Introducing poetry through the Japanese haiku

Teachers believe that each child is a creative individual possessing an active imagination. The imagination is both a seeing and shaping power. In children, the imagination is a marked capacity for the intent, absorbed seeing of the actual, accompanied by strong responsiveness of feeling. Whenever the imagination is stirred concentration is heightened. Facts do not necessarily absorb and interest young children, nor are they inevitably excited by their own environment. One needs the catalyst of an active imagination in the teachers, to relate the facts to the child's experience, to bring the environment to life in the child's mind. One of the major purposes of education is to bring children as far as possible to true 'seeing', to make them capable of honesty towards fact and feeling. All teachers want their pupils to be responsive to experience, to develop in sympathy and understanding so as to express themselves fluently in speech and writing.peer-reviewe

Education put to the question : education and man's destiny

It is over two hundred years since Rousseau wrote Emile in which he expressed his stupefaction at the way men were educated in the mid-eighteenth century. Was it really necessary for human beings to adapt themselves to the educational system? Would it not be better for the system to be adapted to the needs of men? The fundamental question was clearly stated. Regularly since then, for each succeeding generation, the relationship between education and life has been the subject of innumerable studies. The list of protests, proposals and projects are endless. After Jean-Jacques Rousseau came Jean-Henri Pestalozzi in Switzerland, Friedrich Froebel in Germany, Bertrand Russell in England, John Dewey in the United States, Celestin Freinet in France, Anton Makarenko in the Soviet Union, Maria Montessori in Italy and dozens of other pioneers of educational reform. Nor should we forget all those philosophers whose first concern also was the education and development of man. Reading the writings of Hegel, Comte or Nietzsche we find reference to this same preoccupation - how can man, through his experiences, his thought processes and his relationship with others, develop his personality, strive constantly to improve himself and achieve real, untrammled, tangible self-liberation.peer-reviewe

Rethinking teachers' professional development in Malta : agenda for the twenty-first century

The Maltese Government, being concerned about the quality of school education, is attempting to increase teacher effectiveness and student learning. To achieve these goals, it is argued that current in-service programmes need to be improved and focused for all school leaders and teachers. Whilst emphasising the need to focus on school-based development initiatives, it is also emphasised that the school head needs to start promoting teacher development from within. Heads can do much to improve teaching and learning by using professional formative evaluation of their staff. For this to be achieved heads require specific training. Organisations such as the Faculty of Education need to be more involved in providing up-to-date staff development for all educational leaders and other educators.peer-reviewe

Authentic educational leadership for 21st century Malta : breaking the bonds of dependency

Currently educational leadership in Malta is undergoing a radical transformation at both systems and school level. The Maltese education authorities are decentralising a number of responsibilities to the school site. This paper argues that whilst creating the self-managing school is the way forward to improve the quality of education there is doubt as to what leadership model, if any, central authorities are trying to institutionalise at both systems and school level. It is argued that central authorities need to project a clear vision which will help schools establish a professional culture which offers choice, authority and responsibility. Whilst the changes that await us call for adaptive and technical challenges, a claim is made for a focus on the human side of management. The paper highlights the importance of principle-centred leadership, a leadership which finds its source in the intellect, heart, mind and souls of individuals and one which is sustained through meaningful relationships. Educational managers need to be given opportunities to develop as persons with special focus on areas like learning, creativity, values, empowerment and collegiality.peer-reviewe

From centralisation to decentralisation : the real challenges facing educational reforms in Malta

Explores the crucial components behind current educational reform practices in Malta. These are aimed at decentralising responsibilities to schools through a system of networking. This paper aims to present the education authorities with an introductory critique that contextualises the potential networking of schools within the nurturing of inclusive learning communities. It is argued that unless the principles of hope, faith, commitment, individual and collective worth are established, then networks will not on their own work to bring about desired change in the quality of education. The paper takes networking between schools beyond identified school activities to issues of management and leadership. The benefits are presented alongside the various tensions and concerns that need to be addressed.peer-reviewe

The making of secondary school heads : some perspectives from the island of Malta

The key purpose of this paper is to present the findings of the Maltese study which is part of a collective research project involving four island states: Cyprus, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malta. The views and perspectives that a small group of secondary school heads brings to their life and work are outlined. The study adopts a biographical/portrait-based approach to understanding headship and, thus, provides us with new insights into the growing literature in the field. It is aimed at contributing to our understanding of how heads are made and make themselves. As such the paper briefly explores the career paths of a small group of eight heads interviewed and focuses on the first two stages of their personal and professional lives – formation and accession. The views of heads are represented and the issues and concerns identified with leading schools in times of change are outlined. The study shows that family, family experiences and the community have an important part to play in influencing the lives of prospective leaders. The study also highlights the link between vicarious learning, continuous professional development and personal reflection.peer-reviewe

Educational leadership for twenty-first century Malta : breaking the bonds of dependency

Educational leadership in Malta is currently undergoing a radical transformation at both systems and school level. The Maltese education authorities are delegating a number of responsibilities to the school site. Argues that whilst creating the self-managing school is the way forward to improve the quality of education there is doubt as to what leadership model, if any, central authorities are trying to institutionalise at both systems and school level. It is argued that central authorities need to project a clear vision which will help schools establish a professional culture which offers choice, opportunity, authority and responsibility. Whilst the changes that await us call for both adaptive and technical challenges, a claim is made for a focus on the human side of management. Highlights the importance of principlecentred leadership, a leadership which finds its source in the intellect, heart, mind and souls of individuals and one which is sustained through meaningful relationships. Leaders need to be given opportunities to develop as persons with special focus on areas such as learning, values, creativity and collegiality.peer-reviewe

