ICP - Building Forward Better April 2021 Edition - International Confederation ...
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ICP
“The secret of change is to
focus all of your energy,
not on fighting the old, but
on building the new.”
Socrates
Building Forward
Better
April 2021 Edition
Contents
03 Message from the ICP President
Alta Van Heerden
05 15
What Leaders across the world learnt from
05 the Pandemic
Peter Kent
Dismantling Inequity in Education
06 Mary Robinson (ICP Conversation)
Optimising the Classroom Climate - Why 06
12 environment is essential
Gavin Keller & Keller Education
15 Reflections from European School Leaders
Maria Doyle - European ICP Rep
12
View Africa: The Pandemic, the New Normal,
17 The effect on Education and Lessons Learn
Thembekile Ndlovu - Africa ICP Rep
Moving Forward Better - Dismantling Inequity at
Ngunnawal Primary School in Canberra Australia
21 Benjamin Hall, Deputy Principal ACT Education
17
Directorate
Building a better education for all post
23 pandemic
Virginia O’Mahony - Irish Primary Principals’
Network and ICP President 2011-2012
21
The inequities faced by Māori of New Zealand - at
25 the root of these inequities is racism.
Liz Hawes – Executive Officer – New Zealand
25
Principals Federation
What is it that we as a community are doing,
or not doing, to ensure Kindergarten students
27 are not suspended from school?
27
Malcolm Elliot – President: Australian Primary 23
Principals Association
Big Picture Education Australia – An
Introduction
28 Michael Hall: Asia-Oceania Representative ICP
Executive 28
2
Message from ICP President
The effect of Covid-19 was still felt all over the world when we started
2021. In most countries the new year celebrations were cancelled and
all major events were called off. The ICP executive too had to shelve
their hopes of meeting with members face-to-face and have
therefore, continued to serve members digitally.
One of the things that the Covid pandemic highlighted in Education is
inequity. The ICP’s 2020 final edition of the magazine therefore,
focused on equity and the webinar series for 2021 started with a
conversation with Mary Robinson around the same topic.
Mary had a number of key messages for her audience and one of those was to ‘Build
Forward Better’. We have therefore, decided to use this message as the theme for this
magazine and many of the articles describe how different organizations are doing just that.
After a very long period of restrictions in the world to try to curb the spread of the Covid-
virus, there seems to be renewed hope that with the advent of vaccinations, countries will
recover to be economically viable in a vibrant interactive society, free of Covid restrictions.
Prompted by the various International Organizations, world leaders are adjusting their
stance on global concerns such as environmental issues,
humanitarian matters and the plight of children throughout the
world, especially in war- ravaged countries. Ultimately, the
50%
obvious disparity in schooling across the globe has placed the
spotlight on the important role of educationists.
The pandemic has taught us to take care of one another and
Paulina Etxeberria says that Education is the vaccine that the of the difference in
lifetime earnings can
world can use to remove inequity in society.
be attributed to
As educationists we know that we can improve the lives of qualities and
people by sharing knowledge, learning to care for the planet, knowledge obtained
bolstering education in the values of respect, tolerance and before the age of 18.
Nobel Prize-winning
cooperation. We are proving that we have the resources, tools,
economist,
and creative capacity to develop and spread education through
J Heckman
different learning formulas. The vaccine for inequity already
exists; we just have to use it. (Paulina Etxeberria)
Another valuable lesson we learned in the midst of Covid-19 is that ‘school’ endured even
without access to buildings, thanks to the people – parents, students and dedicated
teachers, who remained committed to growth and learning, caring and community
regardless of the challenges faced. We’ve strengthened our resilience, extended our
awareness, deepened our gratitude for each other, and reaffirmed our commitment to our
children and each other — and we will be all the better for it for years to come. (Tim
Tennesz)
While it is true that the effects of the pandemic have altered our ‘modus operandi’ it has
not shifted ‘the light at the end of the tunnel’, which is becoming brighter by the day. Let’s
be strong together and emerge from the tunnel to continue to ‘Build Forward Better’!
Alta Van Heerden
3
What have leaders across the world
learnt from the Pandemic?
Dr Peter Kent
Head Teacher: Lawrence Sheriff
School
Having been involved at several conferences example, all of us were considering how to re-
looking at the impact of the Pandemic, I was design our schools so that they allowed for
delighted to be given the opportunity to greater social distancing. One speaker from the
contribute to a conference organised by United Arab Emirates discussed the need to re-
colleagues based in India from the Global talk structure exis ng classrooms to accommodate
Educa on Founda on. En tled ‘POST fewer children, and repurpose non-teaching
PANDEMIC CHALLENGES AND DESIGN FOR spaces such as gyms and canteens. Age-
SCHOOLS’ the event focused upon how appropriate graphics could also be added to the
school around the world were dealing with oors and walls to remind children to wash their
the impact of Covid-19. hands and maintain social distancing rules.
