Week 9 update from Tim...

Summary of the 'staff only day' last week

Last Thursday the staff (all teachers, teacher aides and office staff) spent the day at school looking at the difference between the specific acts of every day 'teacher practice' and the 'professional practice' responsibility that underpins it for each individual.  This discussion was led by Tony Burkin from Interlead Consultants who specialises in Human Resource Management to approach the challenges of getting the best out of other adults, leading change, developing organisational culture and transforming schools into Learning Organisations (Professional Learning Communities).

It involved all members of staff as no matter what the role someone has at our school we all have a part to play in the professional practice that contributes to the working climate and learning culture that is created every day at Waipahihi School.

Whether we are a classroom teacher, a support staff worker or a member of the management team we talked about the individual teaching practices that have the greatest impact on a chid's progress and achievement and the specific acts of our professional practice that support and underpin that.

Again, no matter what a persons role at our school there is a range of actions that either example professional practice or undermine it. Our job as a staff team is to be mutually accountable to each other with these practices and to be honest in our actions and our conversations.

We are committed as a staff to continuing to develop the core strength of our school and its staff team to be a strong and cohesive unit who work professionally together, enhancing our every day practices, to provide the best possible teaching and learning environment for each and every learner - both child and adult! Days like this pull a team together and give them a shared understanding of what we expect from each other. Days like this mirror the conversation that goes on every day in the learning context of a classroom. As adults in a learning community we want our staff interactions to example the practices we expect every day from our children. 

Thank you for your support and understanding of what this day enabled for all our staff. Be assured that any day taken in term time is seen as an investment into the staff culture that our school is working to enhance. It is not taken lightly. The next 'teacher only day' is on the last Friday of the term break (April 29) before school comes back for a First Aid refresher course.