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Over the past 12 months, Wavell State High School Executive Principal Liz Foster has facilitated a shift in focus to ensure Wavell students are well prepared for any future that they choose.
With this intention in mind, she is also incredibly aware of what that world of work could look like.
Globalisation, along with the emergence of artificial intelligence and automation, means today’s students will be entering a workplace unlike any we’ve known before. She believes a purposeful education that considers the uniqueness of each individual and their contribution to society is critical to preparing students for this future.
“I believe in giving young people an education that recognises individual minds in thinking, reasoning, values and intuition,” Liz tells The Educator.
Another pillar in her educational philosophy is leadership through participation as a learner, whereby educators should seek to understand people, values and imagination.
“This includes equipping educators through capability and empowering with permission, which underpins aspects of teaching and leadership. We collectively design purpose with clarity for each of us to contribute as individuals and in teams.”
Liz says educators should also be constantly evolving in considering how they create environments that build resourcefulness for all involved to add value to their school community and to society at large.
“The importance of being open to learning new, leveraging research to inform practice and challenging conventions that stretch possibility in asking the question, ‘How might we prompt people to think beyond the normalised paradigms of teaching and leadership?’”.
Through her membership in Queensland ACEL’s Executive, Liz has also been encouraging educators to stretch the boundaries of their thinking through conversations, research and practice.
“Clarity on the purpose of school and education serves as a provocation for discussion,” she says.
“We need to challenge thinking that prompts us to consider how we might collectively construct a preferable future of schooling, reimagining and renegotiating learning in a world where access to knowledge is in abundance. Knowing what to do with this matters.”
Liz says traditional schooling systems are inadequate in preparing learners with the knowledge, mindset and capabilities required for the dynamic world in which we live.
“How might we co-construct systems that enable individual learners to be authentic and develop in understanding of self, as a learner in relation to others, the situation, the environment, and in utilising technology aligned to human purpose?,” she asks.
“And how will we as leaders of education and learning enable the development of our character and competence with the ability to learn, unlearn and relearn?”
Mentoring factors prominently in Liz’s approach to professional development. Drawing from the mentoring she has provided, she says there are several important professional learning priorities for Wavell’s staff heading into 2023.
“We know that investing in the professional learning of our people demonstrates value by equipping each other to pursue goals with meaning whilst simultaneously developing a strong sense of culture and community,” Liz says.
“In 2023 we will continue to focus on opportunities for all people in our school community. Professional learning is characterised by options designed and delivered by our staff in understanding our school context, culture, students, needs of colleagues.”
Liz notes that this is differentiated for professional interests and aspirations and informed by evidence in practice together with research.
“When talking with colleagues, we are actually very effective in articulating what we would like to know more about, whether that be leadership or designing effective learning experiences,” she says.
However, this support comes in the form of deliberately choosing to create time in our systems and structures that value professional learning and provide an environment for formal, informal, solo or small collegial groups to engage in professional dialogue that meets their needs and those of our school.”
Telopia Avenue, Wavell Heights, QLD 4012
07 3350 0333
efost2@eq.edu.au
linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-foster-6005a475
wavellshs.eq.edu.au
Liz Foster
Executive Principal
Wavell State High School
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Milestones
2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Year 7 Community Leader and Leader for Learning Technologies and Platforms at Northern Beaches Christian School
Master of Business Administration, 2017–2019
2021
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2011-2015
2016-2021
2021–present
2014-2015
2016–present
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Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
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2011-2015
2016-2021
2021–present
2014-2015
2016–present
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2014–2015
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2016–2021
2011–2015
2016–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Head of Teaching and Learning (F-12) at Balcombe Grammar School
2022: Received an award for Innovation in Curriculum Design at the Australian Education Awards
2022: Successfully completed the Harvard Business School Certificate in School Management and Leadership
2016–present
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2014-2015
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Haileybury
2014-2015
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2021-present
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Executive Principal at Wavell State High School
2021–present
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2016-2021
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Principal at MacGregor State High School
2016-2021
1997
2011-2015
human resources | key media
College Deputy Principal at Kelvin Grove State College
Head of School at Stretton State College
Principal at Ferny Grove State High School
2011-2015
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Milestones
2016–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
2022
Excellence awardee – Independent Mortgage Adviser of the Year category at the New Zealand Mortgage Awards
2022
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2022
2020–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
Deputy Principal at Australian Christian College - Southlands
Doctor of Education
2020–present
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2021
Launched his own business,
Ascend Financial Services
2022
2022
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
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2021
Launched his own business,
Ascend Financial Services
2022
