In this chapter, I refer to the reflections of Wendy Graham and Carolyn Scott who were ‘critical friends’ or mentors working alongside school leaders in the Leading across Effective Small Schools (LAESS) program. As recently retired principals of small rural schools, the mentors offered support, encouragement and advice to LAESS participants in order to enhance collegial cross-school improvement and develop leadership skills. These perspectives provide another important dimension to this book, because a mentor or critical friend can be more objective and see the bigger picture more clearly. Mentors are removed from day-today school life, yet importantly these mentors have ‘insider’ or situated knowledge about small rural school contexts and leadership which assists current school leaders to reflect on their practice and grow as leaders. The chapter also draws on comments from mentors, which emerged in independent formal evaluations of the LAESS program conducted by Carol Oakley.
History
Title of book
Willing to lead : leading across effective small schools
Chapter number
7
Pagination
69 - 74
Publisher
School Workforce Reform and School Improvement Division Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Place of publication
Melbourne, Vic.
ISBN-13
9780759405318
Language
eng
Notes
This chapter is available on the 69th page in the attached link.
Publication classification
BN Other book chapter, or book chapter not attributed to Deakin