It might well have been thought that an event Another challenge featuring prominently in
bringing together speakers from India, presenta ons from across the world was how to
Ukraine, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Abu Dhabi, make the best use of technology to support
Malaysia, Switzerland, Singapore, Canada, remote educa on. In some cases the technology
Maldives and the UK would serve to highlight involved was rela vely simple, making use of
the di erences in experiences of Covid across pla orms such as Google Classroom in order to
the globe. To some extent this was true, with draw together the learning for each student.
di erent countries nding themselves at Other speakers demonstrated some remarkably
di erent stages of Covid infec on and sophis cated uses of online learning, including a
vaccina on experiencing a range of di erent demonstra on of how aspiring medical students
impacts upon educa on. Hence as a speaker could see the techniques used by surgeons in a
from England I spent some me discussing virtual reality simula on.
how we were about to re-open our schools,
Having heard all of this, I was rather
whilst in other parts of the world they had
embarrassed to nd that my own use of fairly
remained open throughout and a signi cant
basic technology was found wan ng. I had
third group were s ll largely making use of
thought that I had sent a picture of myself
remote educa on.
looking rather serious and scholarly for the
Despite all of this, I think that what stood out event publicity. However, I think I had instead
were the similari es rather than the sent a picture from my personal WhatsApp
di erences between us. Firstly, we were all account of me a ending a football match with
responding to a set of prac cal challenges my two sons. My family told me not to worry-
that Covid had posed for schools. For they said they had never seen a picture of me
4
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looking so happy (not surprising, since it was a Whether it is changing the design of schools,
game that Liverpool won 4-0!) making greater use of technology or more
fundamentally, showing a renewed focus upon
Within all of these discussions there was a
equity and the closing of gaps between di erent
general recogni on of the challenges
groups of students, everyone agreed that we
produced by remote learning, summarised by
wanted the future to be di erent and that in this
one speaker as Higher need for parents
sense schools would never be the same again.
collabora on, The challenge of developing an
We didn’t want to ‘go back to normal’ but rather
academic environment at home , Keeping
to create a be er normal.
students safe online , Students struggling with
isola on , Handling the tone of passivity that All of which takes us to one nal point. Despite all
develops in children. A parent at my school of our discussion of technology and our desire
described teaching lessons over Zoom as that the future needed to be di erent, there was
being like ‘teaching through a le erbox’ and I also general agreement that responding to the
think that this is a very e ec ve image for the Pandemic had taken us back to a set of
limita ons of teaching over a video- fundamental values. One was the need to focus
conferencing pla orm. upon the elements that make up high quality
teaching. Whatever pla orm or technology we
As might be expected, my presenta on
employ, the need to be a skilled teacher
focused upon the challenges for school
constantly seeking to develop your prac ce
leaders arising from the Pandemic. I think the
remains unaltered. In this respect, the new
point that drew the strongest response was
Global Teaching Insights pla orm from the OECD
when I shared Steve Munby’s advice that we
is an invaluable resource, giving teachers from
should not be afraid to be imperfect leaders
around the world the opportunity to share best
(echoing the tle of his excellent book, which
prac ce and to upload examples of high e ec ve
I would very strongly recommend). Steve’s
teaching (www.globaleteachinginishgts.org)
focus upon the need to work as a team and
his comment that ‘at mes of crisis it is A similar point emerged about leadership.
especially important not to pretend that you Despite all of the new and unexpected challenges
know it all’ seemed to strike a chord with that leaders across the world have faced over the
everyone at the event. past 18 months, when a group of worldwide
leaders were asked to sum up the most
In a similar manner the slide below captured a
important prac ces they had shown during the
sen ment expressed by every speaker,
Pandemic, this was the picture that emerged:
wherever they came from in the world:
In other words, despite everything that has
happened and wherever we nd ourselves in the
world, the fundamental skills of leadership, such
as collabora on, exibility, a willingness to listen
and remaining calm in a crisis, remain unaltered,
important prac ces they had shown during the
Pandemic, this was the picture that emerged:
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Dismantling Inequity in Education: ICP in
Conversation with Mary Robinson
The conversation was facilitated by Maria Doyle –
European Regional Representative
Setting the context for the We have to see equity in the context of
COVID, it is effecting schools world wide,
conversation: some more than others due to inbuilt
inequities - Intergenerational injustice and
As the only global School Principals’
inequity, (poverty, race, gender, ability)
Umbrella Professional Organisation, ICP has has been exacerbated by COVID.
identified a number of key priorities that
inform our strategic plan. The centrality of Use students’ voices as they can educate
equity as a collective action for ICP has the broader community- it is about their
probably been our most consistent focus as world. The children are the drivers – they
it speaks to the heart of our purpose -to are the voice, empower them and it levels
empower purposeful global leadership. out the playing field.
Dismantling is about taking action in a ‘Build Forward Better’ create education
structured way opposed to taking a systems that are more resilient to
wrecking ball to our current scenario. As disruptions, more flexible in education
school leaders this is our challenge. delivery and focused on meeting the real
needs of all children and youth.
The following identifies some of the key
messages provided by Mary Robinson in As educators we must take greater
response to questions posed by the responsibility: school is part of the
facilitator, we encourage you to visit community, we are influenced by
https://drive.google.com/file/d/ community and we influence our
1la9XS5S7XNktoOERyfbvyC9FlsL23737/ communities. COVID showed everyone-
view to develop a personal professional students, parents, governments that
response to Mary Robinson’s presentation. schools are essential and there is a very
real sense of appreciation of the role of
Key messages: school, of teaching and their importance to
Education is preparation for life especially in life.
the context of crises – COVID, climate and COVID 19 has placed a significant spotlight
nuclear. on the centrality of students being in
Prepare students to speak out and up. ‘This school and how essential education and
year is probably one of the most important schools are in every community. It has also
year for humanity’ with the Convention on highlighted once again the inequities in our
Biological Diversity https://www.cbd.int/ global education systems. It is imperative
will be held in China in October 2021 that we grasp the opportunity now to
(rescheduled from May), and the UN Climate proactively amplify these inequalities, eg
Change Conference will be held in Glascow Students with special needs need to go
https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/ back to school earlier. Girls dropping out of
conferences/glasgow-climate-change- school has been exacerbated by COVID
conference and they drop out more quickly than boys
as they often have care responsibilies, they
There are layers of injustice that we need to are pushed into early marriages and early
address – NOW. pregnancies.
