You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step (Martin Luther King Jr.)

My new workplace/home away from home.

Induction days are interesting events. I've run them and I've participated in them plenty of times.

I still remember my first one in January 1983 - New Plymouth Boys' High School. My face and right hand hurt from smiling so much and shaking so many hands.

I've found that it's always best to start the year at a new school, as opposed to joining a staff during the year. In my experience you may get 30 minutes, or you may get an hour, but you don't get a day with the other newbies.

That's the positive of the start of year induction, but there is a downside as well.

After a six-week holiday, my brain is never quite up to speed. That means my brain hurts from concentrating on people talking and assimilating key details. My teacher voice also takes a week or so to get back into the groove after a lengthy break. Yes, I know - first world problems.

My latest induction was no exception. Careful not to overload, a few speakers acknowledged how more details would come next week - that's always appreciated, but I still needed two Panadol.

Anyway - induction. Tick. Next up - two Teacher Only Days. Love it!

Real integrity

Mr. and Mrs. Truman

Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody's going to know whether you did it or not (Oprah Winfrey).

All children start their school careers with sparkling imaginations, fertile minds and a willingness to take risks with what they think (Ken Robinson)

 

Photo by Andrea Davis on Unsplash

I believe that when you find problems, you should also find solutions (Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala)

She walks the talk does Ngozi.

In March 2021, Okonjo-Iweala became the first woman and the first African to lead the World Trade Organisation, where she focuses on reforming trade rules and addressing global trade challenges.

She's got her work cut out for her in the current climate. Solutions are needed and it's nice to have her approach counter-balancing the chaos wrought by Donald Trump's reign in America.

Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success (Joyce Brothers)

 

Declan Rice

She puts her faith in the moment - outsiders (Suede)

The Mojo magazine covermount CD that is
next to my device as I typed this post.
Seemed appropriate for this one.

Cultish (Amanda Montell) continues to fascinate me in its look at how words, jargon and language use can create a specific world of insiders and outsiders.

Every school I've been in has had its own language, including a plethora of acronyms. When I worked for OneSchool Global they even had to publish a dictionary of acronyms for the induction of new staff. The dictionary also had its own acronym.

I'm joining a new staff in early 2026 and I'm sure there will be a lot of language/ acronyms/ jargon terms that I will need to learn, and use, to move from outsider to insider.

Induction takes place at the end of January and I'm looking forward to it immensely.

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret (Jackie Joyner-Kersee)

I used the title quote about this time last year. It's relevant again as I look forward to joining a new school for 2026.

To help prepare, I'm reading a few texts that I'll be using next term. Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell is the book I brought with me to my in-law's place for Christmas in New Plymouth.

It's interesting on a few fronts, having just read a book about NZ cult Gloriavale, having worked in Plymouth Brethren schools, and being about to work in another special character school.

It's also interesting to consider the wider applications of cults in other contexts - including a political one, and how language influences actions. Montell - “Totalitarian leaders can’t hope to gain or maintain power without using language to till a psychological schism between their followers and everyone else.”  

I'm looking forward to having some meaty discussions around this with my new students.