Studies show that lack of sleep causes social withdrawal, making people feel more lonely and less social around other people. Qualifications: Helen read law at University of Wales, Swansea and graduated with a 2:1 LLB Honours degree in 2000. Just 15 minutes spent on a Zoom call touching base with those who know us best and love us most can have a startling impact on our wellbeing, kickstarting our happy hormones. John Quinn, The Irish American Patron of Genius, The Burgery Ambush, Dungarvan 18th & 19th March 1921. Schools that have already addressed this need, quickly see the benefits as middle leaders become upskilled in a range of areas directly related to their roles, feel valued and appreciated and are supported in establishing a team identity and dynamic. School leaders deserve as much as the next person to be happy and healthy but the wellbeing of whole communities will be served best by us prioritising human flourishing and modelling what this can look like for all. The situation remains ongoing, with no idea of when things may return to normal. This is so draining.”, “Parents – not being rational, shouting, much more emotional.”, “Every day being in fear of what will happen if we have someone get seriously sick or die. Read more. Notify me with new activity on this notice. It is essential, however, that such training takes place in as a group, rather than on an individual basis, otherwise much of the benefit is lost. Rest, relaxation and sleep may seem low priority if you are desperately struggling to keep a head above water in the current crisis but you cannot expect to combat feelings of isolation, or be effective in your role if you are not well-rested. Working from home scenarios are also placing many more leaders in situations of potential isolation as they operate at a distance from colleagues and miss out on the regular social interactions that daily school life brings. Then when a programme is introduced to students, it will not be seen as an add-on but as an integral part of the school culture. It is clear that the middle leaders’ role has brought increasing challenges in recent years as discussed in Why are Middle Leaders in Schools so Stressed?. I cannot emphasise enough how much middle leaders in some schools feel overlooked and abandoned. Experiential learning provides students with opportunities to go outside of the school environment and into the local community, helping them to develop empathy for others and building social and cultural awareness. While working at Canadian International School of Hong Kong, I developed a model for future-ready learning, drawing upon the World Economic Forum’s 2015 model of 21st-century skills. While this practice is becoming more widespread, it is still rare. The OECD informs us that in the future, millions of jobs may be lost to automation but that new jobs will also emerge. If schools can provide access to external support resources or establish support networks within and between schools, they will weather the storm better than those who batten down the hatches and face the challenges alone. Between 2006 and 2020, when she retired from her work as a school principal, Helen led international schools in Bangkok, Berlin and Hong Kong. Below I outline a six-point plan for reducing stress on middle leaders and placing their wellbeing at the forefront of the school’s agenda. Used as part of a structured training plan rollers can aid all aspects of your fitness and bike riding skill. Many seek advice on how to deal with the complex situations they find themselves in, others just need to vent or talk things through. Helen is currently the Lower School Principal at Canadian International School of Hong Kong, where she leads Project Innovate, a Pre-K-12 initiative to bring future-ready learning to the school. So what can be done to support those individuals who struggle alone and what can they do for themselves? Find Your Roots While Visiting Ireland. There are not enough hours in the day. Researchers also found that well-rested people observing sleep-deprived individuals rated them as less socially desirable. The crucial starting point on a journey to becoming future-ready is a play-based approach to early childhood education. The role of the middle leader has transitioned from that of Coordinator, managing administrative tasks, or Head of Department, charged with writing the curriculum, assigning classes, and overseeing the budget, to the more complex role of leading teams and managing change. These qualities are empathy, initiative, adaptability, curiosity, leadership, resilience, and social and cultural awareness. Schools that have already provided coaching training and set up a system for peer coaching need to ensure that this is being fully utilised during the current crisis. What is a census substitute ? To provide robust accountability for the head of school/principal. ..what a shallow, baseless society we have become when the war on drugs trumps basic reason. Many have not had a proper summer break and a chance to fully rest and recuperate from the challenges of the spring and early summer. Finally, leaders who lack hobbies or interests outside of work are more vulnerable to loneliness than those who have a focus for their social connections. For many weeks, we were tasked with keeping our staff and students safe and addressing their fears and anxieties. In both Germany and Hong Kong, we had strong principals’ networks, which were not only a valuable source of information but helped keep me sane during tough times. My colleague, John Grenham explains it very well when he states, "Almost any document which records more than a single name can…, Added by Helen Kelly Genealogy on August 6, 2014 at 4:30am — I was wrong. At the time, we had no idea that this was a dress rehearsal for the challenges of leading a school through a global pandemic. This alone helps middle leaders feel seen, valued, understood and supported. View Helen Kelly’s profile on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional community. var useSSL = 'https:' == document.location.protocol; In order to get teachers interested in programmes like Positive Education, school leaders need to fully understand the concepts involved and be able lead through doing. Why School Leaders Need to Put Their Own Wellbeing First. 