Strategic Planning - Eyes on the Horizon

Picture the swell, you can see it from where you are standing, the beach is quiet, waves building and challenge speaks to your soul.  Calling to you, enticing you to take your chances… willing you to take the wero laid down… this is the start point of a surfer’s journey… aligning also with that same journey of a school leader.  Why?  Not because of the thrill of the ride - a call from that which lays out beyond the breakers… the horizon.  That which lies beyond what we can see - the future, our future… our students.

The first step is getting your feet wet.  It’s time to jump in.  

The paddle… head up, eyes on the horizon… can be hazy but still they know where they are headed.  There are challenges… it takes time to paddle past the ‘chop’ of day to day.  Still getting out past the break is the goal, and so begins the paddle.  

Upon arrival there is the quiet… the space/the pause… stimulus/response… A quiet minute (whether authentic or created).  Take a breath.  The swell rises, the surfer maps their course.  They are aware of those around them, with them, also an awareness of obstacles that might get in the way.  The swell rises and it’s time to stand… take action and take the drop… Drop into challenge.  Navigate whatever accompanies the ride.  As a leader it is essential to stay above the breakers, take the time to pause, carefully consider the ride.  

What does this look like for school leaders?  As leaders we must keep our eyes on the horizon - our students… our future.  With clear focus on their needs, their growth, the potential of those in front of us, and those we lead, we set our vision. 

““Successful Wayfinding Leadership requires that we develop ‘response ability’ and avoid reactivity.””

— Elizabeth Kapu’uwailani Lindsey, Wayfinding leadership

So then time for ‘Momentum’ - vision needs action/movement to bring it into being.  The surfer makes the drop, rides the wave.  Riding the wave…an authentic need to be agile, staying true to the vision, turning, steering, facing challenges to stay on board, to reach our goals.  Controlling the swell, bracing for a spill, light, flexible, navigating the inevitable challenges of staying on… rising above challenge, standing strong.  

Once again we steer you back to the concept of disciplined freedom - being agile enough to cope with that which comes at you… unforeseen challenges, navigating change while still staying true to core focus areas and ultimately the destination - the vision for your students/kura.  Covid and illnesses are challenges, teaching shortages are a challenge, engaging authentically with all stakeholders can be a challenge.  As a leader it can be hard to navigate.  Especially considering the need to navigate on our feet, agile, light, ready to respond to change, essentially still focused on the horizon.  Good planning supports this whole process, and is a challenge that we are happy to lean into with school leaders.

All around Aotearoa school leaders and their teams are carefully considering what the best path is for their people. The time is now…we can not stay in a state of challenge  ‘just getting by’ - paddling through the foam.   We have to lean into the challenge and keep the course… growth and change… those we lead and our own.  Our tamariki and young people need us to step into our space.  We need to nurture them to grow too - so they can fulfill their destiny, ultimately they are our future.  

““The true gift of the wayfinder’s journey is not arrival at the destination; it is who we become along the way as we fulfill our potential.””

— Elizabeth Kapu’uwailani Lindsey, Wayfinding leadership

Climbing into the flax bush - starting your Mana Ōrite journey

"Mā te whakātu, ka mohio, mā te mohio ka marama, mā te marama ka matau, mā te matau ka ora." 

"With discussion comes knowledge, with knowledge comes light and understanding, with light and understanding comes wisdom, with wisdom comes wellness."

Have you had a chance to check out the Mana Ōrite webinar series yet? You can explore a  range of videos, podcasts and downloadable worksheets and resources to spark deeper korero and changes in practice at your kura. The more we talk, the more we can learn. The more we learn, the more we know. And the more knowledge we have, the more light comes in - and the more we will grow through knowing.

This quote from Mere Berryman, Dawn Lawrence and Robbie Lamont also points to the importance of dialogue:

“ “Dialogue within responsive pedagogy requires relationships in which risk taking is encouraged, where there is no shame in being a “not knower” and where it is understood that everyone brings with them knowledge, ways of knowing, and experiences of value to share.””

— Cultural relationships for responsive pedagogy: A bicultural mana ōrite perspective.

The key take-away from this quote is that there is no shame in not knowing - and that it is through korero that we can begin to know and acknowledge ways of knowing. 

This blog post is about feeling brave to start the korero, about feeling brave to ‘clear the undergrowth’ and about recognising that we all have to start somewhere - but we have to start somewhere together. 

Tungia te Ururua, kia tupu Whakaritorito te tupu O te harakeke
Clear the undergrowth so that the new shoots of the flax will grow.

But how can we clear the undergrowth? Where can we start? 

What about if we start by seeing the learner as the centre of the flax bush. As a rito and ngākau, ākonga are protected and surrounded by whānau, elders, teachers and others who can help - and we are not on our journey alone. We are part of the flax bush and we are growing together. We are all just one small part of the flax bush - but it is through working together that we can weave a brighter future for the rito. 

Let’s go to the bottom of the flax bush. Yes, at the bottom of the flax bush it is dark. And we might find some things that need to be cleared away - but we can also see the light of the growing rito. We can agree that the learner needs to be at the centre and we can work together to clear the path for more growth and ongoing korero. The more we talk to people, the more we can let the light in and we can grow stronger together with a rich mātauranga Māori foundation and a new shared understanding.   

Mana Ōrite is an opportunity to grow in a direction that is informed by indigenous knowledge. How can we start clearing the way? How can we start growing? 

We just need to start. 

Here are some pātai to start the discussion:

How are we inviting the ‘tanga whānau’ into our practice? (whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, kotahitanga and kaitiakitanga)

How can we start our learning design from a mātauranga māori seed?

How can we honour the learner and their whakapapa at/as the centre?

How can we learn and play together? (ira tākaro, ako)

How can we grow quietly and humbly beside each other with shared roles in learning? (whakaaro nui, whakamana, whakaiti)

The first step is working together. We may need to clear some things away before the new shoots will thrive. But we have to start. Together. 

"Mā te whakātu, ka mohio, mā te mohio ka marama, mā te marama ka matau, mā te matau ka ora."

References:

www.manaorite.ac.nz

Cultural relationships for responsive pedagogy: A bicultural mana ōrite perspective MERE BERRYMAN, DAWN LAWRENCE, AND ROBBIE LAMONT