6
Principals must see and use the Taking more courage from the recognition
appreciation that has emerged for their of the importance of education – the
role. COVID crisis will pass but addressing the
climate crisis – principals can be thought
This is not just a ‘developing world’
leaders working with in the community to
problem, it is a global problem during the
build understanding and action.
pandemic indigenous population have
suffered more than other groups. COVID The power is in the hands of the school
has exacerbated all of the inequalities. leader now – COVID has elevated
education to a higher platform, change can
“We have to make be very localised – ICP can support those
connections for students to leaders – empower them, determine the
one or two key areas you want to influence
remove all inequities- we
and take action.
need to be taken out of our
Top down and bottom up – community
silos and work together:
effort to engage with the circular economy,
collective responsibility for green jobs – whole of community approach
building forward with so as to ensure that the transition to a
greener world does not create further
equality and justice. We
inequities.
need to come out of our
comfort zones.”
ICP as an influencer importance of Strategies for building forward
education, schools and therefore school better:
principals and the importance of their voice
in their community – the need to ensure
All of us can take three steps
that the city and country are on track for
making a safe world of students in the Make the climate crisis a reality in your own
future. Principals’ voice is now more life
respected post COVID.
Get angry with those who have moral
Collaborative partnerships will help us as responsibility – governments, cities,
we face these crises. We need to talk more corporations – use your voice, join
and network more. organisations.
7
Imagine the world that we need to be Conclusion
hurrying towards – much healthier, green
Dismantling inequity is both feasible and
jobs and different jobs – make sure there is
aspirational but we can’t underestimate the
an equality, Injustice of climate change and
difficulties and differences across contexts,
the layers of that we have to encounter, and
all principals can take heart in the
COVID has brought this to the surface.
perception of what is important in our
Schools need to conduct gender and social world – greater voice and can be a stronger
inclusion analysis to understand the real voice for equity – principals are not only
risks for girls and boys and for sub groups. thought leaders within their schools, they
can also be thought leaders in their
Collect and monitor disaggrevated gender
community.
data, and work together to make the
necessary changes. Build forward with equality and justice.
Involve communities – especially women ICP could be described as The Elders or
and children; develop and provide custodians of global education or global
appropriate digital learning solutions – leadership of education;
digital divide is very much a part of equity;
incorporate flexible learning – to recognise Why?
and accommodate different circumstance,
maintain essential health services. We are independent – no one owns us
except our members. We work together to
Go the extra mile to re- engage/ more
shape a better future for all. We bring
outreach, more deliberate engagement with
together collective experience or wisdom
the more marginalised groups within
from across the globe. We are committed
individual communities .
to improving educational outcomes for
students irrespective of their age, gender,
What matters or what we have
race, ability, context through a focus on
learned school leadership
Collective human behaviour matters –
schools and education matter and have a
role to play
Governments matter and they have to have
good policies for equity
Science matters – STEM – reinforce how
important Science is for everyone especially
disadvantaged students and communities.
Compassion matters – more empathy and
openness, greater willingness to address
the inequities.
8
9
Survey Monkey Feedback
Mary Robinson’s Webinar
The following word cloud captures members’ responses to the three questions that
were posed at the end of the Mary Robinson webinar – they are our challenges.
• What five things can you personally commit to doing to help us ‘Build Forward
Better’ and dismantle inequity in education?
• What five things can your association commit to doing to help us Build
Forward Better’ and dismantle inequity in education?
• What five things do you want the ICP to commit to doing to help Build
Forward Better’ and dismantle inequity in education?
If you have not had an opportunity to write a response please click here or send your
thoughts to admin@icponline.org
10In one or two words, what have been
your most important leadership
practices over the past 12 months?
In other words, despite everything that has happened and wherever we nd ourselves in the
world, the fundamental skills of leadership, such as collabora on, exibility, a willingness to
listen and remaining calm in a crisis, remain unaltered.
11
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fiOptimising the Classroom Climate
Why environment is essential
Gavin Keller
Education Thought Leader, Author
and Founder of Keller Education
Brain STATES are like weather in the brain. occasions when time just flew by because
They change constantly depending on we were lost in the activity. Awareness of
numerous factors. There is no such thing as time fades and we become so absorbed
an UNMOTIVATED student, but there are that the experience is pure pleasure. In
students who are temporarily in an fact, it is easier for children, teenagers - the
unmotivated state. people we teach every day, and athletes to
find themselves in this flow state - than
Now states change in seconds. Some adults. Those of us who work with adults
states take precedence over other states know how hard it is to create the
and you can be in more than one but only environment (climate) for delegates to
be aware of being in a single state. When a become lost in a FLOW state.
student is stressed, anxious, despondent or
distracted very little learning happens. We Definition of FLOW
cannot expect the brain to engage in a A pattern of activity in which individual or
deep thinking exercise that will lead to group goals emerge (as opposed to being
understanding if the brain is not in an mandated) as a result of a pleasurable
optimal state for learning. But activity and interaction with the
environment. When your skills, attention,
The art and science of instructional environment, and will are aligned, flow is
teaching is creating the optimal climate - much more likely to occur. Creativity and
creating the correct FLOW for learning. In learning emerge in an accelerated fashion
Csikszentmihalyi book, Flow: The when learners are encouraged to go with
Psychology of Optimal Experience (1990), the flow while enjoying themselves and
he reports that FLOW - the state of defining and reining in their own learning
consciousness) is the primary criteria for challenges.
optimising learning.
