Written by Andrew King, School Principal, President New Zealand Rural Schools Association, Oropi School
For the past twelve months, the educational landscape in New Zealand has been fast paced and challenging. During periods of rapid change, we need to remind ourselves of the power to be focused on the long term vision and not be distracted by the ‘noise’ and pressure coming from all directions, perceived or otherwise, and remain steadfast in ensuring quality educational provision in our context.
It is easy as a school leader to get caught up in thoughts of “I must get this done now”. Yet if we give ourselves permission to stop, and think, we achieve clarity and purpose. New ideas, and solutions come more easily because we are in a relaxed state of mind. This is often easier said than done.
Small, rural and isolated schools are faced with additional challenges that fuel the sense of urgency to ‘get things done’, along with a sense of isolation. This is because school leaders and teachers in these communities are one of not very many in the community in which they serve and do not easily get the chance to connect with peers.
Recruitment and retention in these communities is a significant barrier to sustainable long term change improvement, and implementation as well. There is the day to day complexity of these teachers and principals being able to access professional learning and development opportunities. This is due to the geographic distance to get to workshops and meetings, along with the juggle of teaching and leading a school, with a limited number of other staff to delegate and share tasks with. All of this can exacerbate the sense of isolation.
The system must be mindful of this and responsive to these challenges. Our decision makers must be asking, how can we address these issues to ensure our school leaders and teachers in rural, isolated settings are connected and part of the future solutions in our education system.
Yet ironically, a rural school context in New Zealand is very much the central hub of the community and serves as more than just a place of academic delivery. It is a place of social connection for the families and wider community and reduces that sense of isolation for the members of the community in which it is serving. This is of course assuming the school is well regarded.
Likewise rural school’s link to the local context is fundamentally important and what they can provide so easily and so well compared to urban schools. Often this is about connecting our children to their outdoor environment, surroundings, and landscape. This is very good for the well being of our students as it gives meaning, purpose and connection in their education.
It helps the curriculum ‘come to life’’. This is in our easy access to farms, agriculture, the land, and often the natural beauty that is New Zealand. This is literally at the doorstep of many rural and isolated schools. It is so good for our children in these communities.
Alongside this is often the close-knit sense of community and benefits of mixed age group learning opportunities that foster a great sense of connectedness and well being.
This is where many rural schools have an advantage over their urban counterparts, along with being the type of context that is responsive to and provides solutions for many modern day problems and needs.
Yet, while our rural schools can provide a rich context and places that cater for the well-being of the community members and children in which it serves, how can that be replicated for the teachers and principals that work in these communities where the juggle of professional relationships and personal friendships has to be considered? Particularly when living in these communities as ‘the teacher’ or ‘the principal’. And, being a place where there are no professional colleagues close by to talk with?
This is where the system needs to intentionally provide platforms, networks, online communities, and opportunities for our rural and isolated school teachers and leaders to connect, share, learn, and socialise with one another. Then, they, like their community members in which they serve, can have their well-being needs met.
At the Education Summit, Andrew King will delve deeper into this complex area whereby a rural and isolated school can so naturally provide an ideal context that caters for the community’s well being, while also ensuring it does so for the staff and leaders that work within it.
Ngā mihi nui
Andrew is speaking at the Brisbane Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools Conference on ‘Leadership for whole school and teacher wellbeing – rural contexts, the perfect setting!‘. View the Full Conference Program Here.