Exploring beginning teachers' perceptions of their preparation and professional development in Malta

The Maltese Government, being concerned about the quality of school education, is attempting to increase teacher effectiveness and student learning. To achieve these goals, it is argued, that current in-service programmes need to be improved and focused, especially by giving due attention to the induction phase. The important phase of induction within the professional development continuum for teachers is lacking. Schools need to devise appropriate professional induction seminars and workshops for new teachers to extend their professional knowledge and skills acquired during the pre-service stage. As such a number of discussion documents, research studies and papers have and are being written in order to provide the authorities with the appropriate data on which to base future educational policies in relation to teacher preparation and induction schemes. This paper explores the perceptions of primary and secondary school teachers who are currently in their induction phase (i.e. their first three years after graduation). It reports the views of around three cohorts (approximately 300 teachers) about two main areas: teacher preparation and professional development. The methodological approach adopted was a questionnaire survey followed by in-depth interviews of around 18 teachers. Through this study we hope to shed light on ways and means of improving the current B.Ed (Hons) teacher education programme and also point out how teachers feel once they are full-time graduates. This will provide direction as to how the education authorities, the respective teacher training institutions and schools in particular can support beginning teachers. The essential link between pre-service and continuing professional development is explored and identified as key to quality improvements at the school level. New teacher induction schemes for the Maltese education system are discussed.peer-reviewe

The Maltese primary school principalship: Perceptions, roles and responsibilities

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.The main aim of this research was to investigate the conditions that influence and shape the occupational perceptions of principals; systematically observe primary school principals in the islands of Malta, and to contrast these findings with the perceptions of a group of deputy principals. To achieve this aim three studies were conducted. The first study employed a self-administered questionnaire survey method employed with all principals in primary schools (i. e. state, church and private). 'Discussions with parents', 'discussions with staff' and 'desk work' have been highlighted as the major job functions taking up most of the principals' time. Half of the respondents rated 'desk work' as their majorjob function. The Maltese principal tended to perceive his/her role as falling within the chief executive model. The principal's duties related largely to the division and allocation of work, the co-ordination and control of organisational activities, communication with parents and staff, maintaining discipline and order, and maintaining the level of resources and plant upkeep. This survey, however, shows that principals wanted to take on functions within the leading professional model. In the second study, an observational study was conducted with the aim of checking out some of the perceptions principals held towards their role and to add another dimension to the overall picture by identifying what principals actually did in their daily life at work. The study explored the work patterns of eight primary school principals in the state sector. The observational study attested to the multi-varied nature of the principal's role. The principal's day was generally hectic in pace, varied in its composition, discontinuous and superficial in any pursuit of tasks, with the unexpected always as one of the few certainties of thejob. The principal's energy was observed as being devoted to keeping the school ticking over in the short run with hardly any time being devoted to discuss matters of direct relevance to the teaching-learning process, such as classroom practice, curriculum review and update. The dominant model was that of the transactional leader who is fixing things, managing and coping in order to maintain the smooth operation of the organisation. As highlighted in the questionnaire survey principals devoted their time to administration, pastoral care and communication with parents. Little to no time was stated as being devoted to high value tasks such as strategic planning and curriculum review. The portrayal of Maltese primary school principals is that they are not so much reflective or transformational leaders, rather they are chronically busy, reactive as against proactive, and caught up in, and tied down by the unceasing demands of others for their attention. The present research seems to have identified the transactional nature of leadership as the main medium of interaction that the primary school principals opted for. Bearing in mind the present period of changes and development of school management practices in Malta, it was felt appropriate to seek feedback from deputy principals whose own role was undergoing change. A small group of twenty newly-appointed deputy principals were approached to view how they perceived the role of the principal. At the same time it sought to identify their perceptions of their own role, and get an indication of how they viewed tomorrow's principalship. This, it was felt, would provide data as to how Maltese administrators in general viewed their role. Deputy principals presented similar feedback to that presented by principals. The major difference being in the way deputy principals perceived tomorrow's principalship – one which went beyond the transactional model of principal as administrator to the transformational model of principal as leading professional. However, nothing conclusive can be drawn out. There is a strong indication that principals and deputy principals desire this move but some responses express a certain degree of inconsistency which shows that the implications behind the transformational model are not well and truly understood by the participants of this survey. The implications of the findings for today's and tomorrow's principalship were discussed

Maltese secondary school heads in the making

The key purpose of this paper is to present the findings of the Maltese study which is part of a collective research project involving four island states: Cyprus, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malta. The views and perspectives that a small group of secondary school heads bring to their life and work are outlined. The study adopts a biographical/portrait-based approach to understanding headship and thus provides us with new insights into the growing literature in the field. As such the paper briefly explores the career paths of the heads interviewed and focuses on the first two stages of their personal and professional lives – formation and accession. The views of heads are represented and the issues and concerns identified with leading schools in times of change are outlined. The study shows that family, family experiences and the community have an important part to play in influencing the lives of prospective leaders. The study also highlights the link between vicarious learning, continuous professional development and personal reflection.peer-reviewe