Sabbatical - no holiday for lucky local principals
By Tim O?Connell
2009 signals the first year of the primary teachers? sabbatical leave scheme with local Principals Judy Grose of Wilford School and Hutt Central?s Tony Horsfall among the first batch of recipients. Both have selected area of study that holds significant importance in the education system. Mr Horsfall will carry out research on the impact of special needs students on the New Zealand schooling system, in areas such as resources and budgeting. For Ms Grose, however, the research she plans to undertake is an extension of work that is already well advanced at Wilford School regarding the theories of American psychologist Dr William Glasser. ?What we?ve done with the programme is create a positive and safe environment for the students,? she said. Her research topic of ?positive student behaviour? will see her visit schools in Adelaide and South Australia during the sabbatical to see how they have utilised Dr Glasser?s theories in the classroom. A visit to the Glasser Institute in Adelaide is also on the cards, something that Ms Grose believes will be a highlight of her sabbatical. ?I?ll be meeting with the Australian president of the institute-it should be very interesting just to see how things are done over there, as well as showing them what we?ve achieved.? One of the provisos of the sabbatical is that the time away must include as much recreation time as there is research. However, any thoughts of a trip down the Murray River or to the Barossa Valley are down the list of priorities for Ms Grose. ?I haven?t thought about that, really-I?ll be completely focussed on the research part of things for the first few weeks anyway,? she said. To be eligible for the 10 week period of leave, teachers must have completed five years of service in the primary sector, with at least three of these in the state system of New Zealand. This year 75 teachers and principals around New Zealand will undertake their sabbatical under full pay, with the ministry expected to grant more in 2010.
