Attending Dr Douglas Andrews’ seminar was a surprisingly reflective experience for me. While the focus of the session was on a mentorship programme, designed for aspiring school principals enrolled in a Master of Education Leadership degree in South Africa, I found myself constantly relating the discussion to my own time working as a teaching assistant in Spanish schools.
Dr Andrews’ seminar encouraged me to think beyond the surface of teaching. He spoke about how many educators move into leadership positions without sufficient preparation for the complexity of the role. Being a strong classroom teacher does not automatically mean being equipped to lead a school. Leadership requires navigating policy, managing staff dynamics, responding to community expectations, and making decisions that affect hundreds of students and families. Hearing this made me reflect on moments in Spanish schools where leadership decisions influenced classroom realities, even if I did not recognise it at the time.
In some schools, there seemed to be clear direction and consistency. In others, there were visible tensions—uncertainty about expectations, inconsistent approaches to behaviour, or pressure around performance outcomes. As a teaching assistant, I observed these differences but did not fully understand where they originated. The seminar helped me realise that leadership preparation, or the lack of it, can have long-term effects on school culture, teacher morale, and ultimately student learning.
One idea that particularly stayed with me was the importance of mentorship in preparing future principals. Instead of relying solely on theoretical coursework, the programme Dr Andrews described paired aspiring leaders with experienced principals. This struck me as both practical and necessary. Leadership cannot be learned only through textbooks; it
develops through conversation, reflection, and exposure to real challenges.
Looking back at my time as a teaching assistant, I can now see how structured mentorship might support not only school leaders but the entire teaching community. When leaders feel confident and supported, that stability filters down into classrooms. Teachers feel clearer about expectations, and students experience a more coherent learning environment. Conversely, when leaders are underprepared or unsupported, that uncertainty can subtly shape everyday teaching experiences.
The seminar made me more aware of how teacher training and leadership training are deeply connected. Schools often invest in developing classroom practice, but leadership development sometimes receives less visible attention. Yet the quality of leadership influences everything from professional development opportunities to the overall atmosphere
of a school. Personally, the session felt enlightening because it connected theory to lived experience. Rather than seeing isolated classroom challenges, I now recognise the broader structures that influence them. Understanding how mentorship can shape aspiring principals offered a deeper appreciation of what it truly takes to lead responsibly.
The long-term health of a school depends not only on what happens in the classroom, but on how well those guiding the school are supported and trained.