Principal Thoughts
Principal Thoughts
Chris Tudor AM, Principal Liaison and AISNT Historian shares his leadership reflections of what he has learnt over the years. Principal Thoughts are published weekly.
2025
History of AISNT: Nawarddeken Academy
History of AISNT: Tiwi College
Yesterday I spent the day watching the Central Australian Eistedford. It is now in its 38th year, run by volunteers many of whom have been a driving force for years so that it is able to happen in a most professional manner. It was a day for the primary schools, and I was thrilled to watch these youngsters take this opportunity available to them to gain skills and most importantly confidence. I was really pleased that 3 of my grandchildren were taking part. It was memorable that two of them were the sole competitors in a section, so it was two cousins competing against each other which was a good, valuable experience.
I enjoyed reading the book “The Surgeon of Crowthorne” by Simon Winchester so I was attracted to his creation “Knowing What We Know” which happened to appear in my Audio Books’ offering. I downloaded and started listening. I wasn’t disappointed because he has a way with creative thoughts, though what he writes is fairly dense and not really suitable for background noise - it really requires some concentration. I was taken with his thoughts on Curiosity and ‘its resulting increase in Knowledge for the Curious.
I was looking at a program on the development of Venice on TV a few nights ago and it sparked a heap of thoughts. I love Venice and think it’s a really magical place. Of course, millions of people think the same and tourism is placing a huge burden on the old, graceful city.
Good Shepherd Lutheran College Darwin
Motto: Identity, Service, Respect
It was David Spike the Pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran congregation in Palmerston and Pastor Dr Joe Strelan who was filling a temporary appointment, who injected the idea of a School out in the rapidly growing Palmerston area into both the congregations of St Andrew’s in Nightcliff and Good Shepherd in Palmerston.
With the first term break occurring at the end of this week there is the danger to hard working Principals that they see it as irrelevant to them. As a result, some Principals feel they are obliged to keep working regardless. Sure, there is “stuff” that has to be done but into this holiday time I think it is important for Principals to set aside some genuine “R and R” time for themselves and to not feel guilty about it.
There are so many thought-provoking ideas that emerge from our wonderful group of AISNT Schools, all of which have their own
individual character. Understanding these schools can lead to a Principal developing new ideas for their own school. The school I’m profiling this week is Sattler Christian College whose motto is: “Growing in Wisdom- Learning to love”.
As Principal it is so valuable to have a clear, known definition of these three factors and not simple to look this up just before a board meeting. A shallow understanding is not helpful - it is essential for a principal to really engage with this and to encourage their board to as well. It is also important that staff are encouraged to be able to recognise issues and for students to be observant. It is of no value for the Principal to understand it and keep it hidden.
This excellent program was presented last week, February 27 and 28 in Darwin for both AISNT and Catholic School Leaders. The presenters were our well known Dr Stephen Brown, Managing Director of the Brown Collective and three lawyers who are partners of the noted Law Firm Colin Biggers and Paisley - Megan Kavanagh, Morgan Lane, Mathisha Panagoda.
The Principal I had in 1980 had just returned from running a school in Brunei for five years. He had a global view of life and I can see him now, as he addressed the staff in a meeting, noting that we were following the United States trend into the Age of Litigation. And he was certainly right! As a new Principal it was easy to be intimidated when someone said: “Well I’m going to see a lawyer”. I quickly learnt to say: “Fine if you have to.” I knew that I would do likewise immediately.
2024
By the end of this week is the beginning of December. The end of the school year is in view with still much to do. Enrolments are no doubt still not finalised and there may be teachers to appoint. There may also be some last-minute resignations which are always inconvenient. I recall a resignation on Christmas Day - great Christmas Present! Sadly, he was a longer-term pioneer of the school and would be greatly missed. But there was a need to move his family interstate, and the opportunity came when it did. Not his fault, just remote circumstances and we still keep in contact.
If You Do It You Get Better At It Encouragement is A Wonderful Gift
These words “wafted” into my brain at about 2.30 in the morning and in line with a presentation by Andrew Fuller, I know I am the type that, regardless of the time I MUST get up and do something about it. In this case to write it down immediately or sleep would quietly float away for the rest of the night.
