I set-up this blog to introduce technology into the school leadership courses that I teach for the University; I hope it will increase communication and thinking about the topics we discuss and school leadership in general.
Best books for educational leaders
A brief guide to cloud computing by Barnatt
A whole new mind by Pink
Dealing with difficult teachers by Whitaker
Drive by Pink
Education nation by Chen
Failure is not an option by Blankstein
Focus by Schmoker
Getting things done by Allen
Leadership & the force of love by Hoyle
Leading school change by Whitaker
Mastery of management by Kahler
Playing for pizza by Grisham (just for fun)
Results now by Schmoker
School leadership that works by Marzano
Teacher evaluation that makes a difference by Marzano & Toth
The global achievement gap by Wagner
The manufactured crisis by Berliner
The wizard and the warrior by Bolman & Deal
Visible learning by Hattie
Where have all the leaders gone by Iacocca
The School House
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Saturday, March 17, 2012
School Change - Response for Module 3
Researchers (Katz & Kahn 1978) suggest that schools are open systems and as such they have inputs, transformation processes, outputs and feedback loops which correlate with organizational change. How and why might knowledge of the open systems model be useful to a school principal as it relates understanding the the characteristics of school change?
An understanding of the open systems module would be essential for any school principal to understand as it relates to change. A basic understand of the cause and effect relationship that change has in general is needed in any organization and that is what I feel like this model breaks down to in the end. There are inputs or proposed changes by the principal, processing time by the staff, and then outputs that will provide feedback by way of positive or negative interactions and in some cases even student successes. I think it is important for school principals to be able to understand the last step above all others. How is the feedback measured? If it is measured by certain student successes what are those? If it is measured by employee relationships, how are those effected? If negative things happen and that is a part of the feedback how will that be addressed so that the input is changed to a more desirable one. In my current role as a lead teacher this is something I have encountered as the old lead teacher is transitioning out. She did not do much in the way of providing real and timely feedback to other teachers and there are some obvious gaps that must now be filled in the areas of professional development and classroom management. It is essential that as I address these issues I am cautious of the input and aware of the feedback channels so that I can be sure the change is effective and not just change for the sake of change.
It is useful for a school principal to have a strong working knowledge of the open systems model of schools because it will allow them to understand the processes at work inside the school and the school’s interaction with the environment, which will ultimately impact how they will best implement change. According to Lunenburg and Oldfield (2010), schools receive four types of inputs human, financial, and physical and information systems. The work for school administrators is to take all of these inputs and transform them through internal operations and management into systems and activities which work to affect the school’s outcomes, or goals. The two most important parts of the open systems model, as it relates to school change, are the feedback loop and understanding the environmental factors on the school. The feedback loop is important because without it, the system becomes stagnant. Feedback should be utilized to inform the changes needed to the system, to communicate those changes to stakeholders and then to measure the effect of changes made to the school. The environmental factors that impact change within a school are federal, state and local laws, market accountability factors, school board pressures and school improvement status. The current educational landscape in America is one of high accountability around student outcomes, especially with NCLB requirements. In addition, school choice, whether with charter schools or vouchers lead schools to have to be aware of market accountability and competition from other schools. Finally, individual districts may have rules or initiatives which impact individual school systems. Principals or other school leaders must be aware of the need to constantly monitor outcomes, utilize feedback received and pay attention to legislative mandates and market factors which impact the school. Most importantly, with this knowledge, principals must be willing to be flexible and adaptive to changes needed.
It is important for a principal to have knowledge of the open systems model because they will need to use it and work within it to accomplish the mission and vision of the school. Principals and everyone involved in education knows it is ever changing and the stakes are high and change in inevitable. I work in a building and for an organization that I believe works as an open system. We provide a service to our parent and students and we expect results in the form of behavior and academic achievement for and from the students. If we do not get the desired results we collaborate to dissect the data and decide which strategies we will implement and which ones we will abandon in order to reach the new goal or goals that we set. We also provide professional development training to all staff members and supply them with the materials, tools and support they need to be successful. We survey our parents and staff about their satisfaction of the school and what changes they would like to see within the school. We then take their feedback and make decisions and changes based upon their feedback. We create goals to achieve based on staff input, hold weekly meeting s to discuss student achievement and needs of the building including staff, weekly observations and individually face time to discuss staff concerns and teaching. This is just a few of the items we incorporate into the culture of our building to make it a success. As a member of our leadership team, we know the importance of getting all staff members involved and taking ownership in the success of the school, we operate with an open door policy and the staff knows they can talk to administration about anything. According to Lunenburg & Ornstein (2008), “We have all seen school administrators jeopardize a school district by spending all their energies on inputs or outputs while paying little attention to employee motivation, quality of leadership, methods of decision making, and internal communications.” (p. 202) When you have a culture and climate where you trust each and are working towards the same goal, you can accomplish great things. If you have a working knowledge of the open systems, we will be able to navigate your way to creating a culture that functions well together.
