ACL RetreatCrystal Mountain

July 29, 2014

Gary WegenkeDerek WheatonChuck Pearson

Redesign the Organization

Reflection and Connection

Redesign the Organization

Redesign- An intentional journey to sustainable school improvement (G. Wegenke)

In this session we will:● Help you connect the dots between the six dimensions● Learn that “you are your experience and beliefs” (and why that matters)

● Stick to what the literature says is essential for renewal● Prove “what” you do as a school leader matters most● Focus on primacy of school culture ● Provide tools you can use right away

Let’s get started!

Design and Innovation

LEADERSHIP:High quality leaders are not born, butdevelop their skills, knowledge andabilities based on their experiencesand beliefs.

STYLES OF LEADERSHIP:● Telling “Never give in~never, never give● Selling in except to convictions of honor● Participating and good sense.” (Churchill, October 1941)

● Delegating

Hersey and Blanchard, 1985

LEADERSHIP:High-quality leaders are found in our schools today. Many are principals identified by their leadership in creating high performance schools.HIGH PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS:Schools dependent upon how well the principal interacts with the school’s context--making significantly greater than expected contributions to student learning. (Leathwood, Seashore-Louis, Anderson and Wahlstrom, 2014)

BELIEVE:● All children can achieve academically at high levels.● School managers do things right, high-quality leaders do the right thing.● Situational leadership is a “style” where managers and leaders in a school must

adjust to “fit” the developmental levels of those being “influenced.”

We are our experiences and beliefs!

To change or renew today’s schools requires principals to adapt and draw upon their experiences and beliefs.

● Develop people● Set direction● Redesign the organization (Leathwood, 1996)

DEVELOPING PEOPLE:A successful leader develops the competence andcommitment of their people so they are self- motivated rather than dependent on others for direction and guidance.

Change by Adaptation

PRINCIPAL’S ROLE:

Influencing and motivating faculty and students requires:● A clear and compelling organizational direction● Knowledge of the “technical core” of schooling (requirement for

improving the quality of teaching/learning.)● Personal attention to faculty by creating a

sense of optimism and enthusiasm toward “all students achieving at high levels”● Continually monitoring student achievement.● Know what to ignore.

Developing People

PRINCIPAL’S ROLE:Being aware that people are characterized by different experiences and beliefs that shape their perspectives and behaviors throughout their lives.

GENERATION X (1965-1980)Faculty Age 34-39

Developing People

FAMILY STRUCTURE LATCH KEY KIDS

ATTITUDE TOWARD AUTHORITY CHALLENGE IT

MANAGEMENT STYLE ENTREPRENEURIAL

WHAT IS VALUED LEARNING, QUALITY OF LIFE and INVOLVEMENT

PRINCIPAL’S ROLE:A cohesive leadership style is helping a group develop shared understandings about the organization, its activities, and its goals that can undergird a sense of purpose. (Hallinger and Heck, 2002)

Group cohesiveness focuses on:● Members feeling their participation is valued.● Members perceiving they can contribute to the

group’s effectiveness.● Compatibility between personal goals of

individuals and the group’s goals.● Leader and group members can collaborate

and work cooperatively.

Cohesive Leadership Style

A school’s culture conducive to effective teaching and learning accounts for the “underground stream” of norms, values, shared beliefs, and behavior traditions of school stakeholders as they work together. (Peterson and Deal, 1994)

Principal’s influence shapes the culture by:

● Creating shared leadership● Collaborating where possible● Rewarding “risk-taking” to address

complex student academic needs

Principal’s Role: Knowing What Shapes a School Culture

First, culture is the implicit way in which schools work. Climate is a reading of how members of an organization feel about the way their organization performs and supports people. (Sergiovanni and Starratt, 1998)

SCHOOL CLIMATE INVENTORY (Dr. James Sweeney, 1981)

TEN FACTORS1. Supportive, stimulating environment 6. A sense of family2. Student centered 7.Closeness to parents and community3. Positive expectations 8.Communication4. Feedback 9.

Achievement5. Rewards 10.

Trust

Principal’s Role: Knowing what data can be derived from a school climate study

PRINCIPAL’S ROLE:Creating a written statement of purpose and placing the statement where all can view.

