Report to the People
24th July 2006
Heading
for Harvard
American civil rights leader
and Baptist Minister, Jesse Jackson, once said that, "Time is neutral and
does not change things. With
courage and initiative, leaders change things."
While we should be wary about
putting all our faith in one person, he's right that effective leadership can
deliver results which would otherwise be unachievable; not just in government or
business, but in almost any walk of life.
Take schools.
Strong leadership from the headteacher can transform a school.
It motivates the staff, making their individual jobs more rewarding and
fostering good teamwork. And a
pupil taught in an energetic, exciting environment learns much more than one
sitting almost as bored and fed-up as the person giving the lesson.
But don't just take my word
for it. The importance of good
leadership in schools is underlined by the fact that HMIe school inspection
reports specifically report on the effectiveness of the head's leadership
skills. Neither is its significance
lost on the Scottish Executive, which has put leadership development at the
heart of its reform agenda.
I am delighted, therefore,
that one of our local heads, Liz Ruddy of Overton Primary, is today beginning a
week-long course at America's Harvard University, The Harvard Institute for
School Leadership.
Taking part in this
prestigious programme gives headteachers the chance to learn from best practice
around the world and is a first class opportunity to develop skills which
they'll bring back for the benefit of their colleagues and, of course, our kids.
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