The open systems model can be useful to a school principal because of the feedback loops that can influence organizational changes. The open systems model can be compared to a logic model. A logic model is a systematic and visual way to present and share your understanding of the relationships among the resources you have to operate your program, the activities you plan, and the changes or results you hope to achieve (W.K. Kellogg Foundation, 2004). A logic model like the open systems model can be used to examine and evaluate organizational change. Just like a logic model the open systems model is constantly working in a loop. Through this loop the change can be monitored and evaluated for effectiveness. The principal can look at internal and external influences and how they can play a role in the change. The principal should be involved in the whole process and should be constantly checking the progress (feedback loops) as a part of their roles and responsibilities.
Katz and Kahn, the creators of the open systems model, provide a very detailed description of the model within the text, which discusses how it could be utilized by a school principal (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2008). By utilizing this model, the school principal will be able to get an all-encompassing view of every component within their school or organization. First, these individuals will need to list all of the resources that are provided by the external environment, such as teachers, textbooks, computers, other material, information, etc. Second, the school principal would determine what population they serve and what services are provided. Finally, the school principal would be able to determine what behaviors, skills, or products, which are known as outputs, are produced as a result of the inputs and transformation process (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2008). The knowledge of the open systems model might be beneficial to a school principal as it relates to school change because it will help these individuals make sure that they are paying close attention to all components of the process. Lunenburg and Ornstein (2008) state that utilizing this model can help school leaders determine what areas need to receive the most focus, such as the inputs, outputs, or transformation process. However, it is important to recognize that there is a possibility that a principal may need to focus on all areas. This model could help principals determine the employees’ level of motivation, job satisfaction, and level of morale. If areas such as these do not receive adequate attention then change either will not result or will not be positive (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2008). This model also allows for the school leaders to receive feedback which could advocate for the need to change various components within the model. Currently, I am completing research on a scholarship program at Central Michigan University. As a part of the process, I am utilizing an evaluation model/framework that emphasizes the inputs, outputs, and outcomes of the program. I have had to identify the resources utilized from the outside environment, such as stakeholders, individuals who work with the program, time invested, money, facilities, etc. It was also mandatory to identify what it is that this organization does and who they serve. Finally, the short, medium, and long- term outcomes of the program had to be determined such as the skills/knowledge gained, change in behaviors/practices/policies, and changes in the social conditions, environment, etc. As a result of the research being collected the director will be able to determine where there are flaws within the system and create ways to implement change and increase academic, professional, and social success amongst its participants. In my opinion, this is very similar to the steps a school principal would need to take in order to identify problem areas, implement change, and increase success amongst its students and staff.
