19 June 2026

He manako te kōura i kore ai

Wishing for the crayfish won’t bring it

I’ve been thinking a lot about a particular whakataukī lately - one that reminds us that wishing for the crayfish won’t bring it in - it requires deliberate effort.

It made me think about how we approach things. If you asked my partner, he would say I often tell him he has too much hope. "You cannot live by hope alone!" I'll say. I, on the other hand, don't naturally bring nearly as much hope to the party. When I completed my VIA Character Strengths assessment some time ago, hope sat squarely as a ‘middle strength’ for me.

But maybe it’s a good thing we have different profiles. This is exactly what we talk about with our children, and what we pay attention to as a staff and a Board - who brings what to a situation, and how we can complement one another. Of course, there are times we all need to dial certain strengths up or down depending on what’s required.

About ten years ago, I was introduced to the world of Positive Psychology and undertook 18 months of study in the field. It was music to my ears to see that just last month, NZ Principals are being encouraged to undertake a Professional Learning in this very material. I hope they, too, find themselves backed by their Boards/Community to build Positive Education as a foundation in their curriculum.

We aren't standing still. This year, our strategic focus is evolving. We are actively transitioning away from a purely individual-focused model to look at wellbeing through a broader, systemic lens - a concept we call "developing eyes for others."

Looking ahead, we will be developing our own unique, tailored model of wellbeing. This is going to require both your heads and your hearts as we head into 2027.

I know from firsthand experience what a real difference this work makes to a school and everyone within it. But as that whakataukī reminds us, it won't happen by accident. It has to be deliberate. It has to be planned.

Maybe you would like to give the survey a whirl?

Character Strengths-Survey

Ngā mihi nui