First principal

Popular Nelson principal Dr Paul Potaka is riding the crest of a fine career. He explains what makes a great school leader.

How did you get into teaching?
I hopped on the bus! I was at the boarding hostel at Whanganui Boys College. I heard about some boys going to Massey University, so I thought, “Well there’s a day out.” From there I got on the treadmill – forms, interviews. Next thing I had a letter inviting me to attend Teachers College! I was brought up on in a rural community  – I had aspired to be a shepherd!

You began your career in rural schools in Southland. What made you think about climbing the career ladder?
I was visited by an inspector, Ash Cutler, who said, “What are you doing about professional development.” I said, “What do you mean professional development? I’m a teacher.” He suggested I try taking a couple of papers. Then I started to click what this was all about.

You completed a degree, a master’s degree, and a doctorate in education, mostly while working full-time as a teacher, principal and for the ministry. What was the motivation?
I was hooked, a bit like adrenaline. A professor at Massey Univeristy, Wayne Edwards, encouraged me. I found it challenging, you’re working on your own. But I didn’t want to stop teaching or being a principal because I enjoyed the work so much.

Your main research areas have included evaluation and change management. That seems particularly relevant given National Standards.
I looked at change as it affected principals and how it was lead by government. People like to be involved, they don’t like to be told. When you look at the New Zealand Curriculum, principals and teachers were involved in a long period of consultation and revision to get that document. Even now it’s heralded as, “This is what we must do.” Whereas National Standards were mandated – and it’s chaos.

But the government says there’s a crisis in New Zealand schools that requires National Standards.
It has been presented to us that schools are failing, that teachers are failing. But I don’t think there is a crisis, although we have a long tail of underachievement. Some international academics have suggested that the answer is not about trying to squeeze more out of schools, but instead to look at health, housing and employment. I think there is a certain amount of teacher bashing going on.

So what’s your advice to principals in this sort of climate?
A principal needs to have social and political savvy. While you are working with a group of students and teachers, you also need to keep an eye on the environment to see what’s coming in and if it is likely to distort what is going on in a school, then you can help mediate what happens in a school.

What’s the one factor that makes a successful principal?
You need to be in this job with a moral imperative for doing good educationally for kids. If you don’t have that imperative, then you are turning up just to mark the attendance register. Colleagues I know might express this as, “I want to make a difference”, or “I get a buzz out of seeing them achieve” – and that’s always about having a moral imperative.

Do principals have the power to make or break a school?
Yes, if they have that moral imperative – along with the board (you are not an island!) In this current climate and the way we are organized, you have to talk to your community. You have to find out what they think collectively, draw a line – turn that into a plan with the BoT. The next challenge is to get teachers to be a part of that plan. They need to be involved in the input stage as well.

That sounds pretty straightforward!
It’s far more complex than this! You need to have good relationships with staff and community. There’s a time to stand on the soap box and lay down the law, and there’s a time to sit in the circle with others. You have to judge where to stand or sit at a given time.
You have to know about your people, their strengths, motivations. You have to decide in what direction you might want to move. It’s like dog trials – that’s what a principal’s job is like!



BOXED -
Signs of success
A successful principal:
-    sets priorities and adapts them as their school changes
-    builds community
-    has passion and purpose
-    uses reflection and self-diagnosis
-    develops meaningful relationships
-    uses direct and indirect leadership
-    is resilient and nurtures resilience in others
-    has a mentor
-    is inclusive, not exclusive
-    walks the talk.
From “What makes a successful principal?” – research conducted by D Annie Henry, Peter Ross, Dr Paul Potaka, for NZEALS (www.nzeals.org.nz).