The need for Focus
The key to individual or organisational survival is to keep a clear sense of focus or direction, be guided by shared beliefs and then trust ourselves to make the best decision we can.

Value intuition.
In more cases than not we will have to make decisions without enough information. We will need faith in our own ability to use our creative instincts. This is what leadership is all about Forget management - it will not be enough in an ever-changing future. NZ schools have for too long been over managed and under-led!

'Prediction is difficult, particularly when it involves the future'.

Mark Twain.

'Be in charge of your own destiny or someone else will.'

Jack Welch CEO General Electric.

We need the best of everything.
Lets keep the best of the past and present but place the focus on the developing in the schools the capacity to create exciting learning environments for both teachers and students.

'The times are a changing and if we don't we will sink like a stone'.

Bob Dylan.

A future scenario?
Leading and Learning believe that we are only just beginning to explore the process of developing a new organisation forms for the 21stC
We have to move away from compliance and contractual control and create organisation held together by the intrinsic motivation of the work itself.

Schools as living organisms!
Future organisations will be held together by the need we all have for a sense of belonging and community, by a need for all of us to do meaningful work, by a need to be part of something worthwhile. An environment where we all can feel we can make a difference.
Organisations where we will do our best because that is what is expected, not only by ourselves but also by our fellow workers. Vision, values and culture will become the 'glue' that will hold us together. We will all work together to create learning organisations that will be continually self renewing, self reviewing, continually adapting to environmental pressures.

Forget the control mentality.
Currently most organisations are fortresses defending themselves against employers with regulations, guidelines, policies, strategies, lists and procedures for everything. Nothing could be less creative.

'We spend too much of our time worrying about the mosquitoes and not enough time concerning ourselves with the health of the pond.'

The Missing Link? Flying some 'future kites'.
Why doesn't each school in a local area elect, from nominated BOT members, a Regional Education Board. Such a Board could be linked with the local community authority and be able to provide services to schools as required - financial services, building advice, maintenance, and most important of all teacher development assistance. This could be the rightful place of the advisory services.

Power can only be ceded
Schools would still need to be independent. To achieve this we need to consider the 'subsidiary 'concept of Charles Handy. In his model the moral power remains with individual units - the individual units only cede power to the centre. This is the big difference from the old Education Boards who controlled schools in a smothering way. The idea is in line with the original concept of Tomorrows Schools and fits in with recent moves from the Ministry of Education, who have in their wisdom, realised that one size does not fit all. It would however add a local layer of support which is currently missing.

Restoring a Sense of Community - vision for us all.
If restoring a sense of Community were to a future goal of political representatives then reforming schools to serve this function would be an important part of such a vision. Where better for students to learn the skills and attitudes of living in and contributing to a community. What more vital role could teachers have.

A new role for teachers.
Teachers would become important players in restoring this vital element of community that 'market forces' has almost destroyed. Creative co-operation rather than selfish individualism should be the goal. Schools should focus on ensuring basic learning skills were in place, developing all students talents and the skills of living in a community. Returning a sense of hope to all students, and not just to the lucky few would be worth the effort It would be a powerful vision we all can buy into.

Broaden the concept of school to 'Learning Communities.'
If schools were to become centres for community rebuilding other social and medical services could be linked in, perhaps provided by the new Education Boards? Support staff could also be provided to assist the schools in a variety of ways. Senior school students could be asked to do community service as part of their education - and some of this could be working in junior schools. Senior citizens, mothers, all could contribute if we were to broaden our vision of what a school could be. Teachers would be anybody with a talent to share. Schools would still require a cadre of skilled core teachers to arrange basic functions.

'Schools should be a mirror of a future society'.

• What values( as seen through behaviours)do you want to underpin all relationships at the school? Charters can be drawn up for each school group - staff, parents and students.
• What future attributes or skills will future citizens require for an ever-changing environment? All teaching / assessment should be focussed on achieving these outcomes.
• What teaching/ learning beliefs should underpin all teaching and learning interactions? This to be used for self-reference and professional development.
• What would an ideal future learning community look like?
• From this process a vision will emerge - one eventually able to be articulated by all members of the Learning Community. Ideally it should be able to be summed up by a simple memorable phrase - a bit like a motto.
• From this a Strategy Plan can be drawn up. The best future Strategy will always be a shared sense of purpose or direction (vision) owned by all. The Strategy asks how can we change from the present to our future.

The journey is more important than the destination'.

Mark Twain.

Christopher Columbus - the worlds most famous lost man!'

A return to the Craft of Teaching in the next decade!
The current ideology has placed too much importance on curriculums, accountability and contracts and has not enough time focussing on the skills and talents of each teacher and the conditions necessary to sustain them. Certainly the teacher's role as the key to lasting change has not been appreciated. The next decade will see the return to centre stage the creative skills of both the classroom teacher and the principal to create aligned environments of excellence and high expectations. It will be this area that will be the focus for lasting innovation.

New Core Teaching Beliefs
We will have to look hard such ideas as:

• Quality rather than quality.
• Doing fewer things well.
• Realistic learning challenges and team work skills
• Goal setting and instant feedback
• Developing learners talents and respecting learning styles
• Focussed teaching.

The power of Networks
We need to form networks to share this energy .This is how true revolutions are started and the future created - not down in Wellington! The best ideas occur in the strangest places - but unless ideas are shared they cannot grow. We need to get away from our schools and become involved in flights of fancy. Innovation thrives when you are with the right people. We need mentors that are home grown - ones you can trust, who can give us the courage to start our own journeys. Forget the so-called experts, we need people whose ideas have been tested in the classroom - that can be seen. Although they might 'steer by the stars' they can provide us lesser mortals with rough maps (but not recipes) constructed from their experiences.

Trials and Tribulations
All Quest for holy Grails have 'dragons' to slay. No one ever said real change would be easy! Some that come to mind are:

• The Overcrowded Curriculum. We need to do fewer things well. The concept of the 'Haiku Curriculum' - simple and deep. We need to integrating content where possible.
• The Assessment Frenzy. Reduce to vital indicators. Assess a few things well. If you don't use it don't do it!
• The Paper War. de Bono's advice - simplify everything. There is no advantage in complexity
• Time/energy Wasters. Clarify expectations and trust people. Question every meeting. Simplify curriculum expectations
• Our self doubts. Possibility the biggest problem of all. Find other with like minds, share ideas, create a vision to protect and guide you and to allow you to say no! No one has the answers to your problems. There are no 'silver bullets'. Learn from your mistakes- life is always what you do next time!