how does your school's culture impact student performance? john nori, program development,...
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How Does Your School's Culture Impact Student
Performance?
John Nori, Program Development, NASSP norij@nassp.org
Patti Kinney, Middle Level Services, NASSP kinneyp@nassp.org
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT CHAIN LETTER
Simply send a copy of this letter to six (6) other schools that are tired of their principals.
Then bundle up your principal and send him/her to the school at the top of the list.
In one week you will receive 16,436 principals. One of them should be dandy.
Believe this…one school broke the chain and got its own principal back.
Good Luck!
The WHY of School
Improvement
What is school culture?
““The way we do things The way we do things around here.”around here.”
Audience Poll: Select 3 factors that most impact the culture at
your school? Collaboration Teacher practices Community involvement Demographics Parking Lot Discussions Teaming Budget Organizational structures Staff-Staff relationships Student-Staff relationships The principal Unions
Student performance on state tests
Accountability Requirements Staff and other resource
reductions Staff and student recognition Collegiality School “reputation” Media Relations Contract Negotiations Student behavior Special populations Community’s Socio-Economic
Status
Changing culture is the Changing culture is the only road to significant only road to significant
and lasting school and lasting school improvement.improvement.
“Culture eats strategies for breakfast.”Peter Drucker
Culture, Conversation & Change Culture is the sum of our collective
assumptions which we carry in our minds about ourselves, other people, our craft; every aspect of school life.
These assumptions shape how we act.
They are often untested, unexamined, and unchanging.
Conversation (dialogue) is the only way to disrupt assumptions and bring about change.
Truths Related To Culture Culture is more powerful than any single
individual.
Culture is often invisible, below the conscious level, shaping the way we do things.
Culture, for better or worse, is perpetuated to new members.
Power of School Culture
A sense of community increases student A sense of community increases student performance and engagement.performance and engagement.
A positive culture increases the staff’s A positive culture increases the staff’s sense of efficacy and engagement in sense of efficacy and engagement in teaching & learning.teaching & learning.
~Bill Simmer, Independent School Management~Bill Simmer, Independent School Management
The Layers of CultureObservableObservable
Staff handbook, logo, types of meetings, Staff handbook, logo, types of meetings, grouping of students, daily schedule, grouping of students, daily schedule, celebrations, signs, announcements, public celebrations, signs, announcements, public roles.roles.
Values & BeliefsValues & BeliefsVision, what we believe about teaching, learning, Vision, what we believe about teaching, learning, schooling, education, children and parenting schooling, education, children and parenting expressed in what we say and do.expressed in what we say and do.
Collective AssumptionsCollective AssumptionsTaken for granted understandings about what’s Taken for granted understandings about what’s worth doing; the hidden psychological level. worth doing; the hidden psychological level. *Greatest leverage for change is here*Greatest leverage for change is here
What kind of a culture positively impacts student
performance?A culture that is collaborative, supportive, reflective, creative, and safe…and where every day, teachers and students feel invigorated, challenged, engaged and empowered.
Re-culturingA change in beliefs and a willingness to rethink old beliefs and assumptions that underlie stuck behaviors.
A shift in point of orientation from outward to inward.
The creation of new mental models that serve us better.
Structural Change
≠ Cultural Change
Structural Changes Interdisciplinary TeamsInterdisciplinary Teams Small Learning CommunitiesSmall Learning Communities AdvisoriesAdvisories Flexible SchedulesFlexible Schedules Flexible GroupingFlexible Grouping Ninth-Grade AcademiesNinth-Grade Academies RTIRTI Elementary DepartmentalizationElementary Departmentalization Inclusion ClassesInclusion Classes DetrackingDetracking Common Planning TimeCommon Planning Time Professional Learning CommunitiesProfessional Learning Communities
Common Set of BeliefsCommon Set of Beliefs Shared Mission, Vision, Values, and Shared Mission, Vision, Values, and
GoalsGoals Heightened ExpectationsHeightened Expectations Honest Examination of “reality”Honest Examination of “reality” New Ways of InteractingNew Ways of Interacting
Cultural Changes
Do Teachers:Do Teachers:
•believe in it
•have skills to do it
•have supportive school climate for teaming
•engage in teaming practices
Structural Elements Necessary but not sufficient…
•flexible scheduling
•shared students
•common planning time
•common team areas
Citation: Stevenson, C., & Erb, T. (1998). How implementing Turning Points improves student outcomes. Middle School Journal, 30(10), 51-52.
Example: Effective teams – the proof is in the
doing!
Breaking Ranks: The Comprehensive Framework for
Improving Schools Too often, when implementing improvement initiatives, schools neglect to focus on the importance of altering school culture. This alteration in school culture can allow improvements to take hold, flourish, and be sustained. Changing culture requires more than being the first person with a great idea.
Transformations do not take place until the culture of the school permits it—and no long-term significant change can take place without creating a culture to sustain that change.
The question for education leaders at all levels is this: How can we foster these cultural changes within schools so that we can lead improvement and enhance student learning?
Chapter 1Chapter 1
Breaking Ranks: The Comprehensive Framework for
Improving Schools Too often, when implementing improvement initiatives, schools neglect to focus on the importance of altering school culture. This alteration in school culture can allow improvements to take hold, flourish, and be sustained. Changing culture requires more than being the first person with a great idea.