Creating FLOW in the Classroom:
The question is …. How do we are teachers
create FLOW in a class full of different 1. Set material that is intrinsically
students? We can’t will our students into challenging. It must not be too easy,
the state, but my experience has been that but not too hard and have an element
you can create the state of FLOW by where there is choice. The moment we
making sure that student lose themselves in empower the student to make a choice
an activity. Many of us will remember it becomes personally relevant. The
12brain desires to thinking about relevant finds it challenging, the brain will be
material. activated. Many of us know that when we
2. Determine the stress level. The brain compete against someone who challenges
does not think clearly under high levels us, we play a better game. However if we
of stress. Ensure that the stress-o-metre play against someone who is much weaker
is reading low to moderate. A little than us or much stronger, we lose interest.
stress can be useful at times. Again, the art of teaching to to set the
3. Focus attention on thinking and doing. tasks to be engaging, relevant and
4. Generate curiosity and when a student challenging, but not too challenging to
latches onto something allow them to reduce interest.
explore it.
5. Build in anticipation. “I wander what What do I do when my student is in an
would happen if …..?” unproductive state?
6. Allow a little confusion from time to
time. Confusion serves as a good This is the intervention moment when you
motivator when it is used occasionally. change the weather. It demands an alert
teacher who is constantly watching her
What does the science say? students engaged in their task. Allow those
that get into the FLOW to continue
Sophisticated imaging equipment shows uninterrupted. Quickly identify the student
that when students are given mental tasks who plunges into confusion and resolve it
that are increased in difficultly as well as before it drops further into apathy. Too
complexity, brain activity increases. often we ignore the confused and we end
Increased brain activity means multiple up with a third of our class who we label as
pathways are being laid to different areas being apathetic! Timing is very important.
of the brain. Interestingly, even if the
student is unsuccessful with the task and
13According to Eric Jensen (PhD), the most career where the teacher was cold so the
common student states are: windows were closed. Air quality is
Fear, Anxiety, Boredom, Apathy, essential for learning and in a full class this
Frustration, Confusion means having all the windows open all the
time.
The most desirable student states are:
Anticipation, Self-convincer, Excitement, 3. Digital Ubiquity: Make use of your digital
Curiosity, Celebration, Enlightenment. devices as part of the lesson to alter the
state and add curiosity or anticipation.
Now work your magic. Do everything
possible to keep your students out of their 4. Input Focus: Regularly change the focus.
“Common” states and create opportunities If you have been giving input for a while,
for them to be in the “Desirable” states. shift to working in pairs to renew and
highlight the key points. Make use of
How do I ensure students remain in the THINK PAIR SHARE - where a problem is
desirable states: presented to the entire class and everyone
thinks of a suitable answer. Then co-
1. Music and Movement. Music is a great ordinate the class into pairs where they
state changer. Movie soundtracks play an share their idea and try to improve a
important part in the audience’s connection possible solution.
to the story. Every classroom should have
a music device where the State can be 5. Mindfulness: The power of breath work is
influenced. I like to play up-tempo music amazing. Set your timer as a reminder, or
when the students enter my classroom so appoint a Mindful Monitor to remind you
that the energy is high while I am greeting when it is time for some breathing.
them and welcoming them to my
classroom. Movement should take place 6. Manipulatives: Provide or allow students
regularly. Sometimes this movement to make use of manipulative like presstick,
activity may stop the FLOW, but the need paper clips or an elastic band (can be a
for oxygen in the blood is more important problem with boys!!) that they can fiddle
and they will rapidly return to the FLOW with during the lesson. Many of us like
state. If you have a data projector in your students to look at us when we talk without
class and wifi access, use the You Tube Just bering distracted by things on their desk.
Dance videos. Students copy the dancers. By giving them “permission” to fiddle with a
Just preview the songs as some of the lyrics manipulative you improve the state for
may be questionable. learning
2. Environment: The classroom
environment can be optimised by carefully
pondering what your classroom looks like in
terms of state management. Aromas
(burning a lavender incense stick), fresh
flowers, ionisers, plants, use of curtains or
blinds to manage the light, wall paint
colour, display board designs, poster
selection all play a role in managing the
state. Alway focus on air quality. I have
walked into too many classrooms in my
14Reflections from European School
Leaders during a Global Crisis
Maria Doyle - European Representative ICP
It is fair to say that COVID 19 has disrupted • Lack of clarity and support from system
education globally in a most unexpected leaders
and profound way. Systems around the
• Drip feeding of information through media
world have responded in a variety of ways
sources
to the pandemic with some more prepared
than others for the significant challenges The challenges listed above did not simply
posed by distance learning. emerge in response to a global crisis.
Instead they highlighted long overdue
Over the course of the past twelve months,
reforms which were accentuated during a
school leaders from six European countries
critical time when immediate action was
engaged virtually in discussions around the
required. To Build Back Better as the crisis
impact of Covid 19. The conversations
subsides, these matters must be addressed
began by focusing on their initial response
with a renewed urgency if we are serious
to the closure of schools and the
about delivering a more purposeful and
preparedness for on line learning and
resilient education system in the future.
evolved into conversations around
opportunities for equitable, sustainable and The European Leaders also discussed the
inclusive recovery. centrality of schools and the critical
importance of face to face teaching and
It was generally acknowledged that the
learning. They acknowledged and accepted
rapid response to the move to digital
the importance of ‘the School’ as an integral
learning placed significant pressure on
part of the wider community. Consequently,
teachers and students to reimagine
while schools were closed it emerged that:
teaching and learning. The impact was
described by one contributor as ‘placing a • Referrals to Child Protection Services
magnifying glass on systems that decreased significantly.
