The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership’s (AITSL) new initiative; Leading for Impact, has provided a much-needed set of guidelines that aims to set a precedent for current and future education leaders.
With 3.8 million enrolled students in over 9,000 schools across Australia, it’s crucial for school leaders to possess the necessary skills to pave the way for the youth of Australia.
Key messages from the initiative surround Leadership Development, Principal Preparation and the ‘Leadership Pool’, all focused on establishing set goals to improve the quality of contemporary educational leadership. The AITSL recommends that principals should receive ongoing and effective training, as creating and maintaining a progressive and dynamic learning environment for your school, is a continuous process that requires a set of specialised skills.
Having a ‘lifelong approach’ to learning can often produce the most influential leaders, and by investing in continuous professional development, you can stay on top of industry trends and developments, inspiring others around you to do the same. Teaching can be an extremely demanding career, and receiving that extra level of support through strengthening networks and leadership development, can be the key to becoming a successful leader.
The leadership pool initiative is centered around the need to increase diversity and equality within a leadership team, based on the premise that by implementing certain strategies in a developmental review setting, it’s possible to identify individuals who possess leadership qualities. Teachers make up around 70% of the Australian education workforce, and with the appropriate training and further education, they have the potential to be the leaders driving the future of the education system.
As in all businesses and sectors, it’s integral to have an inspirational and solid leader, however this is especially true in the education system. Teachers have a huge impact on a students’ achievements, progression and development, and an educational leader who can offer guidance and encouragement to students and staff alike can make a real difference. By successfully implementing the Leading for Impact initiative in schools, teachers and leaders in education will have the grounding and framework to continually develop their professional skills and succeed.
Designed to enhance the ability of professional educators, a Master of Education studied at Southern Cross University Online will equip you with the skills to empower students and become a leader in education. The curriculum is tailored to your career ambitions, meaning you can choose to specialise in Educational Leadership or Educational Wellbeing.