Coaching tips

Time to Learn Top Tip - How do I fit in training around running a school?

How do you find time to become a great headteacher while ensuring all your staff are happy, healthy and feel valued when you have a 24/7 job, constant distractions, an HMIE inspection looming, another new government initiative to implement, family obligations, a novel in your drawer and are starting to doubt whether yours really is the best job in the world?

Great question! When you work in a small school and have teaching responsibilities then getting to a training course or seminar can be a rarely afforded luxury. How about if you also live many miles from the nearest town and even networking with other school leaders has to be organised like a military operation?

Here are a few more questions for you to ponder:

  • What is your learning goal?
  • How much time do you have available for your learning?
  • What can I learn from how my children/young people learn?
  • How do you like to learn?
  • What learning opportunities do you enjoy most?
  • Do you enjoy reading a book, searching the internet for video clips, having conversations with other school leaders, hearing inspirational talks, trying something out and reflecting on what worked?

In this technological age the list of opportunities goes on and on.

Assuming that you now have a clear learning goal and have identified how you would most like to achieve it. Let's revisit the 'time' issue with the question:

"If a member of your staff said to you that they only had X number of hours for their own learning this month, and you thought that that was too low, what would be your response?"

ISSUE 34
March 2010