Week 11 Term 2 - Proactive > Reactive

REACTIVE:

Acting in response to an issue rather than creating or controlling it

Academic

When the achievement of our students is in a crisis something needs to be done. When there is no response to the need then the gap, the disengagement and the achievement can implode. As teachers, we have a responsibility to work with the data, whatever the current climate with our students and try and implement change. I mentioned in my earlier post about what the English Department were able to do (and continue to do) with the Student Achievement Data. This response that we have used as a collective is one where we are less reactive and more proactive with the changes that we need to make and what we need to do for our learners. Different strategies have been trialed since 2019 (student choice - student's choose the teacher who they want to work with/teacher intervention - teachers work with their students and closely monitor their progress, contacting home and talking parents about their child and teacher-teacher discussions around student achievement) - all of these strategies have been adopted within the English Department. I guess my point in this is that if we only REACT to the concerns with learners and their academic progress then we are not able to fulfill our job as their teacher and their potential as a learner. I am not saying that reacting is something that we should cancel - it is in our nature as humans to react especially when life seems to be in turmoil. But if the reaction is the only place where we move and function, how can we affect change and make an impact?

Pastoral

As a Dean, my day is consumed with different types of scenarios and situations that involve my year group (Year 11). Everyday is different and everyday carries it's own set of issues, dramas, victories and celebrations. I have been in the role as 'dean' since 2016 and in my short time in this role I have learnt very quickly that reacting to every situation and scenario is not always the best approach. I can remember my first year in my role as dean quite well. I spent majority of the year (as in Term 1, Term 2, Term 3 and most of Term 4) reacting to every classroom behavioral issue, pastoral concern - my reaction to the problem was a problem in itself. The problem being that I did not foresee or prepare myself (knowing the learner, understanding what works or does not work for them, speaking to staff) and instead I was reacting to the situation itself. By the end of the year I was tired and my energy/motivation tank was running on E. 

PROACTIVE: 

Creating or controlling a situation rather than just responding to it after it has happened

Academic

When the student achievement data was released at the beginning of Term 2 we decided that we needed to respond. The numbers were not great and we knew that as a department, we had to intervene as best as we could. At the time this was a particularly difficult because we were in lock down and had to prepare for online learning. Nonetheless addressing the results (or lack thereof) was and still is a priority. We had to, as a collective team, agree that the results were not great and that we had to do something about it. Being proactive is not always about the action before or after the fact. It is about looking at the whole picture - the good, the bad and the ugly - understanding what it is, how it came to be and where it can go. It is solution focused. Having that conversation - both as a department but also individually - was great because we had an opportunity to reflect on what we could have done better but more importantly what we CAN do going forward. As a result - the early intervention from our department - has meant that we were to able to identify who our students were (at the time) at risk of achieving and start working with them (albeit slow for some) towards achieving in English. 

Pastoral

Since returning from lock down I knew that there were a number of students that I needed to talk to. As the Dean for Year 11, I am understanding that there are many hats to wear - the pastoral hat, the counsellor hat, the relationship expert hat, the academic monitor hat - it is full on. But this is part of the package with deaning. In early May there were 34 students who had 0 credits in NCEA Level 1. Of the 34 students with 0 credits, 15 were current students who had on-going attendance issues and were becoming increasingly disengaged with their learning. I knew that this was something that I could not ignore or just react too (which is easy to do - get angry when you see them, question them about their lack of credits). But this approach would not bring the change that the students needed. I knew that the situation for these students in particular could get worse. So I shared progress reports, spoke to the students about the report and shared the feedback. In meeting with the students I encouraged them to speak openly and honestly about WHY they are in their current situation at school. All of this was helpful and useful in making me understand their whole picture, not just the snapshot that I see. The progress is promising (attendance, credit and attitude shifts are good and getting better). 

I have learnt a lot about leadership in the last couple of years. I have learnt how I want to lead and I have seen (from myself especially) how I do not want to lead. Leadership is not just a title but it is an action. Action is about doing as well as understanding. Being more proactive and less reactive is important especially with student achievement. Understanding this and applying this to how I lead has given me some much needed perspective.