Chris and Carmel Luman
Who is Sitting Across From You at The Headmaster's HelpDesk
Being a school principal is often a lonely job, with many challenges. The same can be said for parents and educators. We are passionate about education, maximising leadership potential, good parenting, and ensuring every learner can strive to be the best that they can be.
Much of this success depends on healthy home lives. This is why we are deeply focused on relationship coaching and development through programmes such as “The Good Man Journey”.
With almost two decades of international teaching experience, three decades in upper management roles, and more than ten years as a high school headmaster, Chris has an insider’s view on education and parenting, with skills acquired through experience to address challenges in schools and at home.
We work alongside school principals, boards and governing bodies, educators, parents, and learners to review existing processes and devise strategic plans. Applied with demonstrable success in Chris’s years as a headmaster and educator, our consultancy services provide exciting potential for high-impact, positive changes and ongoing success.
Meet
Dr Chris Luman
I have made excellence in education my life’s work. With a PhD in education and almost four decades of teaching experience, I am well-versed in the daily challenges faced by educators and learners. In the last decade as a headmaster, I have devised practical solutions and created a model that has elevated practices, standards of leadership and education, and reputation.
However, achieving success relies on alignment at different levels within the school community. Governance, culture, policy and parenting are powerfully linked in driving meaningful success in education. As a parent and as a principal, strategic plans developed through the Headmasters Help Desk are a living document for creative, effective, practical steps to success.
I have written a myriad research papers over the years, but my
specialist areas include:
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- The benefits of single-sex education.
- Mentorship of teachers, learners, and parents.
- Management of learner behaviour.
- The role of leadership in education.
- The role of character education in schools.
- The Good Man Journey.
- The development of young men and the role of parents, especially fathers.
Meet
Carmel Luman
As a wife, mother, stepmother, and now a proud grandmother, my journey has been one of nurturing, guidance, and unwavering support. For many years, I’ve contributed invaluable maternal wisdom and deep insights to our shared mission at the Headmasters Help Desk. My extensive experience has enriched our work, ensuring that every aspect is approached with both precision and compassion.
My role at the Headmasters Help Desk goes beyond mere support—I bring a unique perspective that complements our holistic approach to education. My ability to blend maternal guidance with the principles of the Good Man Journey has been instrumental in fostering strong, meaningful mother-and-son relationships. Through years of dedication to the development of young men, I’ve gained a profound understanding of their needs, challenges, and potential.
At the core of my work is the belief that a mother’s influence is pivotal in a young man’s journey, and I am passionate about empowering mothers to play a central role in this process. Together with my husband, I am proud to contribute to the growth and development of the next generation, ensuring that our work at the Headmasters Help Desk resonates with both families and educators alike.
Testimonial
What They're Saying
“Dr Chris Luman and I have collaborated closely on a range of projects for nearly a decade. He is dedicated to creating good culture through strategic solutions that draw on evidence gained from solid research. He is open-minded, courageous, and highly regarded as a successful headmaster. He has been a fine representative for South African schools on the international stage. I consider him to be a wise mentor and valuable source of counsel.”
Dr Phil Cummins
Managing Director, The CIRCLE Group
“Luman’s focus has been on character-based education and he has obtained both a Masters degree and a Doctorate for his work on the subject. It was an issue, he contended, that needed to be tackled when he took up his post and, while he was exploring the theory in his studies, he was implementing those changes at College. While there was some resistance in the beginning, the results of focusing on character-based education have been emphatically positive, and the buy-in to Luman’s approach has been almost universal.”
Brad Morgan
Pinnacle South Africa
“A natural leader, a firm educationalist and a pioneer for teacher development, Dr Luman has been instrumental in offering his support for many English Language Teaching initiatives. Dr Luman has been central to the MCEASA Conference (Maritzburg College in association with the English Academy of Southern Africa), offering the school’s unwavering operational support and by his participation as a guest speaker and presenter for the conferences. He’s covered topics ranging from discipline management in the English classroom to the role of the mentor in ELT.”
Rodelle Govender
Deputy President – NAETSA
“As a Headmaster of a prestigious and highly successful boys' school in South Africa, as well as extensive leadership experience in top schools in New Zealand, Chris Luman brings considerable insight into the complexities of educational leadership. His consultancy can offer guidance to schools striving for excellence in today’s challenging academic landscape. With a deep understanding of the unique needs of boys' education, he can provide strategies that will enhance both academic and co-curricular success. Chris is passionate about education, particularly the character education of boys, and their journey towards manhood. Schools looking to foster well-rounded young men will find Chris’s experience and dedication invaluable.”
Prof J Finnie
UKZN