Six Months to go!
The new Millennium is slowly but surely creeping up on us
For all in schools it is as good as time as any to reflect on what we have achieved, and a chance to make some major changes for the new century.
It is exciting and energising to introduce real dramatic changes with as short a time line as possible. Some businesses have made dramatic changes overnight! They have had to! Often we underestimate the changes empowered teachers are capable of . It is only when people feel they are in charge of their own change agenda that things really happen.
Teachers have been virtually shell- shocked by barrages of 'semi -changes' that sap energy while making few substantial differences. . and the sounds imminent changes are almost deafening.
The Self Renewing School.
Joyce and Showers.
We need to ask what would dramatically change the perception of our school. This would be an exciting challenge to put to the BOT and staff - and students as well. What would create your school as the place to be - a 'wow!' place?
'Be in charge of your own destiny or some one else will.'
Jack Welch CEO General Electric
The introduction of 'Tomorrows Schools' changed the face of education introducing a managerial competitive culture, which was in conflict with much of what previously been accepted.
While no one would want to return to the past, there is, now that ten years have passed, plenty of scope to add our view to the education debate.
At the very beginning of those 'changes' there were 'voices' that warned us of the consequences of the market driven changes. In the confusion and excitement of the changes these 'voices' went unheeded as new experts delivered new answers to new problems. Critics were seen as people who couldn't cope with the brave new world of competition and individualism!
Too much emphasis has been given to reforming schools from the outside, through policies and mandates. Too little has been paid to how the schools can be shaped from within. Roland Barth
Now we must make the time if we are to regain some moral authority. It is apparent to anyone who takes the time to see that we are contributing to the creation of a society which is by no means equitable or fair. The ideology that captured Tomorrows Schools has, in the wider community (under the Market Forces flag) created a society that is suffering a moral and environmental crisis. There in a widening gap between the rich and the poor and cities full of alienated youth who have little faith that they will gain from any 'trickle down', a phrase not heard so much these days. The 'level playing field' is now more uneven than ever.
Creating social justice and a healthy democracy is a worthwhile challenge for schools to be an integral part of.
'What's Worth Fighting For Out There is ultimately about developing life lines of hope…for all those who are desperately seeking a way forward'.
Fullan and Hargreaves (98)
A new political 'Third Way' for the millennium?
Commentators are now talking of a 'third way', retaining capitalism for commerce but developing stronger community organisations to work with those who are currently being left out of the 'economic miracle'. This is a best of both scenario and in line with our logo. Efficiency in business - effectiveness in the social area.
Rebuilding a sense of community will be the challenge of politicians in the new millennium.
Without question we have had a breakdown in the sense of community. The solution is to restore a sense of community... and doing it within the school.
James Comer (99)
Innovative Principals by reinventing their school as Learning Communities, will be seen as the new pioneers.
'Lost cause are the only ones worth fighting for'
Fullan and Hargreaves (98)
To create LearningCommunities will require schools to reach out to their communities to develop a shared vision based on agreed values and behaviours that will benefit all.
Principals gaining courage?
Many Principals are now openly criticising the managerial compliance demands being placed on them and are returning their focus to where it should have never left - teaching and learning.
The idea of 'stand alone' competitive schools, which has been the basis of the current model, is already under threat. Every school 'reinventing the wheel' has proved to be time wasting and inefficient and has created an environment of 'winner and loser' schools.
New sources for help.
There is a growing awareness by schools that the answers to their problems are not Ministry sources and contracts but expertise closer to home - from local innovative schools.
Qualitative improvements since Tomorrows Schools this have been as the result of educational leadership at the school level.
How do we recapture the magic and myth of education?… one that enables teachers to believe in their importance … so that teachers and the public rediscovers the hope schools once held?
Deal and Peterson (99)
The new model (replacing the business metaphor) is the School as a Community based on shared values and when such values are translated into aligned actions by all you have a powerful combination.
'Shared values are more important than policies. We need passion, people and pride. Leadership not management' Lester Levy
Time for a paradigm shift!
Schools will need to ask themselves if they have the courage to join in behind this metaphor and be part of a, as yet hard to perceive, trend to create an inclusive society.
Each school is the key
Current writing on improving schools have focussed on helping individual schools take greater responsibility for their own growth. This requires the building of capacity into schools to be self-renewing rather than focussing on compliance regulations.
Communities of mind are collections of individuals who are bonded together by natural will and who are bonded to a set of shared ideas and ideals. Thomas Segiovanni
When central Bureaucracy is losing faith in the current ideology it is time to act!
The Ministry aware of these future trends (read it's current Strategy Plan) is currently reviewing it's legislative compliance requirements to create more space for schools to innovate. Even dinosaurs smelling change can learn it seems.
Curriculums under fire!
In the UK curriculum demands are being 'slimmed down'! The worldwide emphasis on numeracy and literacy can be seen as a criticism of the complexity and confusion of the standardised curriculum statements. Most schools have already 'slimmed down' curriculum demands and are 'benchmarking' what they feel are the important aspects in each Learning Area. The impossible it is now realised simply cannot be done let alone assessed!
