E85| Tim Watson, Principal, Northern Beaches Christian School

EdLeaders Australia

Welcome to the ‘Ed Leaders’ podcast, where Luke Callier and Mathew Irving sit down with Tim Watson, the principal at Northern Beaches Christian School, who has a remarkable journey in education and leadership. Tim shares invaluable wisdom on the delicate balance of maintaining a passion for teaching while taking on leadership roles.

Tim dives into the creation of a supportive climate for teachers, emphasizing the pillars of purpose, values, effort, learning, character development, relationships, and opportunities within schools. The importance of authentic feedback and open communication between school leaders and staff members takes center stage in this discussion. Tim also highlights the necessity of setting boundaries and pushing against them to foster growth within the educational ecosystem.

Tim sheds light on the role of schools in contributing significantly to students' well-being and discusses future trends in education. Rather than predicting specific changes, he suggests focusing on what won't change in the next decade or two.

Ready to learn more? Tune in now!

Highlights:

• (01:37) Journey into education.

• (03:14) Key strength of organization in leadership.

• (05:19) Vision for Northern Beaches Christian School.

• (09:31) Nuance of deciding when to consult versus making a decision.

• (10:54) Example of a situation without a fixed opinion.

• (14:03) Discussion about being an extrovert in a leadership role.

• (15:22) Complex situation involving managing students during the Icelandic volcano incident.

• (17:40) Complexities related to court orders, family dynamics, and managing relationships in schools.

• (18:23) Providing feedback in situations where personal and professional connections overlap.

• (19:16) Description of the school community and its informal yet purposeful atmosphere.

• (21:09) Supporting staff and creating a positive culture in schools.

• (27:24) Introduction of PeopleBench for workforce benchmarking in schools.

• (28:53) Discussion on the role of parents in character development and finding the right fit for leadership roles.

• (33:47) School's vision of equipping students for an uncertain future through a love of learning.

• (39:06) Challenges of students to face the transition from student agency to a structured work environment.

• (42:49) "Six in 60 Seconds" segment covering underrated or overrated educational narratives, roles in schools, changing rules in education, a recommended book, and potential podcast interviewees.

You can also connect with us personally at LinkedIn:

Luke Callier - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ljcallier/⁠

Mathew Irving - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-irving-b6b91430/

Special thanks to our partners:

Peoplebench help take the guesswork out of school workforce strategy & decision-making. Check them out at peoplebench.com.au.

Paperly - simplifying administrative processes and removing the paperwork for teachers. Check them out at https://paperly.education/

Signup to the Edleaders Newsletter at edleaders.com.au to hear more about our journey and to level up your leadership game.

If you'd like to know more about being a guest or would like to sponsor our show - check out https://www.edleaders.com.au/collabs

As always if you have questions, feedback, or a suggestion from a leader you'd like to hear from - send us a message! Please remember if you have a spare minute, please leave us a review on iTunes or your favorite podcast player which will help more like-minded school leaders discover us.