In 2018, when I was in my previous role as Head of Performing Arts, I took on the goal of filming myself at school for 1 second everyday.
This project served a few purposes. For me personally it was a form of journaling and a great tool for reflection at the end of the year. For my school, it was a great way to promote what we do in the performing arts, and as teachers in general.
It was great fun to produce and highly recommend the idea.
To produce the video, I used the app 1 Second Everyday
There are few things more familiar in schools than collaborative time that begins with good intentions but does not quite lead anywhere. Meetings happen, discussion takes place, yet it can feel as though the real work never quite gets done. Elevated Conversations by Simon Breakspear tackles this challenge in a practical and realistic way.
One of the strengths of the book is how clearly Breakspear describes what many educators experience but rarely name. He refers to “weary talk”, conversations that go around in circles, where some voices dominate, others disengage, and time runs out before anything meaningful shifts. This is not framed as a problem with people, but as a problem of structure. Bringing people together is not enough on its own. Good collaboration needs to be designed.
Every now and then a leadership book arrives at the right moment. Not because it introduces entirely new ideas, but because it gives language and structure to things many leaders already sense but rarely make time to explore.
Grounded by Katrina Bourke is one of those books.
At its heart, Grounded is not a book about leadership techniques. It is a book about leadership as a human practice.
Grounded is a calm and thoughtful contribution to the leadership space. It does not promise quick wins or dramatic change. Instead, it offers a framework for understanding yourself more deeply so that your leadership of others becomes clearer and more intentional.
For leaders in education, it is a timely reminder that leadership is not only about what we do, but about who we are while doing it.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to contribute to a number of podcast conversations, as well as host a series myself during lockdown. Each of these experiences gave me a chance to step back from the day-to-day of school life and reflect more broadly on the issues shaping education.
Across these episodes I’ve explored a range of themes: how the arts have influenced my leadership, the opportunities and challenges of AI in classrooms, and the behind-the-scenes realities of staging a school musical. I’ve also had the chance to talk with students and colleagues about community, connection, and the ways schools can adapt in times of disruption.