Did you know?MISSION~Directs our attention toward a future state of affairs. Must be clear, concise, trusted as real, shared and believed to be doable. (Terry, 1993)

VISION- An inspiring declaration of a compelling dream, accompanied by a clear scenario(goals) of how it will be accomplished. (Whitaker and Moses, 1994)

Setting Direction: Mission and Vision

GOALS~People are motivated by goals which they find personally compelling, as well as, challenging and achievable. (Bandura, 1986; Ford, 1992)

HIGH EXPECTATIONS~Setting academic goals focused on student achievement has an effect size of 0.55 standard deviations higher than the achievement scores for classes where clear learninggoals were not established. (Marzano, 2003)

The result translates into a 21 percentage gain in achievement.

Did You Know?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Visionary Leadership

PRINCIPAL’S ROLE:A principal’s “instructional leadership” makes a difference in his/her ability to inspire and influence “internal processes” linked to student learning --performance and achievement.

Internal processes include:● Establishing and sustaining a school’s mission and vision statement● Setting academic expectations through clearly stated goals● Identifying student needs and addressing those needs by creating

professional learning communities● Protecting instructional time

Setting Direction

A mission statement . . . The Achievement Centered Schools will provide educational opportunities which enable students of all socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicity, and abilities to learn and grow academically.

A vision statement . . . Woodlawn Elementary School will by the end of the 2014-15 academic year increase 4th grade levels by 2% over 3rd grade reading levels in 2013-14.

The goal is to compare a student’s 3rd grade test result on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills with cohorts in the 4th grade.

Illustrations:

PRINCIPAL’S ROLE:Collaborating with stakeholders in the selection of a research-based school renewal processILLUSTRATION:Effective Schools research of over 30 years found that . . . “all children can be taught the intended curriculum and held to high academic standards. Standards enabling students to achieve successfully at the current and next grade level.”BACKGROUND:Effective Schools results have indicated . . . “students are mastering the curriculum at a higher rate than would be predicted for students with similar socioeconomic status backgrounds”.

Redesign the Organization

“How many effective schools would you have to see to be persuaded of the educability of all children?” (Ron Edmonds, 1979)

“If your answer is more than one, then I submit that have reasons of your own, preferring to believe that pupil performance derives from family background. Instead of of scholl response to family background.”

Ron Edmonds-Educational Philosopher

SEVEN CORRELATES OF EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS

❏ Instructional Leadership❏ Principal leadership

❏ Clear School Mission❏ Staff shares responsibility for all students achieving school’s essential curriculum goals

❏ Safe and Orderly Environment❏ Purposeful, business-like school

❏ High Expectations for Success❏ Staff believes they have the capability

❏ Opportunity to Learn and Student Time on Task❏ Teachers concentrate on instruction of essential content

❏ Frequent and Appropriate Monitoring❏ Progress measured regularly and vigorously

❏ Positive Home~School Relations❏ Parents involved in shaping policies and procedures

Principal’s Role: Promote the idea that the most effective schools are more alike than different

Students, faculty, parents, and community members are depending on you to:

1. Develop people2. Set direction and3. Renew or redesign the organization

“HEY, You're the Principal!”

The literature provides clarity…. do these things and student outcomes will improve: (listed in order of correlation to student academic achievement gains) (Marzano, Waters & McNulty, 2005,

p.63)

1. Situational Awareness2. Flexibility3. Discipline, Outreach, Monitoring/Evaluating4. Culture, Order, Resources, Knowledge of CIA, Input, Change Agent5. Focus, Contingent Rewards, Intellectual Stimulation6. Communication7. Ideals/Beliefs8. Involvement in CIA, Visibility, Optimizer9. Affirmation10. Relationship

There’s Nothing New Here!

“....knowing what is happening, distancing ego from daily events...honestly appraising the state of the organization.” (Marzano, Waters & McNulty,

2005, p.60)

● Aware of what could go wrong from day to day● Know informal groups and staff relationships● Aware of issues that have not surfaced but could create

discordResources:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAdrS3EGR_U - Mostly I could only find situational awareness concerning military and safety situations. If you find anything specifically concerning educational situation awareness...please share.

Situational Awareness

Flexibility

“...the extent to which leaders adapt their leadership behavior to...current situation and...comfortable with dissent.” (Marzano, Waters &

McNulty, 2005, p.49)

● Associated with transformational leadership● Being directive or nondirective as needed (defined autonomy)● Encouraging expression of diverse and contrary opinions● Comfortable...making major changes in how things are done

Resources:

http://jom.sagepub.com/content/40/5/1297.full.pdf+html - A very scholarly look at this trait

http://200.6.99.248/~bru487cl/files/ai_n.pdf - I like this article...it connects effective leadership to positive climatehttp://ed-lead.blogspot.com/2011/05/marzanos-21-responsibilities-of-school.html - A useful list of the 21 leadership responsibilitieshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs1yGjJzkFA - Great video….”Are you that guy?”