Transformations do not take place until the culture of the school permits it—and no long-term significant change can take place without creating a culture to sustain that change.
The question for education leaders at all levels is this: How can we foster these cultural changes within schools so that we can lead improvement and enhance student learning?
Chapter 1Chapter 1
The WHAT of School
Improvement
Breaking Ranks: The Comprehensive Framework for School Improvement
1996 2004 2006 2009 2010 2011
The Breaking Ranks Framework
Why does your school need to improve?
What needs to improve?
How do we improve our school?
Who? Do YOU and YOUR TEAM have what it takes to create a culture for change?
The “WHAT” of the Breaking Ranks® Framework
Collaborative Leadership
Personalizing your School Environment
Improved Student
Performance
Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment
Culture
Leadership
Professional Development
Organization
Equity Relationships
Assessment
Instruction
Curriculum
9 recommendations
8 recommendations
12 recommendations
Cornerstones Core Areas Recommendations
Collaborative Leadership
Involve others in the change process through collaboration, review of data, and professional development.
Personalization
♥ Provide opportunities for students to build relationships with adults and peers, and between themselves and what they learn.
Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
Build relationships between students and ideasRigorous & Essential LearningsStudent-centeredApplied to real worldEngaging
An integrated approach…
Collaborative Leadership
Personalizing your School Environment
Improved Student
Performance
Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment
Culture
Leadership
Professional Development
Organization
Equity Relationships
Assessment
Instruction
Curriculum
9 recommendations
8 recommendations
12 recommendations
The How of School
Improvement
Change
“The only person who likes change is a baby with a wet diaper.” - Mark Twain
The road from “what” to “how”
Collaborative Leadership
Personalizing your school
environment
Improved Student
Performance
Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
“You have to change quickly enough so that gravity cannot drag you back.”
~ Theodore Sizer
Leading Change
IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT’S IMPORTANT
THEN EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT
IF EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT
THEN YOU TRY TO DO
EVERYTHING
IF YOU TRY TO DO
EVERYTHING
THEN PEOPLE EXPECT YOU TO DO
EVERYTHING
AND IN TRYING TO PLEASE
EVERYBODY
THEN YOU DON’T HAVE TIME TO
DETERMINE
WHAT’S IMPORTANT
Arthur Combs Teacher College Record
1978
WHAT’S WHAT’S IMPORTANTIMPORTANT
FORFORYOU?YOU?
IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT’S IMPORTANT
THEN EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT
IF EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT
Audience Poll: Which quote best illustrates an experience you’ve had with change?
When you are through changing, you are through. ~Bruce Barton
If you want to make enemies, try to change something. ~Woodrow
Wilson
Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed. ~ Irene Peter
In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists. ~ Eric Hoffer
This bridge will take you halfway there - the last few steps you will have to take yourself. ~ Shel Silverstein
A Process Circle for Guiding Change
A Process for Leading Change Carefully examine data from a wide variety of sources to
determine priorities Based on the data, explore possible solutions that will
lead to improved student performance Determine what must be in place to implement the
needed changes and build capacity to address these needs
Establish goals for an improvement plan designed to improve student performance and ensure clear communication with all parties
Implement, determine regular check points to monitor progress, collect and analyze additional data, make adjustments
Change
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
- Albert Einstein
The Who of School
Improvement
Undergraduate school Graduate school On the job experience Making mistakes Mentoring program Informal mentoring Professional development Professional organizations Role modeling from others
Audience Poll: Select the experiences that helped you get to be as good as you are.
“10 Skills” is about…
Resolving Complex Problems
Communication Developing Self & Others
Educational Leadership
How do you get to be better?
Build on your strengths – Manage your weaknesses
Lead with your strengths
Descriptors of PracticeBehavioral Indicators
Articulates a vision related to teaching and learning
Articulates high performance expectations for self and others
Encourages improvement in teaching and learning Sets clear measurable objectives Generates enthusiasm toward common goals Seeks to develop alliances outside the school to
support high-quality teaching and learning Acknowledges achievement or accomplishments Seeks commitment to a course of action
How Does Your School's Culture Impact Student Performance?Culture… determines WHY schools need to
continuously improve. determines WHAT needs to change
in each school. determines HOW schools can go
about making changes. determines WHO will be equipped
to make changes.
Why does your school need to improve?
To provide equal opportunity to each student
To hold each student to the same high standards and challenge each one equally
To make learning personal for each student
To enable each teacher to reach each student
To engage each family in meaningful interaction with the school
What does your school need to address?
Collaborative Leadership
Personalizing your School Environment
Improved Student
Performance
Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment
Culture
Leadership
Professional Development
Organization
Equity Relationships
Assessment
Instruction
Curriculum
9 recommendations
8 recommendations
12 recommendations
How will your school improve?
Who will bring about the improvement?
Available June 2011
www.nassp.org
Contact Information
Patti KinneyMiddle Level Serviceskinneyp@nassp.org1-703-860-7256
John NoriProgram Developmentnorij@nassp.org1-703-860-7263
NASSPwww.nassp.org
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