Episode 16: Looking after kaiako and kaimahi

As a tumuaki you'll be leading both teachers and support staff, and making sure they're treated fairly, feel supported, know about their entitlements and have opportunities to learn and grow, can help create a great work environment. In this episode, we talk about how you can support your staff and your obligations to them.

 

My guests are:

• Patrick Ikiua, Director of Professional Practice for Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa (New Zealand School Boards Association).
• Marama Stewart, Leadership Advisor, Māori - Ministry of Education
• Louise Green, Principal Support Officer, NZEI Te Riu Roa

 

This podcast was produced for the Ministry of Education as part of Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals.

 

You can learn more about this topic by accessing Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals e-learning modules on the Education LMS: https://training.education.govt.nz

 

Show notes

Episode themes:

• Things that impact on the wellbeing of kaiako
• Importance of tumuaki focusing on what they can influence and control for staff as their leader and manager when it comes to staff well-being
• Ways to help kaiako feel more comfortable when you start as new tumuaki
• How new tumuaki can help make sure middle and senior leaders feel valued and confident in their roles
• Change management
• Leadership vs management
• Employment laws and being a good employer
• Employment agreements and what they mean
• How new tumuaki can find the agreements staff are employed under, and the entitlements, allowances etc that apply to them
• Professional learning and development (PLD)
• What NZEI can help with

 

Additional information

Understanding school employment https://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Managing-your-school/Guides-for-managing-your-school/Understanding-school-employment

NZEI https://www.nzeiteriuroa.org.nz

SPANZ https://www.spanz.school.nz

NZSBA https://www.tewhakaroputanga.org.nz/

SUE reports https://www.edpay.govt.nz/site/reports/sue-report.aspx

Resourcing: Operational funding and staffing entitlements https://www.education.govt.nz/school/funding-and-financials/resourcing/

Teaching Council https://teachingcouncil.nz

 

Questions

 

1:31 [Louise] What kinds of issues do you hear about from your kaiako members around their well-being?

 

2:17 [Mārama] When you were a teacher, what kinds of things did you notice impacted on your wellbeing?

 

3:07 [Mārama] What can tumuaki do to look after the well-being of their kaiako?

 

4:34 [Mārama] As a new tumuaki coming in to a school, how can you put kaiako at ease to help them feel less anxious about someone new starting?

 

6:06 [Mārama] How can a tumuaki make sure your leadership team functions well and that they feel valued and confident in their roles?

 

8:09 [Mārama] What would your advice be for new principals around introducing the idea of change and then making it happen?

 

11:42 [Patrick] Under which laws does a school board, and the tumuaki is part of that, have responsibilities to their staff?

 

12:39 [Patrick] What does it mean to be a good employer?

 

14:04 [Patrick and Louise] What kinds of employment agreements can apply to kaiako and kaimahi?

 

17:14 [Mārama] How can a new tumuaki going in find out which agreements are covering the staff in their school?

 

19:47 [Mārama and Louise] What are the requirements and responsibilities around PLD for the staff in your schools?

 

21:25 [Louise] What can NZEI help new principals with?

 

23:14 [All] What’s your advice for looking after kaiako and kaimahi in your school?