Leader as advocate and spokesperson to all stakeholders… (Marzano, Waters & McNulty, 2005, p.58)

● Complies with all district and state mandates ● Advocate of school with parents● Advocate of school with central office● Advocate of school with community

Resources: http://outreach.dadeschools.net/Handbook/1.1__EAOP__Program__Description..pdf -This system of outreach programs sends the message...we are here to support youhttp://www.wallacefoundation.org/principal-story/clips-from-the-film/Pages/default.aspx -Not just about outreach...but an inspiring story of two principals much like you.

Outreach

First Order - Incremental ChangeSecond Order - Deep Change (Innovation) (Marzano, Waters & McNulty, 2005, pp.65-75)

Change requires the correct level of leadership, the deeper the change...need matching leadership techniques.● Do both...talk the talk & most importantly, walk the walk (Chuck, 2014)

Stories of Second Order Change:- Mine-challenging the status quo “Changing where staff can park”/Do you have stories to share? Resources:http://www.thenationalacademy.org/ready/change.html -A scholarly look at changehttps://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openforum/articles/what-type-of-change-do-you-want-in-your-organization-1/http://www.doe.sd.gov/secretary/documents/Incentivesplus_LeadershipAcademy.pdfhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv7crrER_S4 -Hear it straight from Marzanohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adcFYJYRbnQ - A practical discussion of change

First & Second Order Change

Everyday Survival: Why Smart People Do Stupid Things(2009)

● Curriculum programs● Sift through data and make

data-driven decisions● Create commitments to

focus on specific student needs

● Explore new ways to engage parents

● Work on improving instruction?

In a “spin stall?”

Talk with your principal/aspiring partnerabout the number of initiatives that youare currently juggling. What would you consider to be top priorities? What could you focus on that would bring the best bang for your buck?

Are you in the “spin stall?”

● Recognize, affirm, and discern current initiatives already in place.

● Learn about focused strategies that have proven to be the most important to focus on.

● Create a “fractal” experience that will create a small win.● Learn about and determine system assessments that could

benefit current state of school systems and where growth edges are revealed.

Session Outcomes

Selected School-Level Influences on Student Achievement

Variance in student achievement:

● School level factors- 7%● Teacher level factors-13% ● Student level influences-80%

Source: (Marzano, 2000)

What does meta-analysis research tell us?

Talk at your table after the data and information just presented and determine what you think should be job #1 for every principal and district leader?

Processing Pause

The world’s best systems focus on guaranteeing, every child great teachers and great teaching.

Source: McKinsey and Company (2007), How the world’s best-performing school systems come out on top. Retrieved from http://www.mckinsey.com/App.Media/Reports/SSO/Worlds_School_Systems_Final.pdf

Attend to the “core” business of schooling: Great teachers and teaching

Setting clear, “no excuses” goals for teaching and learning

Five key responsibilities of district leaders:1. Engaging in collaborative goal-setting2. Establishing non-negotiable goals for achievement and instruction3. Ensuring board alignment and support of district goals4. Monitoring goals for achievement and instruction5. Using resources to support instruction and achievement goals

Source: Marzano, R. and Waters, T. (2009) District leadership that works: Striking the right balance. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree

Develop High-Reliability District Systems

● Effective and ineffective teachers are spread heterogeneously across the system.

● Principal’s JOB #1 is to ensure high quality and low variability within schools.

● Create a culture of high expectations for academics and behavior.

● The “secret sauce” of improvement: school culture.

More Bang for the Buck: Reducing Variability in Teaching Quality

A McRel meta-analysis of research on effective school leaders found these strong links between student success and leaders who:

● Are directly involved in the design and implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices.

● Protect teachers from issues or influences that might otherwise detract from their teaching.

● Provide teachers with the resources and materials (including staff development) they need to deliver high-quality instruction and effectively manage their classrooms.

Source: (Marzano, Waters, and McNulty, 2005)

What Do Effective Leaders Do to Demonstrate Job #1?

That when a window is left broken in a building, it sends the message to passersby that “no one cares and no one is in charge.” Soon more broken windows appear, and, eventually, the whole neighborhood descends into chaos.

Gladwell: Sometimes big problems “can be reversed, can be tipped, by tinkering with the smallest details of the immediate environment.”