immediately showed up the cracks’. Some
of the most common challenges initially • Authorities reported a worrying increase
were identified as: in instances of domestic abuse and
substance abuse
• Poor infrastructure – little or no access to
broadband in many areas • Students with SEN went without critical
services such as occupational therapy,
• Lack of IT resources – particularly for speech and language support etc. which
those most marginalised students in many instances had profound effects
on their wellbeing
• Teachers lacking IT skills and training in
how to deliver successful on line content • Many SEN students found remote learning
extremely challenging and at times
• Poor student engagement often linked to
impossible
parental capacity
• Students in general displayed significant
• Confusion on how best to structure
anxieties around ‘keeping up’ and worried
remote learning
about learning gaps
15• Equity gaps widened considerably and • Building and providing greater networking
became more pronounced opportunities for global school leaders to
encourage reflection and sharing of good
• Parents acknowledged that supporting
practices
their children’s learning while working
themselves was extremely challenging • Revisiting the necessity to conduct school
meetings in person and consider using the
on-line platforms to promote efficiency
The groups’ discussions also included many and brevity!
positive offerings and reflections. They
• Highlighting the importance of physical
highlighted opportunities to rethink
and mental wellbeing as central to
practices and redesign outdated learning
teaching and learning
systems .They also acknowledged the deep
impact the crisis has had on the wellbeing
of school leaders, teachers, students and
This group of leaders has committed to
parents. Some of their reflections included:
ongoing engagement both now and post
• Renewed emphasis on teacher autonomy pandemic. I have no doubt that the
and opportunities for investment in reflections summarised above will resonate
upskilling with school leaders globally - not just those
in Europe. The exercise has been invaluable
• Empowering school leaders to take
in establishing positive relationships and
greater control of their schools by
sharing ideas. The professional generosity
identifying what the needs are and acting
of the people involved is commendable and
accordingly in collaboration with their
the conversation has always been
leadership teams
enjoyable.
• The emergence and capturing of the
Thank you to those leaders from Finland,
student voice particularly in matters such
Denmark, The Netherlands, England, France
as National Examination Systems
& Ireland for their contributions thus far. We
• Revisiting and reforming National would be delighted to welcome other
Examination Systems European school leaders into the group at
any point.
• Revisiting and reforming school
assessments
• Re-evaluating the purpose of homework
• Seizing opportunities to reconfigure
curricula to accommodate more blended
learning and more targeted learning
• Closer and more positive relationships
with parents
• Commitment to development of
significant on-line resources for future on-
line learning
• Exploring targeted additional on line
tuition for disadvantaged students
• Emphasizing greater collaboration and
co-operation between system leaders and
practitioners particularly around decision
making
16VIEW AFRICA: The Pandemic, The New
Normal, Effects on Education and
Lessons Learnt
Thembekile Ndlovu - Africa Representative in ICP
The whole world has been ravaged by Swaziland: It became clear that a good
Covid 19 and Africa was not exempted. This percentage of learners did not have devices
brought about “The New Normal” in all to access lessons whilst at home. A rotation
parts of the world including the education system is presently used in Eswatini where
sector. learners come on alternate days for class
lessons.
Social distancing, regular handwashing,
sanitizing, wearing of masks and classrooms The Eswatini Principals Association (EPA)
disinfecting became a norm. has commissioned a study on the effects of
Covid 19 and lockdown on students
What effects did this ‘new normal’ have to
learning, with focus on the completing
African schooling systems? What options
class. Findings and recommendations are
did we have to adapt, remain relevant and
yet to be presented to education
effective in the classroom or outside the
stakeholders.
classroom?
Success: On the 14th of April 2021 Eswatini
As countries in Africa experienced the
Principals Association (EPA) held an
lockdown in March 2020, traditional classes
elective Conference within the confines of
and face to face learning were halted.
Covid 19 guidelines, for EPA National
Online learning through various platforms
Executive Committee (NEC). Mr Welcome
such as social media, electronic and print
Mhlanga was re-elected to the new office as
media were introduced. This kind of
the President of EPA and six other
learning was engulfed with numerous
executive members who joined the ranks.
challenges, such as among others, the
demographics of some of the schools to
access network, equipping teachers and
students with ICT skills, the availability of
devices and connectivity for schools,
teachers and students to access lessons
and information, the financial muscle of
parents to buy smartphones and
newspapers for their children.
South Africa: The education sector faced a
straight four months lockdown from March
2020. School calendars were revised to
phase in learners gradually. Curriculum was
also revised to cover critical subjects and
content. Schools were given options to use
either Alternate days, Bi-weekly approach,
platooning system or whole school return if
space allows for social distancing.
17Success: At the end of March 2021 the Challenges in schools: Insufficient teachers
Department of Basic Education introduced and classrooms to cater for additional
a Three-year Curriculum Recovery Plan classes to observe social distancing. Limited
(2021-2023) and placed school principals at boarding facilities.
the forefront of its implementation. The
Success: The Government provided
plans and policies will address the identified
guidelines for the schools before opening
gaps and improve the performance of
and MASSHA developed a training manual
learners across all grades in the system.
on Covid 19. Sensitization meetings were
Key levers that ought to be used include conducted for teachers and principals.
alternative time tabling models to ensure Remedial classes took place and
compliance to Covid 19 protocols, the examinations were administered.
adjustment of the curriculum in order to
manage loss of teaching time, the focus on
fundamentals in managing curriculum
coverage, the management of home
learning and distance learning and an
enhanced ICT integrated, digital teacher
development programme. This is aimed at
promoting uniformity in the Basic
Education Sector. The Department of Basic
Education has met with Zimbabwe, Kenya,
Angola, Namibia, Rwanda and Botswana to
share best practice on schooling in the time GHANA: Since the start of the pandemic the
of COVID 19. academic calendar was disrupted and kept
on changing depending on the challenges
encountered. This resulted in a whole sale
promotion of some level of students as they
stayed at home for over eight months.