It is very useful for a school principal to be knowledgeable of an open system. All schools are open systems because they constantly interact with their environment (Lunenberg, 2010). To totally understand what an open system is one needs to know that it refers to a system that interacts with other systems or the outside environment, where a close system refers to systems having relatively little interaction with other systems or the outside environment. The open system consists of five basic elements: inputs, a transformation process, outputs, feedbacks and the environment (Lunenburg and Ornstein, 2008). There are four kinds of inputs: human resources, financial resources, physical resources, and information resources (Lunenburg, 2010). Human makes up the staff and labor, financial is the capital of the school, physical are the resources which include supplies and facilities, and information is the knowledge, curricula, and data. Next is the transformation process and that is simply, the school’s administrator’s job involves combining and coordinating these various resources to attain the school’s goals- learning for all (Lunenburg, 2010). Outputs are goals and objectives of the school district, which represents the outcomes and accomplishments of the system. Feedback is crucial for the school to be successful, it is used to correct issues or make stronger areas even better. Last is the environment, this includes the social, political, and economic forces of a school district. With each of these school principals most be aware of the pressures at the local, state, and federal levels. This is how open systems operate in a school and why it is very important for a principal to be aware of of the model and how it operates. We currently dwell in a turbulent, environment, one in which change constantly occurs and elements in the environment are increasingly interrelated (Emery and Trist, 1971; Terreberg, 1971; Robbins, 1990). I believe the best example for a principal to use in a school to deal with the change is developing and implementing a professional learning community (PLC). PLC is where the teachers in a school and its administrators continuously seek and share learning and then act on what they learn (Issues…about Change, Vol 6, No. 1 (1997)). The big idea behind PLC’s is that educators shift from a focus on teaching to a focus on learning (DuFour, 2004). School districts need to live up to their words of “learning for all” and focus on the learning and not just the teaching. When developing a PLC, three questions need to drive the work of the PLC; “what do we want each student to learn”, “how will we know when each student has learned it”, and how will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning” (DuFour, 2004). The answer to the third question is the big difference from schools that actually use PLC’s correctly. The second component of a PLC is collaboration. Collaboration is when the entire staff works together to achieve student learning. Too many schools today have more teacher isolation. The last thing is to focus on results and try to judge the effectiveness of the basic results. Schools populations change all the time and at the state level it seems to be more about what the data says, while my question is are we looking at the right data. Are we looking at what we want students to learn? Are we making sure that the students who struggle are getting the proper help they need to succeed? I want data that is useful to help the school deal with change. Currently, my district has a PLC (in the high school), but it is nothing like the one that DuFour suggests. It is basically for teacher to community to administrators on rules, policies, and other changes they want to be changed or improved. Overall, it is very important to understand an open system model as a principal and to deal with the characteristics of change. The best tool for a principal would be to implement a true PLC, one where the focus is on learning, not on teaching.
Currently there has been a great concentration on the transformation of the pubic school systems and the outcomes it has produced over the years. There are records to prove that the United States of America has experienced achievement gaps and in comparison to other countries there is no competition for positive outcomes of education. Therefore, principals and administrator have to organization an open system school environment. This means the external factors must be involved within the school system, schools must consider the four kind of inputs, transformation process, outputs, feedback, and environment. The reason why this knowledge is important to an administrator is because there’s much pressure to improve school’s system. A new administrator has the availability to place the open system approach where as a more experienced supervisor may have to complete some form of organizational learning while others are making smoother approach. Yet, every educational leader can make appropriate changes according to this method because when following the steps of an open system model, a principal can expect to have a school who competitive, achieving goals and encouraging staff to become examples for their pupils.
Change is occurring in our public schools each year as districts strive for their AYP. A school administrator can and should use the Open Systems model as a resource to guide their change. Beginning with the environment surrounding the district or even the change itself, this can influence whether or not the change goes smoothly or runs into the resistance. An administrator needs to be aware of the environment (community, staff, students, and parents) in which they are implementing change. Change that is going to use resources the community or district has little of, will create animosity toward the leadership guiding the change. On the other hand, change that uses resources in a conservative or respective manor, especially in the current financial situations in most schools will hinder some resistance that may come about. I would like to believe that pressure for change stems from accountability of the district and its leadership as it pertains to student and teacher performance. Changing demographics, low staff numbers, and technology changes are all going to bring pressure, but in this day and age that is all expected by the administrator and the community surrounding the school. However, if the processes and people are not handled correctly, an administrator will find that accountability is jeopardized. For example, administration may find that a change in the curriculum and assessments are necessary for the district to move towards higher achievement. If the process of how the district was previously operating the curriculum and assessments was found to be inadequate and the new foundation for driving change, those using the methods of process would create some of the resistance. A fear of the unknown and a lack of understanding the new change can hamper a district's moral and overall working desire. When an administrator is familiar with the Open Systems Model, they can drive focus in the Transformation Process. This is where the processes can be evaluated through the internal feedback and guide the administrator to decision making. These actions will help to reassure all involved with change and ease tension and resistance.
