November 2009 Vol. 1, Issue 10 (PDF - 16.2Mb) - Department of ...

44 Nov 09 Regional Xxxx Network Leaders
questions for
Brian Mills
When he’s not reading books on
education or travel, Brian Mills,
regional network leader (RNL) for
central peninsula in the Southern
Metropolitan Region, can be found
immersed in whodunit movies.
1. What do you think makes a good principal?
A good principal is one who is able to develop a laser-like focus on
educational pedagogy and outcomes, while maintaining outstanding
interpersonal relationships and ensuring the technical aspects of the school
are running efficiently. A good principal is also one who recognises the skills
of all members of staff and is able to delegate tasks based around those skills
while ensuring the professional growth of all members of the team.
2. What are you reading at the moment?
I am reading Instructional Rounds in Education and John
Hattie’s book Visible Learning. For recreational reading
I enjoy Peter Mayle’s books A Year in Provence and its
sequels, and any travel literature.
3. When you were a student, who
was your most inspirational teacher?
During my early years I lived in Suva in Fiji. In Grade 1, I had a teacher by
the name of Mrs Clark. She was passionate about literacy and spelling, and
her passion for developing all students to the highest level possible according
to their capabilities remains in my memory as the finest example of how a
teacher can really make a difference.
4. What do you do to relax after work?
I collect DVDs and movies and like nothing better after work than watching
a British crime movie such as Midsomer Murders or Inspector Morse or
reading with a glass of wine or two.
5. What do you love to eat?
I enjoy all Asian cuisines but am passionate about Chinese and Indian
food, particularly yum cha and anything with chillies.
6. What is your idea of the perfect weekend?
The perfect weekend for me is going out for dinner on Friday night with
my wife, who is also an RNL, and spending Saturday perhaps having a bike
ride, a coffee and seeing my grandchildren. I like relaxing on the Sunday by
watching a DVD or catching up on some reading in front of the Coonara.
7. What was your main motivation for
becoming an RNL?
I was previously a senior education officer (SEO) and enjoyed the role
of working with schools and with principals across a range of areas.
The satisfaction of seeing schools change and improve led me to apply
for the RNL role.
8. What is your all-time
favourite movie?
My all time favorite movie is Murder on
the Orient Express but I also thoroughly
enjoy all the Indiana Jones movies.
9. What were you doing
prior to this role?
I was an SEO in the Mornington Peninsula.
Prior to that I was a primary school principal for 18 years;
the last 12 years as principal of Berwick Primary School.
10. What are some of the key projects
you’re working on?
Establishment of a range of networks across the peninsula sub-region,
developing relationships between schools in improving their outcomes,
looking at a greater inter-relationship between all the documentation
that schools provide and using data to drive instruction are all current
projects I am working on.