[Esme]
One word that describes a good leader is empowerment.
[Deborah]
Kind.
[Sharon]
Communication. So important, everyone needs to be on the same page.
We all need to understand what's happening for other people as well. That element of empathy.
[Deborah]
I believe that when you're in leadership, you're serving your community, it's really important to be true to your values.
It's about your empathy and compassion for others.
[Esme]
For me, in supporting other leaders, it's about empowering them, but it's about empowering them to have purpose.
Action.
[On-screen text]
Sharon Peluso, 40+ years. 7 years in leadership.
[Sharon]
I've had many different leaders, male and female, that have really shown me the direction that I need to take and the elements I need to take to be successful and to be a good communicator as well.
[On-screen text]
Esme Capp, 45 years. 29 years in leadership.
[Esme]
I actually never intended to be in leadership. My passion was always working with students.
As an educator, I've just had so many opportunities to engage with lead thinkers in education around the world. With that whole intent to bring it back to my community and to change practice here and now.
[On-screen text]
Deborah Harman, 50 years. 26 years in leadership.
[Deborah]
I went through a period of time where I didn't have a female role model in the principal class, and so it was really important for me to learn from those men, and I did.
They were amazing leaders in their own right. But I wanted to be the type of female leader that other young women would, aspire to be.
[Esme]
My first class was 31 foundation students. So it was their first day at school, as well as my first day as teaching.
So we were on the same page, excited about the possibilities as well as being obviously
a little nervous.
[Debrah]
My first class was a year 12 Australian history, and I had 2 sisters who had to come back to school to do year 12 to pursue nursing, and they were 5 and 6 years older than me.
So I had 2 students in my class not only were older, but, probably wiser at that stage.
[Sharon]
I walked in, told I had a grade 2. I had a grade 4 and 38 students.
So that was my beginning. I loved it. I absolutely loved it.
I just continue to have that passion and the recognition of the community, which was really wonderful.
[Esme]
So going into teaching, you need a powerful motive of what's the endeavour here?
And the endeavour is to give that child the best opportunity to shine and to understand their own potential, but also how that potential is going to contribute to society.
[Sharon]
Do it.
Try your best all the time, and just enjoy what you're doing, and appreciate the fact that it's just such an important role and you're so important to those students you stand in front of.
[Deborah]
Block out the noise.
Block out the noise about all of the downside of teaching.
They'll get to teach amazing kids, but they will be surrounded by dedicated, committed professionals.
[Sharon]
I've lasted all that time by doing what I loved.
It's such a privilege to be put in that position.
And once it turns into leadership, that becomes more so because you've got a community that are valuing your ability to educate children. And that's, what an awesome privilege that is.
[Esme]
It's quite unbelievable that it's been that long.
But then to actually go back through the journey of the development, through that time every year I can go back and talk about a project or something that was really learning growth for that year.
[Deborah]
When I think about my legacy, I hope that I built the capacity of others for our own school and the system.
It's the career that I always wanted, and it's the career that I look back on with enormous gratitude and pride.
[End transcript]
Updated