Breakout Session 4 - 14th May at 9:55 - 10:40
Strong Schools Start with Strong Leaders: What Principals Do to Thrive and Lead Well
| Presenter/s: | Michele Morrison Kristen Moreland Sylvia Robertson |
| Type: | Research |
| Keywords: | Resilience, leadership, Te Whare Tapa Whā |
Abstract
The ability of school leaders to thrive is closely tied to their capacity for resilience – an ongoing process comprising personal, relational, and systemic factors that together shape the culture, relationships, and adaptability of the school community. Resilience enables individuals and communities to navigate adversity, restore efficacy, and foster growth (Eisenschmidt et al., 2024). Principals play a pivotal role in cultivating resilience across their school communities (Milstein & Henry, 2000).
This presentation explores how school leaders develop personal resilience and enact strategic leadership to build collective and organisational capacity. Drawing on 2025–2026 empirical research, we integrate findings from the Aotearoa New Zealand Principal Resilience Inventory (Chen, 2025), situated leadership narratives, and studies from the International School Leadership Development Network (ISLDN).
Te Whare Tapa Whā (Durie, 1994) is presented as a reflective tool for strengthening physical (taha tinana), emotional (taha hinengaro), social (taha whānau), and spiritual (taha wairua) wellbeing. Grounded in Māori health philosophy, this holistic framework offers globally relevant insights for leadership development and wellbeing support.
We invite reflection on two key questions: How do you currently sustain your own resilience as a leader? and What organisational practices in your school support or hinder collective resilience?
Biography
Michele Morrison Kristen Moreland Sylvia Robertson
Dr. Michele Morrison is a senior lecturer and Director of the Centre for Educational Leadership Research at the University of Waikato. Her scholarship explores culturally responsive, ethical, and socially just leadership, emphasizing context, identity, and dialogic praxis. Drawing on extensive practitioner experience, Michele engages with global research networks and professional communities to advance leadership development that honours lived experience, fosters critical reflection, and promotes transformative educational change.
Dr. Sylvia Robertson is a Senior Lecturer in Education Studies at the University of Otago and Director of the Centre for Educational Leadership and Administration. With extensive teaching and leadership experience across New Zealand, Australia, and the UK, her research focuses on leadership identity, change, and social justice in high-needs settings. Sylvia is a co-director of the UCEA Centre for the International Study of School Leadership and actively contributes to global conversations on leadership preparation and equity.
Dr. Kristen Moreland is a lecturer and early-career researcher at the University of Waikato. Her global experiences as an educator led to the creation of the H.U.M.A.N. approach to educational leadership, which promotes values-driven, culturally affirming, and relational practices. Her research explores adult development, instructional coaching, and professional learning as pathways to leadership growth. Kristen contributes to international networks focused on leadership and coaching, and she brings a practitioner’s lens to research that strengthens the development of leadership capacities.