Introducing NZEALS Council Member – Isaac Day

I am an educator and researcher based in the beautiful Te Tai Aorere (Tasman region). I am passionate about supporting positional and non-positional leadership in our schools and with our teachers. Despite the pressures and challenges, leadership can be deeply rewarding when closely connected to student learning and teaching practice. My background has taken me from the classroom to principalship (18 years as a school principal) and now as a leadership advisor in the Ministry of Education. Recently, I completed my doctoral research, which explored how early-career teachers understand and enact leadership in their daily practice. This journey deepened my belief in the potential and impact of developing greater leadership capacity in our schools.

My connection to NZEALS came about entirely by accident. By chance, I was sent the 2024 NZEALS Conference flyer by my doctoral supervisor because one of the workshops was within my research interest. I therefore thought it would be best to attend! Through this, I met NZEALS members and connected with others, furthering my interests in both the NZEALS organisation and research. I am honoured to be part of the NZEALS Council. I am grateful for the chance to connect with, learn from, and contribute to a passionate, collaborative, and values-driven network of educators. NZEALS is a space where ideas can be shared, relationships built, and the collective strength of educational leadership celebrated. I’m proud to be starting on a pathway to contribute to and support leadership development in our field with NZEALS.