“If My Thoughts Have Generated More Thoughts Than I have Achieved Something.”
Here are some ideas that have wafted across my wandering mind over the last week.
I went to Coolum in Queensland to meet my new Grandchild and catch up with his two young sisters and Mum and Dad. I had a wonderful time and lots of fun. There was much travel and therefore time to think. I find a plane at 35000 feet seems to help promote thought.
Our profession of teaching is vitally important to not only Australia but also the world. Society suffers if teachers and teaching is not afforded the respect that is deserved or the existence of schools and what they offer is simply taken for granted. Societies which respect their teachers benefit from this. Of course, this won’t happen if teachers are required to present a negative anti-social curriculum, but I’m excluding this situation in this presentation. Sadly, the presentation of education as a negative pursuit does exist in parts of the world today which is nothing short of devastating.
This is a question I often ask when I sit down to write my weekly Principal Thoughts. The questions buzz around - what might be important; what might be valuable; what might be helpful; what might be thought provoking? These are all questions a Principal might ask before talking with their staff. This morning I was set on an approach when I had a conversation with my brother, who is a very experienced and capable educator and as a result another variety of approaches were sown in my mind. This was highly stimulating but of course needed sorting. A principal may be a good administrator who will be appreciated. However they will also need to be a creative and inquisitive thinker. As we all know, in a school there is no shortage of stimuli for this activity.
There is no question, the position of Principal is a high pressured one often with not much relief on the horizon and the certain knowledge that demands can appear randomly at any time of the day and perhaps also at night. Usually, a Principal has to respond to these demands regardless of what else they are doing. That makes getting essential, longer-term tasks harder to complete and this can be frustrating.
I have just been down to Melbourne for “stuff” I had to do and this gave me a chance to go up to my little farm in the high country. It was beautiful as ever, though some trees had taken a battering in the tirade of high winds which swept through the South East of our nation. Other than a few fences damaged there was no other collateral damage to the farm.
The highly skilled person cutting my very untidy hair was French having only been in Australia five months. My request to her was to make me look younger, which she felt she had achieved at the end of the session.
The sun has risen well above the ranges,
The morning sun now glows magic upon the waking world
And spreads with care the cards across my day’s table,
My canvas now awaits for the days paint to use as I am able.
It was early morning, probably about 6, as my aged Kelpie, Bunya, and I trundled up the “Stewie” Highway towards Alice after spending a cold month on my farm in Boorolite. Yep cold - it snowed just as I was leaving.
2023
This is the reply teachers may give or indeed think when reflecting on the special nature of their craft. It is about walking part of a person’s journey with them and doing the best that can be done in providing what is possible to within their own knowledge, gifts and skills to help people to move forward on their journey. And where is that? It is where they wish to go. School is likely to help create this aim.
This title may refer to the whole community or more likely to sub community that relates to a particular school. Part of a community may seek Steiner education or an Islamic school. It may seek a school exclusively for Aboriginal students or one with a mix of students. It may be one attracted to overseas exchanges, international engagement and outdoor education or another desiring a Montessori culture. It may want a Christian School. There are those that want a Lutheran education.
It is surprising to find out that Eton College was founded by King Henry VI as a Charity school to provide free education to 70 poor boys who would then go on to King’s College Cambridge. I guess Eton is one of the World’s oldest Independent schools still operating. Kings College Cambridge was also founded, in 1441, by Henry. Henry on founding Eton, provided it with a large number of endowments. Stability was always tenuous in those early times. However, King Edward 1V deposed Henry V1 as King and annulling a good number of the endowments for Eton. Nevertheless, the school survived.
The recent AISNT Leadership Forum in Alice was really valuable and the people I have spoken to felt they had gained much from it. A highlight was members being prepared to discuss openly about their situations, ideas and aspirations which lead to really rich and open discussion. Trust is a valuable factor in any group activity and that feeling was certainly in the room. I felt the sharing highlighted the wonderful variety of approaches to the meaningful education schools are providing for their particular and unique communities. It was not regulations page 1, 50 or 100 but rather as a result of ensuring the communities, which schools serve, are understood and what is offered is going to meet the needs of those communities.
