teaching excellence in an e-learning context and aims to raise public and educational community awareness of the benefits of e-learning. Once inducted into the fellowship, fellows will provide ongoing, community-focused leadership in the field. In this EDTalk the 2010 eFellows briefly describe their research projects.
Further reading
Wiki: Registered Teacher Criteria and e-learning
This wiki has a page devoted to each of the twelve criteria, with ideas on how teachers could demonstrate they are meeting the criteria through the use of e-learning.
Using a coach or a mentor
Jan Robertson is New Zealand’s leading expert on coaching who has developed a coaching model. Her insights add to a growing evidence base about the benefits and practice of coaching and mentoring.
EDtalks: Professional Learning that makes a difference to students
Helen Timperley, Professor of Education at The University of Auckland, talks about professional development that makes a difference to student learning. Helen talks about the importance of combining careful assessment and analysis with pedagogical content knowledge, and ways teachers can gain this knowledge through cycles of inquiry into their practice.
Shaping your career – How do you move beyond middle leadership?
Examples from practice | Professional learning opportunities | Further reading
Examples from practice
Watch Denis Pyatt, National Aspiring Principals project - Beyond middle leadership. Duration 5:18.
Professional learning opportunities
Developing a career pathway
The National Aspiring Principals’ Programme (NAPP) comprises 12 months of professional learning, blending professional learning groups, mentoring, residential hui, and a school leadership inquiry related to the school’s strategic plan. The year-long programme will include coursework based around the:
- School Leadership and Student Outcomes: what works and why Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration
- Tū Rangatira: Māori medium educational leadership
- Kiwi Leadership for Principals.
The learning will be personalised for participants and based on their needs.
Further reading
Becoming a principal and making a difference
Louise Anaru talks about her career pathway, the opportunities she took along the way, and the people who inspired and mentored her.
The National Association of Secondary Deputy and Assistant Principals
The site includes newsletters, research papers, information about the association's biannual conferences and lots more.