Middle leadership in crisis – PPTA

Middle leadership in crisis – PPTA

Heading a department, teaching in a classroom and caring for stressed students and teachers is just a small part of a day’s work for middle leaders in schools.

Middle managers play a vital role in curriculum delivery at secondary schools but the pressure is building with increasing workload demands (particularly around NCEA) compromising this.

Following a resolution at last year’s PPTA annual conference the association has formed a taskforce to tackle these issues – focussing on contribution to achievement, remuneration, responsibilities and job size.

The taskforce reported back to conference this year, in the lead up to a full paper that will be produced at the 2016 annual conference as part of a major examination of teacher workload.

Convened by Nelson Girls’ College head of arts faculty and visual arts Anna Heinz, taskforce members come from throughout the country, covering most learning areas, types of schools and deciles.

PPTA president Angela Roberts said much of the taskforce’s time had been taken up identifying the enormous range of responsibilities curriculum leaders have.

“It is clear that the workload has expanded well beyond what is reasonably manageable, and that one of the major contributors to this is NCEA and the increasing load it is imposing on middle leaders in particular.”

There were many other pressures including constant poorly managed change, low trust, compliance-focused approaches in some schools and a growing need to develop expertise in pastoral care of stressed teachers as well as students.

Competition between departments and between schools also led to a drive to increase student achievement at all costs, Roberts said.

This creates tension leaving middle managers without enough time and energy to do an excellent job as both a leader and classroom teacher.

“Unsurprisingly this is leading to lower rates of applications for middle leadership positions because of the unmanageability of the job,” she said.

In its paper to annual conference next year, the taskforce plans to put forward a set of proposals on how to turn middle leadership from an unmanageable job to a role which teachers aspire, Roberts said.

“A role which is able to be done along with a good work/life balance, and is well rewarded and recognised for its significant contribution to the learning and wellbeing of students and teachers.”

PPTA’s annual conference runs from 29 September to 1 October and is an opportunity for members to debate, discuss and vote on papers that will shape PPTA policy. Decisions are made by secondary teachers for secondary teachers.

The full conference papers can be found at:

http://www.ppta.org.nz/events/annual-conference

The conference is being held at the Brentwood Hotel in Kilbirnie, Wellington and media are more than welcome to attend. It is also webstreaming live at www.ppta.org.nz

ENDS

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