APAPDC School Leadership Frame An Aboriginal Focus Aboriginal Leadership Scenarios

The Five Leadership Propositions Leadership starts from within Leadership is about influencing others Leadership develops a rich learning environment Leadership builds professionalism and management capability Leadership inspires leadership actions and aspirations in others

Proposition 1 Leadership starts from within Leaders committed to Aboriginal perspectives :  Value and acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture  Have a strong commitment to improving outcomes for Aboriginal students  Continue to explore their own feelings about racism, social justice and equity

Proposition 2 Leadership is about influencing others Leaders committed to Aboriginal perspectives :  Listen to and act on Aboriginal community input  Build quality relationships within the school community  Ensure that Aboriginal education is the responsibility of all school staff

Proposition 3 Leadership develops a rich learning environment Leaders committed to Aboriginal perspectives  Actively promote contact between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff and students  Employ Aboriginal staff in a range of responsibilities across the school  Encourage the development of a whole school curriculum that includes Aboriginal perspectives

Proposition 4 Leadership builds professionalism and management capability Leaders committed to Aboriginalperspectives:  Are vigilant in keeping up with current Aboriginal education trends, issues and plans  Encourage all staff to set performance goals and targets for personal growth  Ensure the schools management is underpinned by values of social justice, equity and quality relationships

Proposition 5 Leadership inspires leadership actions and aspirations in others Leaders committed to Aboriginal perspectives :  Invite Aboriginal community role models into the school to motivate and challenge  Value and celebrate all staff achievement in the area of Aboriginal Education  Provide opportunities for all staff to increase their knowledge

Workshop Discussion Starters The following scenarios are based on elements of the five leadership propositions of the APAPDC L5 Frame. They make a good starting point for discussion of the issues involved.

Scenario 1 Relates to Proposition 4 :Leadership builds professionalism and management capability You are the Principal of a school with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal teachers on staff. A parent of a newly enrolled child approaches you requesting her child be withdrawn from the Aboriginal teacher’s class and moved to a non-Aboriginal teachers classroom. How do you respond to this request ? What are the implications of this request ? How do you interact with the staff member over this issue ?

Scenario 2 Relates to Propositions 1,2 and 4 An Aboriginal parent rings the school to make a complaint about a teachers ability to work with her son, she states that everyone in the community knows how bad the teacher is for Aboriginal kids. You know that the teacher has a bad record dealing with issues and has little rapport with and support from the community. There have been no records kept of the teachers issues during past years. How would you manage the issue with the parent ? How would you manage the issue with the teacher ?

Scenario 3 Relates to propositions 1,2,3,4 and 5 You are a newly appointed Principal to a large rural school with a significant Aboriginal community. Your executive staff are all non- Aboriginal. You are constantly confronted with racism from your Executive over decisions regarding Aboriginal student behaviour. This escalates when you refuse to suspend a child who would be in physical danger if sent home ? How would you deal with this issue ? What are the training implications for your executive staff ? What are the implications of you decision not to suspend ?

Scenario 4 Relates to Propositions 1 and 2 An Aboriginal parent makes a complaint about your front office staff and their treatment of their children. Upon investigation its appears that some extremely racist remarks were made by your staff. How would you approach your office staff? What reporting back to parents would you undertake ? What are the whole school/community implications of this issue ?

Scenario 5 Relates to Propositions 1,3 and 4 During your first Principalship you have an altercation with a staff member over a curriculum issue. The teacher, in a heated argument, accuses you of not having a real teaching qualification as you “got it easy because of your Aboriginality” ? How do you deal with this very personal attack ? Who would you seek support from as you work through this issue ?

Scenario 6 Relates to Propositions 1,2,4 and 5 The school you have just been appointed to has been rumoured to be closing in the near future. Your elders and community are extremely distressed by this. A small but significant number of families are preparing to send their children away to school. What processes would you put in place to ensure stability within your school and community ? Who would you enlist as your allies in this process ?

Scenario 7 Relates to Propositions 1 and 4 You are newly appointed to a school as Principal. You have noticed that whenever you are working with your Bursar/Finance Officer on finance matters that decisions seem to have been already made. You overhear a discussion in the office that indicates a belief that you don’t have the monetary management skills for the job ? What would you do in the first instance on hearing this discussion ? What are the implications for the Office Staff of you addressing this issue ? Who would you seek support from as you work through this issue ?

Scenario 8 Relates to proposition 2,4 and 5 During your Principalship two experienced teachers are appointed to your school. They are a husband and wife team from the “big smoke”. You notice how often their joint discussions sway other younger staff. This comes to a head when you want to implement a Health and Wellbeing initiative and the husband/wife team strongly object that schools are for academic learning and they lead a staff revolt around your decisions. What processes would you implement to work toward a solution ? How would you break this white-anting behaviour ?

Scenario 9 Relates to propositions 1 and 4 Your school is on community land and your relationship with the community is vital to the successful education of students in your care. You are not from the same mob and have never taught in a community before. How would you build and sustain a strong relationship with the community ?

Scenario 10 Relates to propositions 1,2,4 and 5. The executive staff who supervises the Aboriginal Aides in the school constantly complains about their absences. When a death in a neighbouring community leaves the school with no Aboriginal support staff for a week your executive wants you to find more reliable people. How do you respond to this request? What implications are there for the entire staff ? How would you support you Aboriginal staff who are confronted by these issues ?