'https:' : 'http:') + This event has passed. No Comments, A game of hurling in Mercedes, Argentina (1917), Added by Helen Kelly Genealogy on October 21, 2014 at 4:30am — Especially during online learning periods, where it is hard to separate work and home, it is tempting for many to work relentlessly in order to fulfil the role expectations. 3 Comments. Isolation from family and friends during a lockdown, is also likely to increase the focus upon schools as a source of emotional support. I once witnessed one of my middle leaders arriving home from school at 8pm. During the lockdown in the UK, my brother took to video-calling me each week to catch up and seek and offer reassurance. It is hard to express the value of finding space to discuss your struggles with a professional and gaining new perspective. In my own 2017 research, only two of the ten highly stressed interview participants remained in the same role one year after their interview. She leads workshops on improving the wellbeing of leaders and educators in international schools. Middle leaders are the linchpins that hold our schools together and overlooking this will ultimately have a negative impact on student learning. The internet is awash with an overwhelming number of lists of strategies to improve wellbeing during the current crisis. Love Mum. Senior leaders must not lose sight of the fact that it is middle leaders who are responsible for implementing plans on the ground and that this implementation will be more effective if middle leaders are brought into the process earlier. There is plenty of research to support the importance of the school leader to the success of a school. In an ideal world, heads of school will ensure opportunities are found to address the wellbeing issues of their team, establish new routines and provide time and resources such as leadership coaching, counselling or resilience training to help address growing needs. On Thursday I led a Zoom town hall discussion with a large group of Montessori school leaders from across the USA who had reached out to ask for my support. Toxic relationships in the workplace may leave leaders more isolated than if they were working alone and can bring with them a whole range of other stresses and strains. This model brings together three areas of focus, which I call the three pillars of future-ready learning. It is reassuring to reach out to others who share a similar experience and realise that you are not alone in your struggle. if (rand == 1 || rand == 2){ Lymn Shirebrook. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Helen… Since the COVID crisis began, however, the burden is even harder to shoulder for many, as they make daily, fast-paced decisions that may have serious consequences for staff and student safety, or business operations, while working a 16-plus hour day. Blog; Sign In. I went to a morning session today and came away feeling a mixture of inspiration and anger. She shared that the governors see their role very much as being limited to overseeing the finances of the school. Tweet. This is particularly the case in international schools where most teachers do not have a traditional support network of local family and friends to rely upon and may not know how to seek professional help or cannot afford to pay for it. If you do not have a professional coach then ask if one can be provided or the costs reimbursed. We know that schools around the world have been facing a crisis of school leader recruitment and retention for many years. All our lunches are held in Cunliffe-Owen Room except the Christmas Lunch which is held in the Sargent Room and Main Dining Room all at The Navel Club. Anxiety among teaching staff and parents has been climbing since the start of the school year, when the second wave of COVID began to build. The creation of a coaching culture brings benefits to educators and school leaders at all levels but it also takes significant time to develop. My main research area is diary-keeping as a positive tool for teacher wellbeing. I feel I’m doing the most work but teachers and TAs need to be told they’re doing an amazing job to keep going. Another option is for leadership teams to come together to identify the challenges they face and provide space for each other to discuss the toll it may be taking on them and provide support. She is a superb communicator, listens attentively and responds incisively according to the needs of others. Kevin Michael KELLY (Westerhope) Peacefully but far too soon, in hospital after a long illness bravely fought with his loving family close by, on Sunday 8th December 2019 aged 71 years, Kevin, a dearly beloved husband to Helen, loving dad of Sharon and her partner Dave, a proud gramps to Zoe and Liam, much loved brother of Sadie, John, Olive and their families, and a special friend to so many. Posted on December 8, 2014 at 8:27am 0 Comments 7 Likes. Added by Helen Kelly Genealogy on June 3, 2014 at 3:30am — She is known for her work in the field of school wellbeing with a special focus on school leader stress. Leading Through the Pandemic: Is an Epidemic of COVID Burnout Awaiting our School Leaders? Heritage Partner. Read more. Even for those not leading alone, stress can precipitate loneliness as stress hormones shutdown our natural social mechanisms. When stress places us in a fight or flight response, we feel less creative or open to new experiences, so we need to view these as essential to our wellbeing and be deliberate in ensuring that we pursue interests outside of school, if only for an hour a week. The stress is compounded further for some as a push to implement unpopular ideas leads to alienation from their colleagues and social isolation. At this point, and still working alone, my cup was full and I was not able to deal with their anxiety which I felt at the time was ultimately shifting pressure to other people.”. 3,748 Followers, 6,048 Following, 1,157 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Helen Kenny (@_helenkenny) Is it not better to take care of the leader that you have and work with them to build their resilience and the sustainability of their leadership rather than throw them away and replace them with a new model? Some thrive, most survive, some battered and bruised by the experience, others fall by the wayside defeated, like myself. This is woefully inadequate and is further impacted by the reluctance of many middle leaders to ask colleagues to cover for them or leave their students in the hands of a supply teacher. Call for Submissions . document.write('