“Custodians must be well-trained, skilled, and professional in order to create a quality environment for students, prevent accidents, recognize warning signs, trouble shoot emergencies, and have complete facility operation awareness” (NEA – www.nea.org). Unfortunately, many school districts continue to ignore the many concerns and problems that face custodial personnel on a daily basis.
In many districts, custodians are training themselves on the job with little or no outside training. In other districts, custodians receive erratic training because the leadership has no standardized training program. Further, according to a National Public Radio story, Cash-Strapped Schools Cutting Custodial Works, custodians have become prime targets for cuts in a budget pinch. School officials say that to save money and teachers, many systems are beginning to outsource their custodial work.
Three of the myths that circulate among school leadership about the value of staff development for custodial personnel include the following:
1. Custodians do not need professional development. As one custodian responded, “Custodians are environmentalists.” A custodian’s work is not just about cleaning, but about providing the safest and healthiest environment possible for learning. He believes that one of the most important responsibilities is to insure proper indoor air quality, uniform temperatures, and healthful ventilation. That is why meaningful, multi-level professional development programs are extremely important to establish and sustain a healthful and safe environment for a public school and its school community.
Another paraprofessional who spent 16 years as a custodian recalls a tragic incident that changed many lives. "One of our custodians left an aerosol can of a chemical that we use for freezing gum on top of his cart when classes were changing in the hallway," she says. "A little boy thought it would be funny to spray the can in his mouth, and it basically froze his mouth and lungs." "It was a horrible day for all of us," she said. If the custodian had been trained about chemical safety, the accident might not have happened.
2. Cleaning and maintaining are not hard tasks to do or to learn properly. The Custodians’ responsibilities extend far beyond the simple task of cleaning. A Michigan Maintenance Worker says he “feels like he goes to a different job every day – from clearing snow and spraying weeds to electrical repairs, plumbing, and maintaining furnace boilers to keep them running efficiently is all in a day’s work. He also controls the buildings’ new computerized heating and cooling system from a laptop and desktop computer.
3. Student achievement has nothing to do with the work of custodians. The truth is that in many more ways that you would imagine, hundreds of custodians and maintenance workers make a profound impact on students each day. For example, a high school custodian in Arizona organized a school-to-work program called “Jobs for Today’s Students” whereby more than 50 students shadow school employees as custodians, computer aides, secretaries, etc. The custodian, on his own time, obtained funding for the program through parent outreach and political organizing.
A New Hampshire custodian, another example, used his architectural skills to change the school aesthetics from “like a prison” to something pleasurable with grass, curved walkways, flowers and trees. The Parent Teacher Association and school board unanimously agreed to fund the construction. Over the summer, the custodian took the lead in working with contractor and city officials and the school was transformed.
The training programs should be evaluated to establish standard operating procedures; evaluate how the custodial program allocates funding to provide the most efficient and cost effective equipment; evaluate cleaning products custodians use to improve safety, health and functionality for the custodial work force; and what the Custodian will learn from the particular program.
. Describe Lewin's Theory of FFA and explain how it might be helpful for a school leader's successful implementation of a new initiative. Kurt Lewin wrote that "An issue is held in balance by the interaction of two opposing sets of forces - those seeking to promote change (driving forces) and those attempting to maintain the status quo (restraining forces)". http://www.change-management-coach.com/force-field-analysis.html Kurt Lewin’s Theory basically assesses the pros and cons of how people accept change. It also describes that people life situations be it past or present is a factor of how they will either be for change and or against it. As a principal it is important that they consider the person as an individual and as a team. The principal should have a professional relationship where he/she is able to determine if the necessary change within his/her staff will be easy or difficult to accept. But, studying and understanding Lewins theory the principal should be able to use the best practices in getting it team on board to see the bigger picture to accept change and do what’s necessary to bring all on board.
How and why might knowledge of the open systems model be useful to a school principal as it relates understanding the characteristics of school change? An open system is a system that regularly exchanges feedback with its external environment. Open systems are systems, of course, so inputs, processes, outputs, goals, assessment and evaluation, and learning are all important. Aspects that are critically important to open systems include the boundaries, external environment and equifinality. Healthy open systems continuously exchange feedback with their environments, analyze that feedback, adjust internal systems as needed to achieve the system’s goals, and then transmit necessary information back out to the environment. http://managementhelp.org/misc/orgs-open-systems.pdf I think the open system will be beneficial to a school principal because it will help of the understanding on how change can be accepted and or rejected and the pros and cons of both. It will also help the principal understand the importance of getting his entire team on board to an open system and share the knowledge of it so therefore his staff will better adapt and understand. In the educational field there is constant change and sometime change can be frustrating for all. However if the principal understands open systems and share and model it for the staff change will have a better chance internally and externally for all involved.
