We’ve all heard of the tall poppy syndrome, but consider this: while tall poppies might stand out in a poppy
field, they also draw attention to the whole field. And that’s no bad thing. Look closer and it’s clear that some of those taller poppies grow tall because they have the support of the poppies around them. Closer inspection reveals flowers of amazing colour and variety, qualities that might not have been identified before noticing those first tall poppies. So it is in any field of endeavour, but especially in our profession.

Education is typically seen as a mass profession: with a quarter of a million educators, it’s quite a field of poppies. Look at that field and you see, for a start, the vast majority of educators working with commitment and confidence and success that’s measurable in international terms, which should be a matter of considerable professional pride. For a finish, you see educators drawing professional satisfaction and ongoing motivation from the intrinsic rewards of seeing their students learn and grow as people.

Every teacher can identify outstanding students whose quality of work, or personality, or generosity of spirit made them extraordinary. In a similar way, every teacher can identify those colleagues whose professionalism sets them apart, because of particular skills or expertise, for an outstanding contribution at a particular time, or for a long career of steady sheer competence, dedication and reliability. But too few educators are publicly honoured.

In a cultural turnaround, education professionals are increasingly prepared to name their outstanding colleagues – their tall poppies. When our tall poppies are deemed worthy of honour, we’ll often think and talk about other worthy educators who have made comparable, or different but equally significant, contributions to the profession. Their names are mentioned and their accomplishments and achievements
enumerated. That’s often where the conversation ends, and that’s our misfortune as a profession, because these are the people who, while they might not seek recognition, stand tall as leaders.

We need to put forward the names of people who stand out, and when we do we all benefit – the profession, our students and the whole community. The Australian College of Educators has a long and strong tradition of recognising excellence in professional practice. Nominate a tall poppy.

To nominate a colleague for a College award or one of many other national education awards, visit www.austcolled.com.au and go to Professional Support/awards.

Cheryl O’Connor, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian College of Educators

The Profession

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Judy Bolton

Judy Bolton explains how induction and mentoring programs help beginning teachers, and everyone else.

As a Senior Teacher at St Paul’s School in Queensland, I’m engaged in an induction program for new and beginning teachers that provides practical advice for those who are new to the school. At the same time, it’s a staff mentoring program that promotes positive professional relationships between experienced and new staff...

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e-learning

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Research

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Tom Karmel

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Interview

Di Fleming

by Steve Holden

I meet Di Fleming early one cold Melbourne morning in June. We’re in an auditorium at the Melbourne Convention Centre, 30 minutes before she presents a keynote address to1400 school leaders from Australia and New Zealand at the APPA and NZPF Trans-Tasman Conference – and there’s a serious technical hitch that may prevent her using PowerPoint. If she’s stressed it doesn’t show: it’s just another problem to be solved. And neatly enough, for me if not for Fleming, her keynote is all about problem solving, about creativity and innovation...

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by Steve Holden

The National Institute for Quality Teaching and School Leadership, or NIQTSL, is gradually shaping up, launched in June by the Minister for Education, Brendan Nelson. Nelson’s appointment of Dr Gregor Ramsey as the Chair of the interim board and careful representation of the education sector’s peak professional and industrial organisations meant that the NIQTSL landed with barely a splash, and things have been pretty quiet since...

Issues

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Resource Reviews

The First Year Experience By Ann Game and Andrew Metcalfe

Reviewed by Nancy Huang

Leadershift: the work-life balance program by Don Clayton

Reviewed by Steve Holden