01/05/2019
Every two years the Institute runs a comprehensive survey of alumni from our Stronger Smarter Leadership Program known as the Stronger Smarter Census. It gives us insights into the implementation of the Stronger Smarter Approach for individuals, schools and organisations.
Data from our 2018 survey shows that schools across the country are embedding the Stronger Smarter Approach of high expectations and strong student and community relationships.
You can read a report summary here: Stronger Smarter Census 2018
In 2018 we had 744 respondents to the Stronger Smarter Census who represented 24% of graduates from the Stronger Smarter Leadership Program from 2006 to 2018. The following results relate to their responses.
The results show that many of our graduates continue to use learnings from the Stronger Smarter Leadership Program on a daily basis.
- 98% said their Stronger Smarter training continues to have at least some impact on their leadership practice
- 80% report that their training continues to have ‘considerable impact’ on their personal leadership and workplace practice.
Not surprisingly, participants do take the Stronger Smarter Approach beyond their personal teaching and work with others in the school to implement school-wide strategies.
- Over 85% said they had taken the learnings from the program beyond their personal work to talk to others or work with others to implement Stronger Smarter ideas and practices in the workplace.
- 63% said that an understanding of the Stronger Smarter Approach had gone beyond just those staff who had attended the SSLP.
An overwhelming majority of our graduates use the language of Strong and Smart as a framework to promote high expectations across the school community.
- 97% said they had used the language of Strong and Smart to promote high expectations and belief in students, with 74% saying they use this language with students every week.
Yarning circles, which are modelled during the SSLP as a High-Expectations Relationships (HER) communication practice, are a strategy that many participants are taking away from the program with
- 95% said they had used a Yarning Circle with their students at some point, and
- 68% of teachers saying they use Yarning Circles every week with students.
Building strong relationships with staff and with the local community are also strategies that participants take away from the program.
- 69% said they use Yarning Circles in staff meetings of planning discussions at least a couple of times a term.
- 88% reported that their school or organisation has strategies to build strong relationships with the local community.