(just like my tardiness for the event.. oops, sorry!!)
#educamppalmy
A great Manawatu day with some great educators. The sun was shining and the ideas were flowing. It always makes my heart sing when I hear so many people actively discussing and pondering how they can make more of a difference to the education of the young people they see everyday.
A huge thanks to those who made the day happen - the event was AWESOME. Great venue, great food and drinks, and wicked connections!
My favorite quote of the day went something along the lines of...
How might the leadership model in a school be changed? Is it possible in an "old school" school system?
Do classroom teachers change their model and eventually the way the teachers work together morphs to follow suit? Or does the way the adults work together change first?
(To me it is a little like the chicken and the egg scenario)
If there are already small changes occurring within a school regarding both the in class and within the way school systems are run, how long is it before these changes become normalised?
The question still most unanswered in my head is "where can I find a school where the leadership reflects what I see in my classroom?"
My second favorite question was...
What do you stand for?
This is going to be my parting shot for the department this week - and for my students to think about.
Please tell me - what do you stand for?
Really thought provoking post from you. I'm not sure I have the full answer but I tend to think it's a combination of the 2 that you suggested. Sometimes change and what is happening in classes - this practice becomes spread and other times the change may be requested from the leadership team. In either case, it will only become 'normalised" once the leaders have requested that this be so and that those asked to make change are coached in an appropriate way.
ReplyDeleteI like Rachel Bolstads term of "unbundling" when thinking about systemic change and that, I believe, is complicated work. We work as part of a larger system that goes way way way above the Principal, so when frustration occurs at the "chalk face" sometimes it's a case of hands being tied, but sometimes it's a case of not being aware that things needs to change and therefore, no change will occur.
Leaders need to be open to hearing from others that things may in fact need to change. Likewise, those requesting change need to consider why it's being done the way that it is. "Ideas are like children, there are none so good as our own".
Interesting topic!