Knowledge Creation and Management 22nd September 2009

This workshop was for all aspiring and beginning Head Teachers. Outcomes for the session included:
•Contribute to the Faculty Head Teacher Development Framework and Strategy.
•Describe the roles of mentor, mentoree and coach.
•Demonstrate an awareness of the professional development opportunities available for Head Teachers.
•Reflect on the role of a Head Teacher by sharing your experiences with others.
•Identify strategies that would support beginning Head Teachers.


The HT Framework and strategy were shared with the group and then we had a discussion on:

• Explicit knowledge
• Tacit knowledge.

The bright ideas project highlighted that it is easy for explicit knowledge. This is knowledge that can be articulated, documented, transferred, shared, and communicated. For example: Policies – Procedures through Intranet - Sharepoint – Email – Newsletters. So to support HT there is many explicit forms of knowledge avaiable. The main issue here is the management of this knowledge so you can find it when you need it!!

For tacit this is more complex and depends on your networks and identifying supporting information. That is tacit knowledge is knowledge that comprises experience and work knowledge that is with the individual.
For example experiences shared through conversation, story-telling


So for this project the goal is to:
Transform tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge and share this knowledge in innovative ways. Strategies to support the Application to Management of Knowledge include:

Learn
1.Train
2.Reflect
3.Collaborate

Access
1.Orientation
2.Quick Reference Guides
3.Head Teacher Kit

Coach
1.Communicate
2.Develop confidence
3.Synthesise Ideas

Mentor
1.Personal Goals
2.Self Learning
3.Feedback

The next part of the session was presented by Robyn Bosley, Head Teacher Community Services using Appreciative Inquiry to determine strategies that would support aspiring and beginning new head teachers. This will be provided in the next post...so stay tuned.

People Are Our Business Workshop 17th September 2009

This workshop introduced the CHAPS Head Teacher Framework and Strategy and commenced on the focus area of PEOPLE.

We revisted the TMS Team profile which all head teachers of the Faculty had completed. This provides an overview of people's preferred approaches to work. For example:
•How you relate to others
•How you gather and use information
•How to make decisions
•How to organise yourself and others

For the CHAPS Faculty the first graph shows the three work preferences of all of the Faculty with a high concentration towards assessor developer/ eplorer- creator. This was further demonstrated in the overall percentages for the Faculty.

Sharyn Kucher from Human Resourecs provided a session on how to profile staff in each and everyone's section and then we did a round table discussion on what support strategies are needed for our Head teachers.

We started with a reflective exercise which included:

1. How many years had you been a Head Teacher? We had 8 teachers and in the room we had 48 years of experience!!!

2. Why did you become a Head teacher? Some responses included:

"Didn't want someone else to do it, liked the work, fell into it, liked challenges and making change, natural progression and encouraged to take on the role."

3. What do you like about the role? Some responses included: "Love the job and SWSI, everything, mood dependent, depends on the time of the year, like to manage, new things, get to know staff, share ideas, planning and working with policies and procedures"

We had two case studies that day.

First presentor was Melissa Arnold, Head Teacher Hairdressing: talke about implementing change to a procedure with her team. She had unsuccessfully tried to change the way CLAMS was managed in the section and have an improvement in the way roll books were managed by staff. Used a variety of strategies: meetings, unduction, training, one on one. Ended up using a tried model from Caterin Harb, HT Beauty Therapy. This was introduced by Caterina and the model is now in place. Small team approach, systems procedure and positive reinforcement. Now in roll book audit has had an 80% compliant increase. Great example!

Second presentor was Julie Walker who provided an overview of the mentoring system that is used in the section to support new staff. An overview of the way the system works, including proformas were discussed. Ensures staff develop quicker, and smoother transition from practitioner to teacher. Natural process and soon assesses those who will be successful. Another great example.

Final question: so what changes can be made for the Faculty?

1. Induction process inlcuding mentoring and coaching and needs to be resourced.

2. Faculty staff meeting can there be more opportunity to share and collaborate?

Faculty Head Teacher Framework

After discussion, reflection and much thought the CHAPS Head teacher Framework was developed. This was to put onto paper the many messages that had come from the Bright Ideas project as well as annecdotal information.

1. Head Teacher Continuum:

• Aspiring: this level is staff interested in becoming head teachers and would like to know more and develop skills and knowledge about the role.


• Beginning: this level is staff who are acting or new to the Head Teacher Role


• Career: this level is staff who are substantive Head Teachers

2. Skill Development

• Develop: this is understanding and appreciation of models, frameworks, cycles, concepts and strategies operating in the TAFE system.


• Apply: provides opportunity to apply knowledge and to develop practical skills through experience.


• Lead: is the ability to lead and mentor others.

3. Strategies:

For Aspiring Head Teachers developing skills will be achieved through:

• training


• task performance goals and


• shadowing.

For Beginning Head Teachers applying skills will be achieved through:

• Induction


• Section Goals


• Coaching


• Mentoring

For Career Head Teachers who will lead others they will achieve this through:

• Leadership


• Self Development Goals


• Strategy

3. Head Teacher Focus Areas

• People: staff are developed to meet the needs of customers.


• Planning and delivery: meet business requirements


• Administration: Polices and procedures are implemented.
  

4. Head Teacher Development Strategy

Mentoring Session - Anne Rolfe

Today we had a session with renowned Mentoring Queen Anne Rolfe. This session was to design a mentoring program for sections and the Faculty. It was an interesting session and the written materials was very detailed and gave us some interesting ideas. As a group we decided that a Faculty Mentoring Program should be developed. Lots of ideas and interest.

Managing the Current to the Desired State

A survey of Head Teachers identified a strong commitment that the following activities were needed:

• TMS Profiling teaching section
• Mentoring program

The following areas of interest were prioritized;

1. Innovation
2. Operational : developing quick reference guides
3. Growing your business
4. Effective management
   

This was further discussed at a Head teacher meeting and the following workshops were identified:

1. Faculty Mentoring Program – Anne Rolfe
2. Developing you staff Sharyn Kuchar SWSI HR
3. Appreciative Inquiry Session : New Head teachers – Robyn Bosley
4. Innovation – developing and growing your business – Grant Casey

A final workshop is planned n November to determine how to support and maintain the change,

The Vision

After much thought and discussion it was detrmined that our Head teacher suupport is crucial if effective and sustainable change is to occur. It is about translating strategy into action and nurturing our staff. This will be achievged through a range of strategies but the skills outcomes have been defined as:

· Leading thinking
· Developing practice
· Growing potential
· Collaboration
· Increased trust and encouragement
· Innovation and creativity
· Developing resiliance and moving past comfort zone

So the plan is:

To develop the capabilities and effectiveness of the CHAPS (Community Health and Personal Services Faculty) FMT (Faculty Management Team)
BY
Profiling the team to determine current work preferences and skills and review current strategies, cultures and structures
THEN
Identify where we need to be now and in the future and translate vision into action.

So what are the next 2-3 key steps forward ?

The next two step in the Change Managment process is to:

Managing the current to the desired state in fact balancing continuous improvement with compliance. The following strategies have been identified.

· Mentoring programs will be developed across the FMT and sections
· Champions identified and supported
· Workshops provided on mentoring, innovation and growing your business