Address
Level 2, NAB Building
71 Smith Street
Darwin NT 0801
Contact Us
Follow Us
Principal Thoughts
Principal Thoughts
Chris Tudor, Principal Liaison shares his reflections on his time as a Principal at St Philip's College in Alice Springs. Principal Thoughts are published weekly.
2025
As Principal it is so valuable to have a clear, known definition of these three factors and not simple to look this up just before a board meeting. A shallow understanding is not helpful - it is essential for a principal to really engage with this and to encourage their board to as well. It is also important that staff are encouraged to be able to recognise issues and for students to be observant. It is of no value for the Principal to understand it and keep it hidden.
This excellent program was presented last week, February 27 and 28 in Darwin for both AISNT and Catholic School Leaders. The presenters were our well known Dr Stephen Brown, Managing Director of the Brown Collective and three lawyers who are partners of the noted Law Firm Colin Biggers and Paisley - Megan Kavanagh, Morgan Lane, Mathisha Panagoda.
The Principal I had in 1980 had just returned from running a school in Brunei for five years. He had a global view of life and I can see him now, as he addressed the staff in a meeting, noting that we were following the United States trend into the Age of Litigation. And he was certainly right! As a new Principal it was easy to be intimidated when someone said: “Well I’m going to see a lawyer”. I quickly learnt to say: “Fine if you have to.” I knew that I would do likewise immediately.
During the weekend I came across some papers given to me ages ago by an old psychologist friend of mine. They were about Work - Related Stress, a condition faced by many in the teaching profession including Principals. I’ve added to these some considerations from my own experience. I well remember my mentor saying “Of course Chris we don’t get stressed”.
I was sitting on a large rock reflecting on the school year which was about to swing into action. I was thinking of a friend of mind who was informed by his board that “he had taken his eye off the ball.”
Probably a good message to be given at a review before it is too late. It is valuable for a Principal to maintain really good relations with the Board Chair and to meet regularly with them. I had lunch with my chair most Mondays and we could explore immediate issues or drift into the world of educational philosophy which was always envigorating. But the Chair and I got to know each other well.
The Thinker & The Hands
I taught with someone years ago who had previously exited society and lived for one or two years as a hermit somewhere in the wilds of Tasmania. I guess he achieved emotionally what he wanted to achieve and on returning to society spent the rest of his life valuing community.
I’ve never forgotten the excitement of turning the pages of a new exercise book, covered by my conscientious mother in first brown paper, then a pasted picture from some calendar or magazine and finally with fine plastic that clearly had a dubious length of life. I can’t remember whether covering our books was an option or whether it was mandated and if you didn’t you would get into trouble - getting into trouble was part of the norm, in my memory.
2024
By the end of this week is the beginning of December. The end of the school year is in view with still much to do. Enrolments are no doubt still not finalised and there may be teachers to appoint. There may also be some last-minute resignations which are always inconvenient. I recall a resignation on Christmas Day - great Christmas Present! Sadly, he was a longer-term pioneer of the school and would be greatly missed. But there was a need to move his family interstate, and the opportunity came when it did. Not his fault, just remote circumstances and we still keep in contact.
If You Do It You Get Better At It Encouragement is A Wonderful Gift
These words “wafted” into my brain at about 2.30 in the morning and in line with a presentation by Andrew Fuller, I know I am the type that, regardless of the time I MUST get up and do something about it. In this case to write it down immediately or sleep would quietly float away for the rest of the night.
“If My Thoughts Have Generated More Thoughts Than I have Achieved Something.”
Here are some ideas that have wafted across my wandering mind over the last week.
I went to Coolum in Queensland to meet my new Grandchild and catch up with his two young sisters and Mum and Dad. I had a wonderful time and lots of fun. There was much travel and therefore time to think. I find a plane at 35000 feet seems to help promote thought.
Our profession of teaching is vitally important to not only Australia but also the world. Society suffers if teachers and teaching is not afforded the respect that is deserved or the existence of schools and what they offer is simply taken for granted. Societies which respect their teachers benefit from this. Of course, this won’t happen if teachers are required to present a negative anti-social curriculum, but I’m excluding this situation in this presentation. Sadly, the presentation of education as a negative pursuit does exist in parts of the world today which is nothing short of devastating.
This is a question I often ask when I sit down to write my weekly Principal Thoughts. The questions buzz around - what might be important; what might be valuable; what might be helpful; what might be thought provoking? These are all questions a Principal might ask before talking with their staff. This morning I was set on an approach when I had a conversation with my brother, who is a very experienced and capable educator and as a result another variety of approaches were sown in my mind. This was highly stimulating but of course needed sorting. A principal may be a good administrator who will be appreciated. However they will also need to be a creative and inquisitive thinker. As we all know, in a school there is no shortage of stimuli for this activity.
There is no question, the position of Principal is a high pressured one often with not much relief on the horizon and the certain knowledge that demands can appear randomly at any time of the day and perhaps also at night. Usually, a Principal has to respond to these demands regardless of what else they are doing. That makes getting essential, longer-term tasks harder to complete and this can be frustrating.
I have just been down to Melbourne for “stuff” I had to do and this gave me a chance to go up to my little farm in the high country. It was beautiful as ever, though some trees had taken a battering in the tirade of high winds which swept through the South East of our nation. Other than a few fences damaged there was no other collateral damage to the farm.
The highly skilled person cutting my very untidy hair was French having only been in Australia five months. My request to her was to make me look younger, which she felt she had achieved at the end of the session.
The sun has risen well above the ranges,
The morning sun now glows magic upon the waking world
And spreads with care the cards across my day’s table,
My canvas now awaits for the days paint to use as I am able.
It was early morning, probably about 6, as my aged Kelpie, Bunya, and I trundled up the “Stewie” Highway towards Alice after spending a cold month on my farm in Boorolite. Yep cold - it snowed just as I was leaving.
Term 1, 2024
Term 4, 2023
Term 3, 2023
Term 2, 2023
Term 1, 2023
Term 4, 2022
Term 3, 2022
Term 2, 2022
AISNT acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Larrakia country, where we are privileged to live, learn and work. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout the Northern Territory on which our schools are located. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples