Veni, Vidi, Docui

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to make use of my Classics degree and become a classics teacher again - something I haven’t been able to do for a number of years.

The topic was the Roman soldier, part of the International Primary Curriculum (IPC) topic for Year 5, ‘The Great, the Bold and the Brave!’ We looked at the technology and tactics which the Roman army used in the ancient world and why it made them superior to most other armies which they encountered.?

It was great to have so many interesting questions from the students. The unfiltered nature of questioning in Year 5 and the unquenchable thirst for knowledge which they possess made it a stimulating and rewarding experience. I was reminded of why I became a teacher in the first place.

Whilst I enjoy my role as a school principal, like most principals, I miss those opportunities which a classroom teacher has to regularly engage with students, building a relationship of trust and understanding and observing the impact you’re having firsthand. It is more difficult as a principal, with an element of distance.

Times like these not only remind me of how important and fulfilling the role of a teacher is, but they also challenge me to consider once again what is the role of the school principal. In this respect, I have two analogies which I like to use.

The first is taken from a book which I have found professionally more inspiring and more challenging to me than any other: Corporate Rebels by Joost Minnaar and Pim de Morree . This book has so much to offer and will makes you think differently about leadership. The example in the book which inspires me most is that of a bank which I already admired for doing things differently, Handelsbanken.?

Handelsbanken stripped away all of the traditional elements of its corporate headquarters, significantly downsizing its head office in the process. They shifted everything 180 degrees and recognised the role of head office was to enable the staff in their branches to work effectively for the business and make good decisions.

I like to see the role of the Principal and other members of the senior leadership team in this light. Our job is to enable teachers to deliver. We should try to enable them rather than put impediments in their way. The responsibility of the principal is to the teachers first. The teachers’ responsibility is to the students. Something Simon Sinek puts so well here, where he argues the principal’s and the administrators’ priority must be the teachers.

Secondly, I use the analogy of the school as a football club. The teachers are the players - they are the stars. Therefore, the job of everyone else, including the principal and the senior leadership team, is to ensure the teachers are supported and equipped as best as possible to succeed out on the field, i.e. in the classroom.

It’s that simple.

Boarding Schools' Association (BSA) HMC (The Heads' Conference) AIMS Malaysia