I have had a couple of conversations recently about the importance of awe in our lives, focusing on that part of the definition of awe relating to wonder and not fear. “They gazed in awe at the beautiful painting” or “they were awed by the beauty of the music”. “She was in awe at the skill of the gymnast”. “He was in awe at the beauty of the desert sunrise”. “They were in awe at the skill of the sheep dogs.” “She was in awe at the power of the sea as the waves came crashing in.”
All Schools are unique in their own way - for a start they are filled with individuals who are not the same as those at another school. Of course Government Policy finds it difficult to reflect this in detail but I’m not going to write about this today.
Term 4 is about to arrive and no matter how you view it, it is always busy and pressured - day to day, recruiting, new students, budget meetings, board meetings, resource analysis and planning, planning for next year, final ceremonies such as concluding assemblies, presentation
nights etc,etc.
I like to experiment with prioritising what should be given one of the prime spots on the “must do” ladder for a school. A favourite one I often think about is if I could only teach 5 things, what would they be.
Many years ago, I met an old friend at the airport. He was principal of a successful school and indeed was very good at his job. We chatted and he surprisingly said to me “If you hear of any principal’s jobs let me know. I’m starting to become bored at what I’m doing”. I was a little shocked because he had only been in the job for four years. I had been in the job for 20 years or so and still had so much to do. I can honestly say I was never bored and many principal friends of mine would have the same feeling as no doubt most of you do.
I have been fortunate. I have only taught in three places, all in the country and have always enjoyed where I have taught. Like so many people, I came to Alice Springs for three years, fell in love with the place and have been here now for over 37 years. Alice, as we all know, has taken a battering over the last little while and its reputation has suffered. But there are many like me who value Alice as a really special place. When I have been away and return, I always feel, as I reach Alice, that I’m coming home. I’m sure there are plenty of people who feel the same way. And, I’ve lived in Alice far longer than I’ve lived anywhere else.
2022
My aged Kelpie was crook and we were sitting in the vet’s consulting room while we waited for the results of blood tests. The vet had been very attentive and conscientious which reminded me of good teachers who are also attentive and conscientious. Other than two posters on the wall, which I quickly scanned, there was a traditional clock with numbers and hands. My gaze fixed on this as a source of entertainment while my sick Kelpie snored at my feet. It was not long before the incidental clock entered my thinking and ideas began to flow.
There are few times as a Principal that you are not busy; busy with so many competing interests. An old very experienced Principal gave me a ‘lookout’ phrase which he found was important and helpful particularly in busy times - ‘All alright in the classroom all alright in the school.’
The two day “face to face meeting” I thought was terrific, profiling our diverse Independent School sector where courage, initiative, imagination and determination abound in a quest to provide effective education to such a diverse population. And it is obvious that Principals and their school communities are determined to make their schools work regardless of the many obstacles faced.
In my wandering I have come across places where the Principal was not an experienced Educationalist but was rather a Business Leader. With the obvious need in a School to manage effectively Finance and where Finance can appear to be the key concern for the School Board, it is not hard to see the Board leaning towards a Business Man as the School Leader. This is further emphasised with the term CEO being the label of the Principal.
AISNT decided to run its own Territory Teaching Awards to acknowledge the great work undertaken by its teachers in the NT Independent schools. With these awards Schools were able to nominate teachers in specified categories and in making a nomination write a positive paragraph or two about the teacher. Though there was only one person from the Territory chosen in each category, all those who were nominated were fully acknowledged.
It is fascinating hearing the stories of new schools and of course all schools which are members of the AISNT are relatively new, the oldest, Marrara, commencing in 1979.This year has seen some really new schools joining AISNT which is wonderful. There are some common themes in this journey of starting a school and these are: passion, vision which includes a clear reason, drive, enthusiasm, determination, courage, the ability to regroup on a failure or knock back and a determination not to give up.
Last Thursday Dr Charles Butcher, formerly the much-respected Head Surgeon at Alice Springs Hospital, passed away. He had been battling Parkinson’s for several years and eventually succumbed. Charles is notable as being one of the longest serving Board Chairs in AISNT. He spent several years on the St Philip’s Board before becoming its Chair in the mid-90s. He then Chaired the St Philip’s Board for 20 years and I had the pleasure of working with him for the entire time.