Week 7 Term 3: Totara House: Growing Leadership (September 02 - September 06)

Totara House Term 3 2024

I have enjoyed documenting the Totara House values series that we have covered during our House assembly time. Over the course of Term 2 and Term 3 we have spent time unpacking our House values for 2024 with the House Leaders going through each value and sharing what it means to them. This has been a mana enhancing experience as the students can share and hear what each value means to them and how they can apply it in their life at school and beyond the classroom. I have shared the journey in my reflections which can be found here: 

Alby's Blog Post Entry - (12/05/24)

Alby's Blog Post Entry - (18/08/24)

Totara House Value: PASSION: intense emotion compelling action

In our House assemblies we have looked at the values of 'Discipline' and 'Commitment.' The final value that we looked at our most recent House assembly was 'Passion' and we aligned it with 'Leadership'. The House Leaders discussed what 'Passion' means to them (what do they feel strongly about or what do they love and honor) and how this connects with 'Leadership.' In regards to their passion to serve and lead their House. The reason why I wanted the leaders to discuss the relationship between their passion to lead was that it links to our Year 12 students who are currently interviewing for student leadership 2025. Here are some highlights on what the leaders shared on what passion means to them and how passion connects to leadership. 

Totara House Leadership 2021, 2022, 2023 + 2024

"In terms of how leadership and passion correlate. When a leader is passionate about their role, it shows in their actions and how they interact with the people they are leading. Passionate leaders are those who take enlightenment in leading others, if you lead people with passion then you will surely succeed. A passionate leader will inspire others to join into what you are passionate about achieving. No one has ever been inspired by a leader who is not passionate." (Daliz) 

"I want to encourage you to stay confident. Know that Leadership is not just about holding a title; it’s about serving others. Every one of us has our way of leading, we all have something valuable to offer to the table. You don’t have to be the loudest person in the room to make a difference. Sometimes, leading by example or listening can be just as impactful as delivering a big speech. Trust in the abilities that brought you to this point, and use those strengths to exceed your expectations and reach your full potential." (Daliz)

LEADERSHIP: guiding and influencing others toward a common vision or goal is called leadership. 

Totara House Leadership Team 2024 with the 2025 Totara House leadership applicants

The Year 12 students who applied for leadership 2025 (for Totara House) had an opportunity to share and talk to the House at our most recent House assembly. Every year the Year 12 students who apply for leadership for Totara House have the opportunity to introduce themselves to the House and to share why they have decided to apply for the role - this is a chance for the students to put a face to the name when they vote for their leaders. This also an opportunity to grow the leadership early and get the students to share and speak in front of their peers. 

My closing comments for this post is based on my thoughts on leadership that I shared to my House at the end of the assembly. I shared with the house that I believe that: 

Good leadership matters - Good leadership fosters a positive and productive environment, inspiring and motivating individuals to achieve their best. It also ensures effective decision-making and clear communication, which are crucial for the success and growth of the team.

He mahi tahi (leadership is collaboration) - Leadership is all about collaboration because it harnesses diverse perspectives and skills to achieve shared goals, ensuring collective success and innovation.

It’s a process, it’s a relationship - Leadership is about process and relationship because it involves guiding a team through systematic approaches while building trust and rapport to effectively achieve goals and foster a positive work environment.

Learning how to lead together - Learning to lead together as a group is important because it fosters collective problem-solving and ensures that all voices are heard, leading to more innovative and effective solutions.