Leading from the middle: preparing the leaders of the future

Middle Years of Schooling (Yrs5-9) pedagogies, programs, students and teachers are attracting increasing attention (Andrews and Anfara 2003; Pendergast and Bahr 2005; Weiss and Kipnes 2006). Issues of adolescent development, innovative programs, student health, wellbeing and behaviour management, student assessment, school effectiveness and reporting of student achievement to parents are regular items on any Middle School agenda. However there has been scant research concerning leadership development within the Middle Years of Schooling. In particular, investigations of the specific preparation and work of Middle School principals and their leadership teams has been discounted and subsumed within the larger areas of teacher leader preparation. Research conducted in Qld (including FNQ and Torres Strait Is) and NSW Middle Schools (ACEL Qld funded project, 2004-6) indicates that integral elements of principal, teacher and student leadership development programs need to be addressed in order to prepare our youth and their educators for fast paced and fulfilling futures. During this presentation, findings will be shared concerning specific Middle School Principal, Deputy and Assistant Principal preparation pathways, the building of capacity in MY teacher leaders including Heads of Department and curriculum coordinators and the desirability of establishing and sustaining innovative adolescent student leadership programs.