Schools are regrouping
Even the Ministry, sensitive to changing times, is now encouraging clustering, at first for 'at risk' schools, and now for all. Principal groups are also becoming aware of the folly of not sharing, and are moving into a more collaborative mode.
Revisionism in ERO!
ERO is also redefining it's role focussing more on schools 'at risk' and leaving other schools to get on with it.
Their own role they are well aware is 'at risk' if there is a political change.
Let's use this ambiguity and indecision to our advantage!
Political change is in the air. Little will be clear about new agendas until after the election but all the signs point towards a new emphasis on rebuilding in New Zealand a society which is seen as fair to all. This will require an emphasis on reinventing a sense of community, and a return to the ethics of caring for others, that has been lost in the current demands of 'market forces'. Material gains, even if they have been achieved, are not enough to quell the disquiet.
Culture is all there is!
Schools need to take a new look at their schools. Rather than the 'managerial' obsession with student and teacher accountability they need to focus on the school as a total culture. There is no point in as at present fiddling with student assessment is the school is not aligned behind common shared beliefs.
The only thing of real importance that leaders do is to create and manage cultures. Edgar Schein (85)
What sort of school is your school? Do you know?
Stoll and Fink outline five types of school. Ask your staff and BOT where would they place your school? This task provides real insight into the current reality of your school and provide a focus for growth.
Moving Schools. These schools that know what they are doing. They have a clear shared vision that all can articulate. They have both the will and the skill. The ideal school.
Cruising Schools. Complacent, often traditional schools, whose students achieve in spite of teaching quality. Hard to shift.
Strolling Schools. Many schools fall into this category. Not moving fast enough to cope with changes. Neither effective or in -effective. They exhibit a lack clarity of purpose.
Struggling Schools. Ineffective and they know it. They have the energy and the will but not the skill. Will ultimately succeed with appropriate help.
Sinking Schools. Ineffective, isolated and unable to change. Often in a low socio- economic area. Need dynamic leadership help and support.
Assess your school using 'Change Frames'.
Stoll and Fink at the 98 Principals Conference at PN outlined seven Change Frames to develop a schools capacity for change.
Assess using a simple continuum.
1. The Purpose Frame - do all involved have a shared vision or sense of purpose?
2. The Passion Frame - does the school generate pride, positive feelings and a sense of excitement?
3. The Political Frame - is power and influence shared to advance the schools purpose?
4. The Structural Frame - how is the school organised to bring people together to share intelligence and energy?
5. The Organisational Learning Frame - does the school continually reflect on how well all involved are learning?
6. The leadership Frame - how do 'leaders' develop a shared sense of purpose, foster organisational development and learning?
A 'Cultural Audit'
What are the perceptions of all involved?
Is the school seen by all as a great place to be - for students, staff and parents?
Many schools undertake as part of creating a new vision for themselves, an 'audit' of how the school is currently perceived. The findings may not be easy to live with but until current reality is faced up to there is no real motivation to change!
Some questions to ask.
Each school would need to draw up question that they feel important. Each person (teacher/ student/ parent) could indicate his or her view by marking a continuum from 1 to 10.
1. Do the school have a school vision or a shared sense of purpose that you can articulate?
2. Is the principal seen as a leader able to articulate the school vision? (As against a manager keeping school on course.)
3. Do you feel the school is based on shared values as seen by agreed behaviours by staff and students?
4. Do students see the school as a safe emotional environment?
5. Do teachers and students feel that the school is an exciting environment, one of challenge and personal growth?
6. Is there a set of shared teaching beliefs about that all staff and students can articulate?
7. Does the school assist all students in the development of their interests and talents creating in the process a positive attitude towards learning and school?
8. Does the school celebrate the achievements of all its members?
9. Does the school have the highest expectations of its students and teachers? Are all challenged to achieve their 'personal best'?
10. Does the school have a means to monitor it's own performance by a system of open self- review involving all 'stakeholders'?
11. Are students motivated to take responsibility for their own learning and self assessment?
12. Are parents aware of the vision and values of the school?
Such an audit will indicate:
Current strengths
Concerns
Aspects to develop
After the audit begin the process of creating a shared vision and strategy.
The importance of looking at the 'Big Picture' first.
Creating the school around the vision of the schools as a learning community based on shared values and teaching beliefs provides a sense of hope and direction. This is the true function of leadership.
Schools should first assess themselves to see if they have a shared culture.
Once vision, values and beliefs have been established teachers and students and BOT and parents should be surveyed to see if these values are truly shared. These surveys will indicate strategies that will need to be put in place
Do teachers programmes and behaviours reflect shared beliefs about teaching and learning? Are these beliefs integrated into the PMS system? What professional development is required?
Do student actions reflect the 'learning how to learn' behaviours as defined?
Once the shared vision and teaching beliefs are in place then assess student achievement against what the school values.
Ideally the emphasis should be on student self-assessment against negotiated criteria.
The focus for creating the school as a learning community is the development of skilled, caring, responsible students fully equipped to thrive in what will be a changing and exciting future.
The hope is that such students will be able to create better community in the new millennium, one that will value each and every one of them.
This would be a vision that would provide teachers a hopeful and creative future role to part of.