Case+2

Case 2

Hanna writes: //In August 2009, I started as a principal at Riverside school. I had then been a teacher for ten years. Riverside was located in a new building, since the old school was torn down the same summer. Today we have about 90 students and 16 employees. May 2010, the local government decided to close down the school from autumn 2014.//

//One of my main challenges is to deal with school develpoment in this situation. Which possibilities do I have as a principal? My leader, the director at the local municipality, tells me to implement several new national plans. I asked him how to do it, but didn't get any answer. The teachers don't see the point and want to do things the way they are used to. We have no culture for exchange of experiences.//

//This was my situation when I started this education. This education has focused on me and my own role as a principal, which I like a lot! The JTI was useful, and since I tend to be extrovert, I am more aware of my (too) quick decisions. I now think a bit more before action. When it comes to school development, I have learned that we have to involve the whole staff and develop shared goals. This has been a long way, it takes time, but now I feel that Riverside school is at the right track.Working with theories about people's comfortable sones, dobbeltkreslæring (oversett), reflection and appriciative leadership, has made me more confident. And I consider// relations//to be one of the "tools" that I use most frequently. I have learned that I can't blame others, but have to take responsibility for my own actions and ways of behaviour. I do this in several ways. For instance, I ask my teachers how they see my role as a principal. And we have been so much better in giving positive feedback to each other. This gives me energy and motivation to go on as a principal. I am on my track to be an appreciative principal, and I have a lot of plans about how to continue this work.//

Hannas situation is challenging, but not unique. 10 out of our 26 principals in the "Tromsø-group", are working at schools which have either recently been fusioned with other schools, or is going to be or is thretened to be closed down or fusioned. The principal role is of course demanding. Despite closing down or not, many of the principals share the same challenge in school development, especially how to build a collective school culture. And, as with Hanna, many of them mention the importance of combination between theory and tools, which has been stressed in the education as both useful and meaningful for them. Hannas focus on herself and her own development is also shared by most of the students, and it seems like especially the experience sharing in the education is highly valuated by most students.