Vision
A better world, by design.
Mission
To transform, by elevating thought and practice.
My educational leadership philosophy is guided by my vision and mission, and a profound belief in a higher purpose of education beyond social efficiency. It mirrors the Singapore Curriculum Philosophy (MOE, 2017) and draws from the philosophies of Dewey, Eisner and other educational and leadership theorists.
It is framed according to two broad areas, namely the purpose and role of the school and education vis-à-vis the needs and inherent nature of the child, and the role of the leader.
The School and the Child
I believe that:
Every child deserves a good education.
One that is committed to their holistic development and characterised by learning that prepares them for a meaningful and purposeful life. The school must therefore provide holistic education that develops students in all aspects of their being, with a focus on self-discovery, moral and performance character, and personal mastery.
Every child wants to and can learn.
The school must therefore provide a culture and ecosystem that inspires, nurtures a thirst for and sustains learning, within and outside the confines of the school.
Every child is an individual, whose stories, personalities, aspirations and journeys are unique and their own.
The school must therefore provide a curriculum and learning experiences that are both coherent yet customisable, and committed to helping the children deepen their knowledge and understanding of themselves vis-à-vis the world.
Every child deserves a caring and safe learning environment.
The school must therefore be a place where positive teacher-student and peer relationships are inculcated so that there is a culture of care and respect. It is a place where children experience success, foster confidence, and embrace mistakes and failure as opportunities for learning and growth.
Every child wants to and can bring value to others.
The school must therefore nurture the children’s social faculties so that they learn to appreciate and embrace diversity and a sense of community and belonging, without compromising their individuality. Through this, they find their unique ways to better the world for themselves and others.
Every child is a thinker.
The school must therefore provide a curriculum that cultivates, challenges and celebrates the various facets and levels of thinking, towards a higher order of thinking and being.
The Leader
I believe that:
A leader is committed to the development of others.
His actions are guided by a genuine desire to see others succeed, whatever their definitions of success may be. He recognises the qualities that make others valuable, and empowers and enables them to shine.
A leader illuminates purpose, thought and practice.
He strives to elevate his organisation to an enlightened and altruistic view, anchored by strong ethics. He leads by example, setting high standards for himself and others.
A leader must be able to concretise the abstract and abstract the concrete.
He skilfully navigates the pathways that connect vision and reality. He brings clarity through his words and actions.
A leader must have an acute awareness and understanding of his ontology. Leadership comes from within, and a lack of clarity only precedes uncertainty, for himself and others.
A leader recognises and respects that people’s lives exist beyond work.
He values their time, effort and personal lives, and develops a work culture and ethic that supports a high quality of life for all.
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An educational leader is like light.
It is an abstract, untouchable entity but also the very thing that sustains life and for the majority of us, the reason we are able to perceive reality. In many ways, that is how I would describe a great leader, someone whose influence lies in ways that are intangible but very much felt.
As an educational leader, I see myself as a source of light, an illuminator, in the following ways:
An illuminator of thought, pointing my people towards an enlightened view of education;
An illuminator of hearts, helping them gain clarity on their purpose and role as educators;
An illuminator of practice, sparking ideas by role-modelling good teaching practices and throwing light on what and how a curriculum can and should be; and
An illuminator of (work) life, highlighting moments of joy and giving a ray of hope during times of perceived ‘darkness’.
A Culture of Care
As a leader, I seek to establish a culture of CARE, which is characterised by the following principles:
Clarity of action guided by clarity of thought, vision and purpose;
Autonomy, anchored by shared vision and philosophy, and a commitment to excellence;
Reflection, and a willingness to unlearn and re-learn;
Excellence and high expectations, anchored by passion and purpose.
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I believe that the clarity of thought illuminates and elevates our actions. It helps us understand the what, why and how of our doing, and this can lead to doing less, but achieving more. Clarity precedes simplicity and elegance.
I believe in autonomy, anchored on a mutual trust that comes from a shared vision and philosophy, and a desire to do the best we can.
I believe in the transformative power of purposeful reflection. It demands a commitment to introspection and self-scrutiny, and a genuine desire to better ourselves.
I believe in pursuing excellence, always. It is the simplest, most effective way of making the world better, for self and others. Excellence demands a passion for not just what we do but more importantly, why we do them. This comes with an intricate understanding of who we are, and our place in the world.