Source: The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Malcolm Gladwell, 2000.

Broken Windows Theory

So Much Reform, So Little Change (2008) Charles Payne

Consortium on Chicago School Research-compared 30 most highly rated schools in Chicago with the 30 lowest performing schools in Chicago, researchers discovered, “. . . questions related to the quality of relationships--in particular, the level of trust and respect teachers have for one another--proved to be one of the best predictors of school performance. (Payne 2006)

Dysfunctional School Culture

Instruction● Structure(clear learning goals)● Individualized, responsive

instruction● Opportunity to learn

challenging contentSchool environment● Orderly climate● Assessment and monitoring● Parent involvement● Press for Achievement

Distinguishing Characteristics of “Beat the Odds” Schools

Professional Community● Professional development● Teacher collaboration

(deprivatizing practice)● Teacher influence in school

decisionsLeadership● Shared mission and goals● Instructional guidance● Re-designing the organization

● Shared mission and goals (common vision and clear focus for resources)

● Academic press for achievement (high expectations for all)● Orderly climate (clear and enforced rules for student

behavior)● Support for teacher influence (leadership shared with

teachers)● Structure (clear student goals, strong classroom

management)

Distinguishing Characteristics of High-Performing High-Needs Schools

After survey collection of teachers in 100 schools:

In the same way individuals can develop learned helplessness, organizations can be seduced by pervasive pessimism. According to the pessimist view, voiced with a tired resignation, “These kids can’t learn, and there is nothing, I can do about it, so why worry about academic achievement …..” Academic optimism, in stark contrast, views teachers as capable, students as willing, parents as supportive, and the task as achievable. Hoy, Tarter, and Hoy (2006)

Academic Optimism: Powerful Predictor of Student Achievement

Effective principals:● Set high, concrete goals and expectations for all students to

reach those goals.● Develop a clear vision for what the school could be like and

promote a sense of staff cooperation and cohesion.● Involve teachers in decision making, and shared leadership.● Systematically celebrate teachers’ accomplishments.

Source: McREL meta-analysis, Marzano, 21 Responsibilities of school leaders. Marzano. et.al., 2005

“Can-Do” School Culture

Defining the culture of high-performing schools:

● Press for academic achievement● Collective efficacy (i.e. a shared belief among

teachers that they can help students succeed)● Faculty trust in parents and students

Source: Hoy, Tarter, and Hoy (2006)

Academic Optimism

Raising the quality and reducing the variability of teaching across the school

● Expectations for instruction are clearly and consistently articulated across the school

● Principals/Instructional leaders conduct regular classroom observations with follow-up coaching conversations

● Teachers engage in professional conversations that focus on improving instructional practice.

High-Performance School Cultures: A Checklist

Creating a culture of high expectations for academics and behavior

● High expectations for learning and behavior are clearly articulated and enforced.

● In keeping with the Broken Windows theory, the physical appearance of the school conveys high expectations for student learning.

● All school personnel--from teachers to support and janitorial staff--can connect their work to student success.

Classroom walkthroughs to reduce Variance in Teaching Quality1. Are teachers using research-based teaching strategies?2. Do students understand their goals for learning?3. Are students learning both basic and higher-order levels of knowledge?4. Do student achievement data correlate with walkthrough data?

Have you identified the look fors in your district and school? Have they been clearly identified? Does everyone know what they look like and sound like? Talk with your table mates about what you have in place and what you need to implement. Make a plan

See the Forest Through the Trees

A small-scale, short-term effort that results in quick, measurable gains in achievement.

The term fractal is drawn from a phenomenon found throughout nature in such things as ferns, snowflakes, and river networks, where the smallest component of the system resembles the larger system.

Fractal Experiences

● SMART Goal● Simple measure for collecting progress● Secure specific commitments from everyone● Monitor implementation of the effort● Review what happened, after specified period● Identify ways to sustain the successful change or to improve results● Identify a new “fractal”

With your partner/table mates, write a quick win using the guide that you could implement in September.

Getting Quick Wins with Fractal Experiences

● School Culture Triage Self-Assessment● Principal Survey-Trust in Schools● Leadership Capacity School Survey● Teacher Beliefs-Sense of Efficacy● Student Feedback to Improve Instruction● Self-assessment to Improve Instruction● Snapshot Survey of School Effectiveness Factors● Louann’s surveys-Professional Learning Communities, etc.

Assessment Walk

Thank You!Derek Wheaton, Gary Wegenke,

Chuck Pearson