Recently, final year senior high school
resumption of studies was postponed on
the day of report to classes.
Success: Education system is in progress
with strict observation of Covid 19
protocols. Presently the schools are broken
into tracks. Students at the senior high
level are currently compelled to practice
track system where one track attends
school over a period of time and break,
MALAWI: Due to the pandemic Malawi lost then another track resumes classes. Class
some hard-working teachers and principals. sizes have been reduced to between 25 and
Schools were closed for six months, 30. The government is committed to
examinations postponed, school calendar improving infrastructure like classrooms,
were disturbed, as a result many girl- providing running water and personal
children fell pregnant, and more boy- protective equipment (PPEs).
children indulged in alcohol and drug abuse,
lots of early-teenage marriages experienced
and many children lost interest in school
and dropped out. Due to economic
difficulties, many parents could not afford
to send their children back to schools.
1819
20
Moving Forward Better - Dismantling Inequity
at Ngunnawal Primary School in Canberra
Australia
Benjamin Hall, Deputy Principal ACT Education Directorate and Ed Institute
Director.
Ian Thompson, Teacher ACT Education Directorate and Ed Institute Director.
As a Principal, you are really aware that all authentic local history in helping other
stakeholders in the engagement equation need government systems such as Health. ThinkPlace
to build knowledge and skills to cultivate and and their subsidiary education specialists, the
then sustain family-school partnerships. COVID Ed Institute, became NPS's collaborative
19 has been an enormous disruption that has partners in this project with both being experts
forced many to rethink the traditional models of in user-centered design. Their core business is
student, teacher and parental engagement. At using processes that put human experience at
Ngunnawal Primary School (NPS), a government the centre of the design solutions.
system public school built upon the lands of the
Ngunnawal people, the traditional owners of this As a first step, a Core Design Team (CDP) was
land in Canberra, Australia, parents were formed that included the Principal, the
required to engage with their child's learning Community Engagement Officer, parent
during the mandated lockdown periods. What representatives and Design Thinking experts.
became apparent to teachers and school Together we articulated the education inequity
leaders at the school were the enormous space we wanted to examine. In particular, the
inequities among many of the families' specific targeting of the vulnerable pocket of
experiences. There was a sliding scale of families already disadvantaged in many ways
engagement where some students were was to be our focus. Many of the low socio-
completely disengaged in any of the online economic status families had been highly
learning while many others thrived in the new disengaged pre-COVID and this was now being
environment. After analysing participation and compounded in the new online context. Our
work completion data, there appeared a clear intent was to critically analyse how these
link between the parents socio-economic status parents could collaborate with the school so
and their child's engagement in learning. This is that they were focused on the "big" issues
a clear equity issue that, of course, needed to be facing their children. One of the issues identified
addressed. was how we were building parents' capacity to
help support their children towards learning
The Principal at NPS wanted to explore this online while avoiding things like digital
equity issue in an innovative way by asking a addiction.
challenging question: What impact does
parental engagement have in a child's The Core Design Team (CDT) wanted to be
educational experience and is this engagement dynamic and innovative in the way we engaged
influenced by levels of family disadvantage? She parents in this discussion. We designed our
knew that deep diving into high-level action approach to be implemented over three stages:
research was important but was not sure on the Research, Ideation and Prototyping phases.
how to do this effectively. Thinking creatively, The Research phase involved mixed-method
the Principal wanted to explore the benefits of research that included targeted observations,
building a relationship with an industry partner intercept interviews, typeform surveys, strategic
that had design thinking expertise. She wanted phone interviews and online mural board
to inspire her leadership team to create a space invitations. The CDP wanted to understand the
where powerful theory and engaging perceptions of the parents that were often
stakeholder experiences helped develop a new voiceless in our school. The data collected was
approach to parental engagement, and do so in surprising once synthesized and translated into
a sustainable and scalable way. The Principal three distinct challenges. As is often the case
became aware of the innovative work done by when implementing a design thinking process,
an international consultancy firm with an the experiences we think are the barriers for
21change are not often representative of the views held by the end user. Put somewhat simply, the
challenges and subsequent opportunities revealed to the team are listed in the following table.
Challenge Opportunity
There is not a shared understanding on what the Co-design an inclusive engagement program that
engagement expectations for parents are. caters for the diversity of parents.
Many parents had limited educational Design a differentiated capacity building program
backgrounds and felt guilty about their capacity that assists parents in developing their skills to
to support their child's learning. support student learning.
Parents had varying degrees of responsiveness Develop a common vision coupled with shared
to communication tools of the digital age: fast, expectations for digital communication
live updates, unobtrusive and accessible being using consistent online platforms that are shared
desirable. with all participants.
During the ideation phase, the CDT worked tools to be able to do this well. By listening,
with groups of parents, staff and students in learning, and working together, the CDT was
rapidly designing ideas that we thought may able to engage parents in a deeper
have a positive impact. This process was not understanding of the engagement space with a
about the quality or viability of any one idea lens towards equity and inclusion.
but engaging each stakeholder in a
meaningful experience around improving By considering new opportunities for
equitable parental engagement. This partnerships with expertise outside of an
culminated in the team making, testing and educational setting can have enormous impact.
then implementing multiple prototypes. Using a Design Thinking process allowed us to
Examining the impact each of these strategically plan for how our parents could
prototypes was significant and caused a contribute to the solutions our students
significant shift by the school leadership required. The Principal stated "That engaging in
teams especially around strategic design of this style of deep investigation into the reasons
solutions for complex problems. why our parents are not fully connecting with us
has been an essential part in developing a
This three-phase process empowered NPS to sustainable parent engagement model, one that
successfully design a multi-tiered engagement is forged around equity and inclusion as core
model that includes highly differentiated values".
capacity building strategies for all parents.
