Reflection → Dr Jake Madden

Beyond Ken Robinson’s 2006 TED Talk

A recent professional conversation with a small group of staff members on what makes an outstanding school led to the realisation that next year will see the 10th anniversary of the Ken Robinson’s TED talk on changing educational paradigms. Given the focus on a technological revolution coupled with Mark Treadwell’s explanation of the paradigm shift in education we are experiencing right now in his text Whatever!: School Version 2.0 and other leading educationalists purporting the need to transform education systems the question seems to be lost in translation…. Has learning been transformed?

A recent staff discussion on what makes a school outstanding led to an unexpected milestone: next year marks a decade since Sir Ken Robinson’s now-iconic TED talk on changing educational paradigms. His call to rethink learning systems felt urgent at the time. Ten years later, we’re still asking—has learning been transformed?

Leading thinkers like Mark Treadwell, in Whatever!: School Version 2.0, described a clear educational shift aligned with the technological revolution. Others echoed the same message: schooling must change. But outside of isolated examples, where is that shift visible? Has anything truly changed at scale?

Are We Still in the Factory Model?

Despite bold reforms and increased attention to school improvement, the dominant system still leans heavily on standardised tests. The debate continues about their impact on learners, teachers, and long-term outcomes. At the same time, “personalised learning” is a phrase that pops up often in professional development. But is it more than a workshop slide? Has it become embedded practice, or is it just branding?

Walk into many classrooms and you may still find timetables, compliance, and bells dictating the pace of learning. Has the classroom really broken free from its industrial roots?

Revisiting the Call to Action

Perhaps it’s time to revisit Robinson’s message. His talk wasn’t just about innovation. It was about relevance, engagement, and recognising that learning is not a one-size-fits-all process. The conversation has never been more important, yet we still face the risk of talking the talk without walking the walk.

If we’re serious about transformation, we must ask more than whether we’ve changed the tools. We must ask if we’ve changed the experience for learners, not just leaders.

Key Leadership Lessons for School Principals

As we begin a new year and having just completed my first term as the principal of an international school, I have, like many leaders, taken time to reflect on my learning. While not outlining the circumstances that lead to the learnings, I offer the following few points for your consideration.

As we step into a new year, I find myself reflecting on my first term as the principal of an international school. Like many leaders, I’ve learned valuable lessons along the way. While the circumstances behind these insights may differ, the lessons themselves are universally relevant for school leadership.

Here are five key leadership lessons for principals that can help guide a successful school year.

1. Do the Tough Things First

Mark Twain once said:

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

As a school leader, energy levels diminish as the day unfolds. It’s best to handle difficult tasks, critical decisions, and tough conversations early in the day—while your mind is fresh and focused.

2. Set Clear Goals and Reinforce Them Often

A school’s success depends on clear, precise goals. Whether you are a new principal or continuing in the same school, ensuring everyone is aligned with the vision is crucial.

📌 Leadership tip:
✔ Regularly communicate school goals in meetings
✔ Reinforce objectives through staff discussions and professional development
✔ Align daily decisions with the bigger school vision

3. Manage Your Time—Avoid Constant Email Distractions

Many school leaders pride themselves on responding to emails all day long. However, frequent email interruptions reduce productivity and take focus away from critical leadership tasks.

📌 Leadership tip:
✔ Designate specific times for checking and responding to emails
✔ Encourage staff to use face-to-face discussions for urgent matters
✔ Focus on high-impact leadership activities

4. Be Kind—Your Staff Needs Guidance and Support

Teachers, like students, seek affirmation, guidance, and constructive feedback. As an instructional leader, success comes from:
📌 Providing clear direction for teachers
📌 Recognising and celebrating staff achievements
📌 Offering meaningful support and mentorship

Great leaders build strong relationships, making schools positive, thriving communities.

5. Students Are Students—Everywhere

Regardless of location, students share common traits—they are curious, eager to learn, and thrive in supportive environments. A principal who listens to students gains valuable insights into school culture and climate.

📌 Leadership tip:
✔ Take time to speak with students regularly
✔ Gather student feedback on learning experiences
✔ Balance staff perspectives with student insights

Embracing Leadership Growth

Each school has unique challenges and strengths. As leaders become immersed in the school’s culture and philosophy, their impact grows. Leadership is a journey of continuous learning.

As we begin a new school year, let’s embrace reflection, adaptation, and action to create meaningful change.

Happy New Year!