An understanding of the open systems module would be essential for any school principal to understand as it relates to change. A basic understand of the cause and effect relationship that change has in general is needed in any organization and that is what I feel like this model breaks down to in the end. There are inputs or proposed changes by the principal, processing time by the staff, and then outputs that will provide feedback by way of positive or negative interactions and in some cases even student successes. I think it is important for school principals to be able to understand the last step above all others. How is the feedback measured? If it is measured by certain student successes what are those? If it is measured by employee relationships, how are those effected? If negative things happen and that is a part of the feedback how will that be addressed so that the input is changed to a more desirable one. In my current role as a lead teacher this is something I have encountered as the old lead teacher is transitioning out. She did not do much in the way of providing real and timely feedback to other teachers and there are some obvious gaps that must now be filled in the areas of professional development and classroom management. It is essential that as I address these issues I am cautious of the input and aware of the feedback channels so that I can be sure the change is effective and not just change for the sake of change.
ReplyDeleteIt is useful for a school principal to have a strong working knowledge of the open systems model of schools because it will allow them to understand the processes at work inside the school and the school’s interaction with the environment, which will ultimately impact how they will best implement change.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Lunenburg and Oldfield (2010), schools receive four types of inputs human, financial, and physical and information systems. The work for school administrators is to take all of these inputs and transform them through internal operations and management into systems and activities which work to affect the school’s outcomes, or goals.
The two most important parts of the open systems model, as it relates to school change, are the feedback loop and understanding the environmental factors on the school. The feedback loop is important because without it, the system becomes stagnant. Feedback should be utilized to inform the changes needed to the system, to communicate those changes to stakeholders and then to measure the effect of changes made to the school. The environmental factors that impact change within a school are federal, state and local laws, market accountability factors, school board pressures and school improvement status. The current educational landscape in America is one of high accountability around student outcomes, especially with NCLB requirements. In addition, school choice, whether with charter schools or vouchers lead schools to have to be aware of market accountability and competition from other schools. Finally, individual districts may have rules or initiatives which impact individual school systems.
Principals or other school leaders must be aware of the need to constantly monitor outcomes, utilize feedback received and pay attention to legislative mandates and market factors which impact the school. Most importantly, with this knowledge, principals must be willing to be flexible and adaptive to changes needed.
It is important for a principal to have knowledge of the open systems model because they will need to use it and work within it to accomplish the mission and vision of the school. Principals and everyone involved in education knows it is ever changing and the stakes are high and change in inevitable. I work in a building and for an organization that I believe works as an open system.
ReplyDeleteWe provide a service to our parent and students and we expect results in the form of behavior and academic achievement for and from the students. If we do not get the desired results we collaborate to dissect the data and decide which strategies we will implement and which ones we will abandon in order to reach the new goal or goals that we set.
We also provide professional development training to all staff members and supply them with the materials, tools and support they need to be successful. We survey our parents and staff about their satisfaction of the school and what changes they would like to see within the school. We then take their feedback and make decisions and changes based upon their feedback. We create goals to achieve based on staff input, hold weekly meeting s to discuss student achievement and needs of the building including staff, weekly observations and individually face time to discuss staff concerns and teaching. This is just a few of the items we incorporate into the culture of our building to make it a success. As a member of our leadership team, we know the importance of getting all staff members involved and taking ownership in the success of the school, we operate with an open door policy and the staff knows they can talk to administration about anything. According to Lunenburg & Ornstein (2008), “We have all seen school administrators jeopardize a school district by spending all their energies on inputs or outputs while paying little attention to employee motivation, quality of leadership, methods of decision making, and internal communications.” (p. 202)
When you have a culture and climate where you trust each and are working towards the same goal, you can accomplish great things. If you have a working knowledge of the open systems, we will be able to navigate your way to creating a culture that functions well together.
By Tammy Henry
The open systems model can be useful to a school principal because of the feedback loops that can influence organizational changes. The open systems model can be compared to a logic model. A logic model is a systematic and visual way to present and share your understanding of the relationships among the resources you have to operate your program, the activities you plan, and the changes or results you hope to achieve (W.K. Kellogg Foundation, 2004). A logic model like the open systems model can be used to examine and evaluate organizational change. Just like a logic model the open systems model is constantly working in a loop. Through this loop the change can be monitored and evaluated for effectiveness. The principal can look at internal and external influences and how they can play a role in the change. The principal should be involved in the whole process and should be constantly checking the progress (feedback loops) as a part of their roles and responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteKatz and Kahn, the creators of the open systems model, provide a very detailed description of the model within the text, which discusses how it could be utilized by a school principal (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2008). By utilizing this model, the school principal will be able to get an all-encompassing view of every component within their school or organization. First, these individuals will need to list all of the resources that are provided by the external environment, such as teachers, textbooks, computers, other material, information, etc. Second, the school principal would determine what population they serve and what services are provided. Finally, the school principal would be able to determine what behaviors, skills, or products, which are known as outputs, are produced as a result of the inputs and transformation process (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2008).
ReplyDeleteThe knowledge of the open systems model might be beneficial to a school principal as it relates to school change because it will help these individuals make sure that they are paying close attention to all components of the process. Lunenburg and Ornstein (2008) state that utilizing this model can help school leaders determine what areas need to receive the most focus, such as the inputs, outputs, or transformation process. However, it is important to recognize that there is a possibility that a principal may need to focus on all areas. This model could help principals determine the employees’ level of motivation, job satisfaction, and level of morale. If areas such as these do not receive adequate attention then change either will not result or will not be positive (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2008). This model also allows for the school leaders to receive feedback which could advocate for the need to change various components within the model.
Currently, I am completing research on a scholarship program at Central Michigan University. As a part of the process, I am utilizing an evaluation model/framework that emphasizes the inputs, outputs, and outcomes of the program. I have had to identify the resources utilized from the outside environment, such as stakeholders, individuals who work with the program, time invested, money, facilities, etc. It was also mandatory to identify what it is that this organization does and who they serve. Finally, the short, medium, and long- term outcomes of the program had to be determined such as the skills/knowledge gained, change in behaviors/practices/policies, and changes in the social conditions, environment, etc. As a result of the research being collected the director will be able to determine where there are flaws within the system and create ways to implement change and increase academic, professional, and social success amongst its participants. In my opinion, this is very similar to the steps a school principal would need to take in order to identify problem areas, implement change, and increase success amongst its students and staff.
It is very useful for a school principal to be knowledgeable of an open system. All schools are open systems because they constantly interact with their environment (Lunenberg, 2010). To totally understand what an open system is one needs to know that it refers to a system that interacts with other systems or the outside environment, where a close system refers to systems having relatively little interaction with other systems or the outside environment. The open system consists of five basic elements: inputs, a transformation process, outputs, feedbacks and the environment (Lunenburg and Ornstein, 2008). There are four kinds of inputs: human resources, financial resources, physical resources, and information resources (Lunenburg, 2010). Human makes up the staff and labor, financial is the capital of the school, physical are the resources which include supplies and facilities, and information is the knowledge, curricula, and data. Next is the transformation process and that is simply, the school’s administrator’s job involves combining and coordinating these various resources to attain the school’s goals- learning for all (Lunenburg, 2010). Outputs are goals and objectives of the school district, which represents the outcomes and accomplishments of the system. Feedback is crucial for the school to be successful, it is used to correct issues or make stronger areas even better. Last is the environment, this includes the social, political, and economic forces of a school district. With each of these school principals most be aware of the pressures at the local, state, and federal levels. This is how open systems operate in a school and why it is very important for a principal to be aware of of the model and how it operates.
ReplyDeleteWe currently dwell in a turbulent, environment, one in which change constantly occurs and elements in the environment are increasingly interrelated (Emery and Trist, 1971; Terreberg, 1971; Robbins, 1990). I believe the best example for a principal to use in a school to deal with the change is developing and implementing a professional learning community (PLC). PLC is where the teachers in a school and its administrators continuously seek and share learning and then act on what they learn (Issues…about Change, Vol 6, No. 1 (1997)). The big idea behind PLC’s is that educators shift from a focus on teaching to a focus on learning (DuFour, 2004). School districts need to live up to their words of “learning for all” and focus on the learning and not just the teaching. When developing a PLC, three questions need to drive the work of the PLC; “what do we want each student to learn”, “how will we know when each student has learned it”, and how will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning” (DuFour, 2004). The answer to the third question is the big difference from schools that actually use PLC’s correctly. The second component of a PLC is collaboration. Collaboration is when the entire staff works together to achieve student learning. Too many schools today have more teacher isolation. The last thing is to focus on results and try to judge the effectiveness of the basic results. Schools populations change all the time and at the state level it seems to be more about what the data says, while my question is are we looking at the right data. Are we looking at what we want students to learn? Are we making sure that the students who struggle are getting the proper help they need to succeed? I want data that is useful to help the school deal with change. Currently, my district has a PLC (in the high school), but it is nothing like the one that DuFour suggests. It is basically for teacher to community to administrators on rules, policies, and other changes they want to be changed or improved.
Overall, it is very important to understand an open system model as a principal and to deal with the characteristics of change. The best tool for a principal would be to implement a true PLC, one where the focus is on learning, not on teaching.
Currently there has been a great concentration on the transformation of the pubic school systems and the outcomes it has produced over the years. There are records to prove that the United States of America has experienced achievement gaps and in comparison to other countries there is no competition for positive outcomes of education. Therefore, principals and administrator have to organization an open system school environment. This means the external factors must be involved within the school system, schools must consider the four kind of inputs, transformation process, outputs, feedback, and environment.
ReplyDeleteThe reason why this knowledge is important to an administrator is because there’s much pressure to improve school’s system. A new administrator has the availability to place the open system approach where as a more experienced supervisor may have to complete some form of organizational learning while others are making smoother approach. Yet, every educational leader can make appropriate changes according to this method because when following the steps of an open system model, a principal can expect to have a school who competitive, achieving goals and encouraging staff to become examples for their pupils.
Change is occurring in our public schools each year as districts strive for their AYP. A school administrator can and should use the Open Systems model as a resource to guide their change.
ReplyDeleteBeginning with the environment surrounding the district or even the change itself, this can influence whether or not the change goes smoothly or runs into the resistance. An administrator needs to be aware of the environment (community, staff, students, and parents) in which they are implementing change. Change that is going to use resources the community or district has little of, will create animosity toward the leadership guiding the change. On the other hand, change that uses resources in a conservative or respective manor, especially in the current financial situations in most schools will hinder some resistance that may come about.
I would like to believe that pressure for change stems from accountability of the district and its leadership as it pertains to student and teacher performance. Changing demographics, low staff numbers, and technology changes are all going to bring pressure, but in this day and age that is all expected by the administrator and the community surrounding the school. However, if the processes and people are not handled correctly, an administrator will find that accountability is jeopardized. For example, administration may find that a change in the curriculum and assessments are necessary for the district to move towards higher achievement. If the process of how the district was previously operating the curriculum and assessments was found to be inadequate and the new foundation for driving change, those using the methods of process would create some of the resistance. A fear of the unknown and a lack of understanding the new change can hamper a district's moral and overall working desire.
When an administrator is familiar with the Open Systems Model, they can drive focus in the Transformation Process. This is where the processes can be evaluated through the internal feedback and guide the administrator to decision making. These actions will help to reassure all involved with change and ease tension and resistance.
Alan Dawe EDL 660
“Custodians must be well-trained, skilled, and professional in order to create a quality environment for students, prevent accidents, recognize warning signs, trouble shoot emergencies, and have complete facility operation awareness” (NEA – www.nea.org). Unfortunately, many school districts continue to ignore the many concerns and problems that face custodial personnel on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteIn many districts, custodians are training themselves on the job with little or no outside training. In other districts, custodians receive erratic training because the leadership has no standardized training program. Further, according to a National Public Radio story, Cash-Strapped Schools Cutting Custodial Works, custodians have become prime targets for cuts in a budget pinch. School officials say that to save money and teachers, many systems are beginning to outsource their custodial work.