This was coupled with embedding a
consistent technology platform that
encouraged teachers, students and parents to
communicate with each other about the
learning occurring in classrooms. It was
evident from the early stages that all of the
parents involved valued education and saw
teachers as a critical part of how a community
must respond to the emerging societal
challenges. It was clear that all parents were
wanting to adapt to help support their
children in this new online space, but they
didn’t always know how to, or have the right
22Building a better education for all post
pandemic
Virginia O’Mahony - Irish Primary Principals’ Network and ICP
President 2011-2012
As a pandemic - exhausted society it is online learning takes its toll. Counselling
natural for us to yearn for a return to life and a range of psychological supports are
just as we knew it. In our hearts we know the obvious solutions.
this will not happen as we face changes to
our lifestyle we would never have Lack of investment in developing a
envisaged. The crucial challenge now for sufficient range of positive mental health
policy makers, school leaders and services over the years has now
educators is to ensure the change, forced compounded the pain for many young
upon us by the rapid and prolonged closure people. We now have a golden opportunity
of schools to protect the spread of the to prioritise the resilience and happiness of
virus, ultimately results in an improved students by investing in high quality easily
more equitable and inclusive education accessible counselling and psychological
system for the 1.5 billion students whose services for everybody.
education has been so seriously
interrupted. While we are not yet sure how precisely
remote teaching and learning has affected
The crucial importance of schools and children’s education, Pasi Sahlberg
teachers in the daily lives of their pupils was comments that early studies have revealed
highlighted instantly following the enforced two important issues emerging both in
shift to remote learning. Many parents came Australia and Finland. Shift to remote
on board with their child’s school to ensure teaching and learning has:
that daily learning continued and
progressed remotely. With parents and (a) exposed and often amplified the
teachers working together using the same existing social and educational
online platform came a greater admiration inequalities, and
for and understanding of the professional (b) underlined the importance of
methodologies and teaching skills of ongoing individualised support to
teachers. Parents came to appreciate the children with special educational
importance of the teacher’s professional needs as part of teaching.
approach and strategic planning and its
impact on the pupil’s learning. As we build We have known for some time that equity,
forward better together, schools must and the quality of student outcomes at the
ensure that this goodwill is nurtured and level of education systems, are positively
grows leading to more meaningful parent- related to one another. The most successful
teacher partnerships in the future. education systems are those that combine
Along with the child’s family, the central equity and excellence in their education
role of school, teachers and friends in policies and practices. This is why growing
influencing and supporting the holistic inequality in education is bad news not just
development of the student is accepted for those who suffer from the lack of
and appreciated now more than ever. fairness and inclusion, but for the entire
society. In the longer term, there is also a
The isolation and loneliness of a forced need to reform the systems used to
lockdown has had a negative impact on measure objectively the level of
many young people. The demand for disadvantage among school pupils so that
mental health services for students has we are maximising the life chances for all
doubled in many countries in recent months our young people.
as a combination of isolation and enforced
23Universal provision of laptops and other sustaining the ongoing teaching and
devices are just one part of the picture. learning during the lockdown and ensuring
However, greater investment in the whole the safe reopening of schools. This must
area of technology including appropriate result is a greater value being placed on
CPD for teachers is essential for school leadership, the teaching profession
governments and policy makers to and indeed the critical importance of
prioritise. It is surely time to expand the teacher collaboration.
definition of the right to education so that it
addresses the importance of connectivity There has been remarkable innovation in
and ease of access to knowledge and the responses of educators to the pandemic
information. crisis, with those systems most engaged
As a global representative organisation of with families and communities showing the
school leaders ICP is well placed, through most resilience. Regrettably the health of
its constituent principals’ associations, to many principals has been adversely
advocate for a universal commitment to affected throughout the pandemic by the
strengthen education as a global gateway increased responsibility, long days and
and as a bulwark against inequalities. relentless stress. Even in normal times,
much rests on the shoulders of the school
It is widely acknowledged that learning loss principal as they strive to be leaders,
resulting from school closures during administrators, fund raisers, social workers,
2020 exacerbated inequality by impacting GDPR gurus, legal authorities and much
most on vulnerable pupils. This became more.
obvious as the parents of children with
Special Educational Needs saw their Unfortunately, Covid 19 has required them
children’s development had regressing due to be public health experts as well. The
to the lack of structure, support and routine current crisis has made clear that additional
normally provided by the school. Greater In- School Management posts, along with
resourcing of Early Childhood Education other support roles, are essential if school
will be crucial in addressing inequality of leaders are to focus on their primary role of
opportunity early in a child’s life. ensuring the highest standards of teaching
and learning are prioritised across the
Home school supports must be expanded school community. The harsh reality is that
to meet the needs of the many children for Covid19 may not be the last global
whom online learning alone will never have challenge facing society. By ensuring school
positive outcomes. The early years of a leaders are always adequately supported
child’s life provides a very narrow window they will have hope for the future along
of opportunity for positive development. with the confidence and resilience they
Let all education partners seize this need to be strong and powerful leaders in
opportunity by coming together to make a their school communities.
difference in the future lives of all children
from the very beginning. This global pandemic has the potential to
radically reshape our world, and as leaders
Covid 19 has provided a further compelling we cannot be passive observers. We are in
reason to invest urgently in school a privileged position, in our principals’
infrastructure. Poor ventilation, associations and in ICP, to influence public
overcrowded classrooms and limited debate and policy to ensure a positive
recreational resources are a fact of life for exciting future for all our young people.
many schools across the globe. It is a In education we flourish when everybody
challenge to provide for an expanding flourishes. We must ensure everybody will
population but having a suitable healthy flourish together in the years to come.
physical environment is the right of every
child and governments now have the
opportunity to make it a priority.
