Name: Tracey Anne Macdonald

Title: Consultant

Organisation: ILM4Me.com

With a tenure exceeding five years at Aldar Education, my mission has been to lead schools with a focus on innovative educational leadership. At the helm of Al Budoor Charter School, we embraced a culture of continuous improvement, fostering child-centered learning environments through effective parent partnerships and staff development.

My role as School Principal has been enriched by my certification in School Management and Leadership from Harvard Business School Online. The skills in training, proposal writing, and educational leadership acquired during my vice principalship at Al Rayana School have been instrumental in driving excellence and nurturing a compassionate community in our charter school.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Educational Leadership!

I hope Tracey's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as an Educational Leader?

The most challenging experience for me is what I call the "sandwich syndrome". Pressure and expectations come up from those I lead and come down from those who lead me. I found that the support for the Principal is often more words than actions and it can be very lonely. Finding the work/life balance when working in education reform in circumstances that have so many last-minute deadlines is tough.

Caught in the middle was a common way of describing difficult days and that feeling of being the "strong one" for everyone else was very real. The flip side to such a challenge is of course, the satisfaction and sense of purpose it brings. High expectations of oneself and being an actions-based authentic and relationship-based leader is both rewarding and challenging.

2. How did you become an Educational Leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I believe that I became an educational leader the day I stepped into my first classroom as a teacher, upon graduating with my 3-year Diploma in Teaching Primary. I taught for many years across all grades from Prep to Grade 7. I have been privileged to be in education continuously for 42 years. I took on additional responsibilities as Music Teacher, Grade Leader, Curriculum Leader, acting APRE (Assistant Principal Religious Education), Education advisor, Head of Faculty, VP and Principal.

Some choices were intentional and some resulted from being in the right place at the right time. Moving to the UAE 16 years ago, provided opportunities to put my experience as a teacher and leader to use in a different context through education reform. Taking the plunge from ADEK to the first charter school in the UAE led me to open Al Budoor as the first charter school stand alone KG as Principal.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

I rise daily around 430am. I listen to either a motivational or reflective podcast to get me going. My partner and I discuss what the day holds. I shower and dress. I check my phone for messages and absences. 3 times per week I share an Inspirational quote/message/picture with the 6 What's App groups for work and professional colleagues. I check the birthday list and send birthday messages on each staff member's birthday, so we are all aware.

I leave for work at 6 am, arriving at 630am so I can have 40 minutes of quiet time to be prepped for the day, chat with cleaners, security, etc., and share the cover plan by WhatsApp. At 720am, I greet staff and then I start car student arrivals first checking bus arrivals are ready. I move from arrivals to my office, check in with admin and SLT and lead assembly at 8 am daily with the staff and students.

From 815 to 9 am daily, I complete a Walk Around to every class to see the staff and students. My day is made up of meetings, planning, and scheduled events such as training sessions, IEP meetings, company demands, etc. I actively support break times/play times with the students. At 125pm, I move to Bus Pick Up, supporting the students and staff for a safe exit.

I return to my office at 145pm, complete tasks, attend/lead PD, lead Staff gatherings and celebrations and engage with the staff until 4 pm when most depart. I then complete things that I have not completed, plan for upcoming events, meet with my VP and depart school usually around 630pm, arriving home around 7-715pm. I eat, watch some TV and retire around 930pm, complete my Gratitude Diary, try to sleep for 7 hours and do it all again.

4. What's a recent lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of as an Educational Leader?

On the last day of Term 2, 2024 in March, I was called to HQ and informed that my school was being taken back by the government - no consultation/communication and it would close in July 2024. HR stated that all staff would be given notice the following day, their last day of Term 2. Fortunately, I was able to delay this. Staff were informed at the end of April. I was to keep this information confidential until that date in April. I was reminded that everyone is replaceable, HR is often not supporting staff and education is a business for profit in this sector.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your journey as an Educational Leader so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted you?

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown. It is about being vulnerable - a quality that many leadership books do not promote. She explains that one who is not afraid of change and new challenges, embraces vulnerability, recognizing it not as a form of weakness but as a willingness to acknowledge when you don't know all the answers.

This is so powerful! Leave your ego at the door and embrace vulnerability by encouraging empathy, curiosity, and shared purpose. Action the organization's core values, build trust by setting clear boundaries and be reliable and generous. Clear is kind and unclear is unkind became our school motto, repeated so often! Resilience is grown by recognizing when a situation or emotion has a hold over you.

Accepting and recognizing the emotion helps you to create a story that you can control. This book put into words so many things I was doing and more that I could do and enabled me to more clearly articulate my WHY. I then purchased it for the SLT/MLT and we met weekly to work on the workbook which was a wonderful exercise.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young educator who aspires to be an Educational Leader, what would you say to them?

Education is always about people. Too often, the students are not the first priority and always should be. Nobody else has a job in education if there are no students. You have been given an incredible opportunity and responsibility to change the world for the better, one child at a time - embrace it, be vulnerable, be a lifelong learner, laugh and be joyful, and always put the kids as your focus. I wish you mentors and leaders along your journey who truly do TRUST the teachers.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as an Educational Leader, so far?

For a school to be successful, you must listen deeply to the parents, students and community. You must embrace parents, invite them to be involved and know what challenges they face. We had a family where the mother and her 5 small children, were experiencing abuse from her husband in a culturally sensitive community where such matters are NOT talked about.

The Parent Officer listened and built a strong relationship of trust. I in turn listened, supported and guided her. We were able to create a place where Mum felt safe to disclose her situation and we were able to provide the support needed. Mum left the situation, moved back to her family, got the support needed and the 2 boys at our school moved to another school in a new area.

At the end of that year, she returned with her 2 boys to visit, gave me a huge bunch of flowers, hugged me and said that if it had not been for me, she believed that her children and she would have been killed. I was so grateful and overwhelmed. Never underestimate the power of kindness, listening and looking deeper to see how you can support the education of the "whole" child.