A Time of ‘Lasts’

During the last few weeks before transitioning to a new appointment you have the opportunity to undertake things for the last time. The last staff meeting, the last report, the last breakfast gathering, the last Parent and Friends meeting, the last playground walk, the last assembly, and so forth.

Completing each final activity brings the reality of leaving a much loved school behind and as one does, it is an optimal time for reflection. As a principal, the first part of reflection involves the professional, reviewing how successful your strategic plans have been, the impact upon the teaching and learning and the growth in teacher professional learning.

The second level of reflection focuses on the personal. When leaving, particularly after ten years of close working relationships, you development strong bonds with staff. Personally speaking, I am very grateful for the personal and professional relationships as they have helped to shape who I am today, my thinking, my views on issues and even influence my decision making. In a sense I am the sum of my relationships.

One of the positive things about beginning a new job is that it offers you the opportunity to apply your learnings in a new setting. While many people make excuses for not taking the time to reflect, citing busyness or lack of interest, the benefits, although not always immediate, are numerous.

In a funny sort of way doing things for the final time is in fact, preparing to do things for the first time.

Transition Week

A positive part of being appointed as principal of a new school is not only the opportunity to build upon your current experience but also to learn new skills.

How you approach your new role will have lasting effects on your leadership influence. Reading the school culture incorrectly could put you on the back foot and inhibit the quality of your decision making.

For me, a necessary beginning point is to visit the new school. There is nothing more important than meeting the people you are going to work with, taking the opportunity to immerse yourself into the culture of the school and getting an intuitive feel for how things operate. Visiting the school allows you to begin to ‘get a handle’ on school logistics.

My recent “Transition Week” at dar al Marefa offered the unique opportunity to begin my leadership journey at the school on the right foot. While everyone will have a few tips for the new principal, after having had a few principal appointments over the years, I find the following four insights useful in shaping how you should approach your new appointment:

1. Understanding History. Beginning with previous school improvement plans a new principal can digest the thinking that has shaped the school to be what it is today. To make effective decisions, the new leader needs to know why things are the way they are. Take time to understand the traditions, celebrations and why things run the way they do.

2. Get to know your staff and school community. In the early stages, (commonly know as the honeymoon period), it is imperative to develop positive relationships with each member of the community. Don’t forget spending time in classrooms and the playground to get to know the students.

3. Get Learning. Discovering what you don’t know is a key task in the early days. Locating the paperwork should be an initial goal. Reading the paperwork is the next! Items from parent handbooks to teacher appraisal processes to curriculum expectations help to establish an understanding of the school and most importantly, the culture.

4. Gather relevant information to design a short term action plan. While the school may have an action plan, as a new leader you bring a new ‘vision’ to the school and, after listening and learning, you will begin to craft your own views on what ‘needs to be done’. Developing your own action plan will help to connect the dots and and allow you to focus on short achievable goals.

Everyone approaches their new appointment differently. Whatever action you take it is most important that the new leader enjoys coming to work each day. My transition week at dar al Marefa Private School was exciting and immensely interesting. Many people to meet, many things to take in! From any aspect my new appointment is going to be challenging and loaded with learning opportunity. I have no doubt I will enjoy coming to work each day.

Announcing Your Resignation

Resigning as principal is often more confronting than applying for the job in the first place. After months of quiet deliberation, once the new appointment is accepted, you’re suddenly faced with the difficult task of telling your community. The news often comes as a shock. For many, it’s the first they’ve heard that you were even considering a move.

Some are happy. Some are disappointed. Some are happy for you, but sad for the school. Others begin to reflect on what leadership change might mean for them. And some want to know what’s wrong. Why would you want to leave them?

I found this moment deeply personal. I had poured everything into the school, leading from the front, supporting from the side, and walking behind. Telling my staff that I was leaving to take up a position overseas was not easy.

There are layers to the resignation process. Once my appointment and start date were confirmed, I followed Stephen Covey’s principle of “beginning with the end in mind.” That end was the day I flew out to join my new school.

From there, I worked backwards.

Four weeks before my last day, I set a final date to submit my resignation. That gave me time to plan how and when to inform my team and the broader community. Simple in theory but far more emotional in practice.

Sharing the news with staff was daunting. Our years together had been filled with professional growth and genuine relationships. I had seen colleagues flourish in their roles and navigate personal milestones. I took the time to prepare a short resignation speech, enough to share the news and express my thanks.

It helped me honour the moment.

The next challenge is speaking to the students at the farewell assembly. But that’s a story for another day.