Three of the myths that circulate among school leadership about the value of staff development for custodial personnel include the following:
1. Custodians do not need professional development. As one custodian responded, “Custodians are environmentalists.” A custodian’s work is not just about cleaning, but about providing the safest and healthiest environment possible for learning. He believes that one of the most important responsibilities is to insure proper indoor air quality, uniform temperatures, and healthful ventilation. That is why meaningful, multi-level professional development programs are extremely important to establish and sustain a healthful and safe environment for a public school and its school community.
Another paraprofessional who spent 16 years as a custodian recalls a tragic incident that changed many lives. "One of our custodians left an aerosol can of a chemical that we use for freezing gum on top of his cart when classes were changing in the hallway," she says. "A little boy thought it would be funny to spray the can in his mouth, and it basically froze his mouth and lungs." "It was a horrible day for all of us," she said. If the custodian had been trained about chemical safety, the accident might not have happened.
2. Cleaning and maintaining are not hard tasks to do or to learn properly. The Custodians’ responsibilities extend far beyond the simple task of cleaning. A Michigan Maintenance Worker says he “feels like he goes to a different job every day – from clearing snow and spraying weeds to electrical repairs, plumbing, and maintaining furnace boilers to keep them running efficiently is all in a day’s work. He also controls the buildings’ new computerized heating and cooling system from a laptop and desktop computer.
3. Student achievement has nothing to do with the work of custodians. The truth is that in many more ways that you would imagine, hundreds of custodians and maintenance workers make a profound impact on students each day. For example, a high school custodian in Arizona organized a school-to-work program called “Jobs for Today’s Students” whereby more than 50 students shadow school employees as custodians, computer aides, secretaries, etc. The custodian, on his own time, obtained funding for the program through parent outreach and political organizing.
A New Hampshire custodian, another example, used his architectural skills to change the school aesthetics from “like a prison” to something pleasurable with grass, curved walkways, flowers and trees. The Parent Teacher Association and school board unanimously agreed to fund the construction. Over the summer, the custodian took the lead in working with contractor and city officials and the school was transformed.
The training programs should be evaluated to establish standard operating procedures; evaluate how the custodial program allocates funding to provide the most efficient and cost effective equipment; evaluate cleaning products custodians use to improve safety, health and functionality for the custodial work force; and what the Custodian will learn from the particular program.
. Describe Lewin's Theory of FFA and explain how it might be helpful for a school leader's successful implementation of a new initiative.
ReplyDeleteKurt Lewin wrote that "An issue is held in balance by the interaction of two opposing sets of forces - those seeking to promote change (driving forces) and those attempting to maintain the status quo (restraining forces)".
http://www.change-management-coach.com/force-field-analysis.html
Kurt Lewin’s Theory basically assesses the pros and cons of how people accept change. It also describes that people life situations be it past or present is a factor of how they will either be for change and or against it. As a principal it is important that they consider the person as an individual and as a team. The principal should have a professional relationship where he/she is able to determine if the necessary change within his/her staff will be easy or difficult to accept. But, studying and understanding Lewins theory the principal should be able to use the best practices in getting it team on board to see the bigger picture to accept change and do what’s necessary to bring all on board.
How and why might knowledge of the open systems model be useful to a school principal as it relates understanding the characteristics of school change?
ReplyDeleteAn open system is a system that regularly exchanges feedback with its external environment. Open systems are systems, of course, so inputs, processes, outputs, goals, assessment and evaluation, and learning are all important. Aspects that are critically important to open systems include the boundaries, external environment and equifinality. Healthy open systems continuously exchange feedback with their environments, analyze that feedback, adjust internal systems as needed to achieve the system’s goals, and then transmit necessary information back out to the environment.
http://managementhelp.org/misc/orgs-open-systems.pdf
I think the open system will be beneficial to a school principal because it will help of the understanding on how change can be accepted and or rejected and the pros and cons of both. It will also help the principal understand the importance of getting his entire team on board to an open system and share the knowledge of it so therefore his staff will better adapt and understand. In the educational field there is constant change and sometime change can be frustrating for all. However if the principal understands open systems and share and model it for the staff change will have a better chance internally and externally for all involved.