Innovation that comes through trust and collaboration
Among educators, it is common lingo to say that teaching and running schools take a lot of hard work AND heart work.
Everything that happens to their students – from grazed knees and friendship hurts, to academic strides, family relationships, and triumphs big and small – are all in a day’s work for principals and their staff. This can also make schools more complex to lead than the average organisation.
In his nearly 40 years of service at the Ministry of Education, Mr Michael de Silva had taken on various leadership positions at HQ and schools, the latest being Principal of Yishun Innova Junior College before his retirement last year.
School principals are appointed through discerning selection and advancement processes, and well-trained and mentored for the task, he says. Added to that is how well the teaching fraternity looks after its own.
“It is simply practical,” he says. “If we want good outcomes for students, the people doing the work – our teachers – need to be supported, respected, and well.”
As care and trust is established, innovation and collaboration come more easily.
“I try to bring out the best in my staff by creating sustainable systems, structures, and a culture that allow them to do their best work.” When forming teams, for example, he creates what he calls “collaborative leadership” where educators support one another’s growth while serving students more effectively.
Read more on Mr de Silva’s 7 leadership tips on people management
Culture change through frameworks and relationships
The spirit of collaboration also finds deep expression in Mr Kevin Pang’s work as a school leader.
He was Principal for six years at Yuhua Secondary School after its merger with Shuqun Secondary. When he took over the reins, rather than dive right into administrative integration, he worked on planting roots – cultural roots, that is.
He spent time listening to his staff, validating meaningful practices, and weaving the best elements of both schools into Yuhua’s new identity.
To build a common vision and language for the school, he met his staff regularly to discuss takeaways from leadership books and frameworks. He also encouraged them to shore up their personal convictions on why they do what they do.
“Culture cannot be top-down,” explains Mr Pang, who took over as Principal of ACS (Independent) this year. “Middle managers are the cultural translators — they turn aspirations into lived practice through everyday routines and conversations.”
This collective commitment to transform and grow together can shape how schools can handle inevitable challenges while maintaining high standards, he says. “We break through from how people see us and champion for things that we do because we believe in it.” This ultimately affects how students feel towards school, which shows in their attendance, grades, values, or the softer skills.
Read more on Mr Pang’s 7 leadership tips on forging culture
Personal transformation that facilitates systemic change
The picture of transformation and growth as part of authentic leadership resonates with Mdm Goh Meei Yunn, the new Principal of the School of the Arts.
Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, academic excellence and measurable achievements dominated school culture. “I was very much a product of that system,” says Mdm Goh, so much so that as the education system shifted towards more holistic and values-based learning, she felt wrong-footed.
After giving herself time for heart to catch up with mind, the systemic changes she implemented as a school leader flowed more easily.
During her seven years as Principal of Kranji Primary School, she developed multiple channels of communication to staff and students, such as weekly notes to staff that she’d write on reflective Saturday mornings.
“We had to translate our ideas into language that made sense to everyone,” she explains. For instance, her team worked to articulate “what ‘a good student’ looks like”, where “it’s not just about his or her grades, it’s about things like attitude, curiosity, and collaboration”.
They also implemented a system of student awards that recognised good learning dispositions and 21st-century competencies like active contribution and resilience.
And when encouraging staff and students to look beyond grades and celebrate growth in character and ability, she could speak sincerely, straight from the heart.
Read more on Mdm Goh’s 7 leadership tips on navigating change