If ever there was a time where school
principals were rightly acclaimed as
superheroes this extraordinary period has
been it. School leaders were instrumental in
24The inequities faced by Māori of New Zealand -
at the root of these inequities is racism.
Liz Hawes – Executive Officer – New Zealand Principals
Federation
Global pandemics are not common. In Māori communities were over-
our history, we have been infected by represented in these areas and a year
the Spanish Flu (1918), killing 9,000 New later, we find, despite a remarkable
Zealanders, the polio epidemic (1920s – recovery in general, that Māori are
1960s), with an estimated death rate of suffering disproportionately in the
2 – 10% of those contracting the unemployment statistics, resulting from
disease, and last year the Novel job losses through COVID.
Coronavirus COVID 19, which continues These inequities for Māori extend
to threaten us.
beyond education and employment and
Much has been learned from these show up in our health and crime
events. Whilst the Spanish flu resulted statistics too. So stark are the gaps, we
in the 1920 Health Act, described as a can no longer ignore them.
model piece of legislation which
At the root of these inequities is racism.
continues to influence our country’s
Our colonial past traumatised Māori
health system today, the Novel
rendering them powerless, second class
Coronavirus COVID 19 has sharpened
citizens and over time systematically
our awareness of societal inequities.
stripped Māori of their resources,
NZ Principal (June 2020, v. 35, (2)) culture and language. Despite the
covered the coronavirus global Treaty of Waitangi, which was about
pandemic and reported the stories of protecting Māori mana and resources in
eleven principals leading a variety of partnership with the Crown, racism has
schools from different regions of the taken hold and become well embedded.
country. Without exception, as they
Following many Māori uprisings over
described their home-learning plans for
time – land marches, occupations,
school lockdown, they highlighted
protests and hikoi, the roots of racism
inequities. Schools central to low socio-
have hardly loosened. What these
economic areas had a disproportionate
actions have done though is given us a
number of young people with no or
collective awareness of the way in
limited access to internet connectivity
which Māori have been treated in the
and devices. They were also the families
past and continue to be treated.
whose children participated in breakfast
and lunch programmes at school. Top Public media is another contributor to
of mind for principals of these schools enduring racism and last year, here in
was the health and wellbeing of their Āotearoa New Zealand, a large media
families who would be suffering most. company publicly apologised for the
Delivering care packs was just as way its reportage has misrepresented
important as delivering learning packs Māori. The company admitted that it
for the children. had contributed to divisiveness, racist
stereotypes and marginalisation of
Māori by reporting through a
25monocultural lens and at times, a engagement with learning and their
downright racist lens. achievement levels. They recognise that
Underachievement of Māori has the key to the MACs success is that it
concerned school principals for truly changes hearts and minds.
decades. Just as the media investigation We recognise that here in Āotearoa
found, racist practices and attitudes New Zealand we are not a lone voice in
also exist in schools. As long as tamariki acknowledging racist practices. We
Māori (Māori children) feel marginalised commend the ICP for republishing the
and undervalued in the school setting, excellent article on racism, “What’s Fair,
their achievement will suffer. What’s Right, What’s Just”, first
Principals recognised that another published by the Ontario Principals’
intervention, another programme to Council (OPC) in 2020. We also
address what was described as ‘Māori acknowledge the OPC for making
deficit’ was pointless and doomed to recordings of webinars and workshops
further failure. What was needed was a on anti-racism available to members
change of hearts and minds – a change through their OPC website and for IPC
to the culture of schools. The answer lay similarly promulgating resources on
in recognising and eradicating racism. racism. Racism is a global issue and it
will take all of us to successfully address
A way forward in the form of the Māori it.
Achievement Collaborations (MACs)
We have not welcomed the invasion of
was developed in partnership between
the COVID 19 coronavirus and have high
Te Akatea, the Māori Principals’
hopes that the vaccinations, now
Association, the Ministry of Education
approved by our medical authorities,
and NZPF. The MACs have operated
will deliver on their promise to eliminate
with great success for the past eight
threats to our physical health and
years. They involve principals taking a
jettison the virus from our collective
cultural journey. In collaboratively
shores. On the other hand, COVID has
supported groups, they look inwards, to
highlighted societal inequities and
understand and acknowledge their own
shone a light on the equally destructive
world view, share their world view in a
virus we call racism. Let’s hope we will
facilitated and supported environment
now vigorously pursue an antidote to
and from there, learn to understand,
racism, not just for our public media and
value and accept a different world view
schools, but for the health of humanity
– that of Māori. It is about changing
everywhere.
attitudes which in turn the principals
take back to their own schools to create
a new culture which values Māori
alongside Pākehā cultures.
In this way, tamariki Māori feel school is
their place, that their culture matters
and has value and they have equality
with their Pākehā (non- Māori) peers.
Once this happens, tamariki Māori are
ready and open to learning. Principals
who have undertaken this cultural
journey all agree it is transformational
and that tamariki Māori in their schools
have lifted their attendance rates, their
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