Laurie Williams – Educational Leadership Adviser, Kirakira in Solomon Islands

Laurie has worked in various education roles in New Zealand, other Pacific countries including Tonga and Fiji and Qatar before retiring in 2010. He was living in Masterton prior to taking up his VSA assignment.

What Laurie is doing in the Solomon Islands

Laurie initially took on a short-term assignment working with three head teachers on the island of Makira through a School Leadership Project. His task was to help them develop their role as school leaders.

Now he has taken on a two year assignment working at King George VI National Secondary School with the senior management team to develop, implement and improve good school practices.

Making a positive impact

Laurie is pleased to see school head teachers awakening to their potential as school leaders. He says that they have begun to change the way they see their roles – from seeing themselves as just school managers to becoming leaders in developing learning and teaching. He was especially pleased when a head teacher gave feedback about his work saying “The exchange with Laurie made me confident to do my job.”

Laurie’s highlights so far

“It’s great when you see people working together to solve problems, picking up on ideas and following them through, and coming up with good results.”

 “From a completely personal perspective a highlight is to wake up to a beautiful flat blue sea, a clear blue sky, and the scent of the frangipani – most days.”

What the Solomon Islands has taught Laurie

“Patience, tolerance and understanding bring their own rewards.”

“As adviser I have to stand back when there are times I’d love to be in there, boots and all. Sometimes I do cross the border to show what can be achieved – even though the achievement may be a temporary gain.”

“It’s not just the mind that takes time to adjust to the environment. I recall walking over sharp coral reef in sandals still feeling the sharpness of the coral, and trying to catch up to the Solomon Islander walking over the same razor sharp coral in bare feet!”