6 EDCAL August 13, 2018
Leading learning through Appreciative Inquiry
This article was written by Arturo Flores,
Regional Facilitator-Lead Consultant for
ACSA’s Induction Program. It is one in a series
of articles on district leadership.
Over the years, and more recently
with the movement and direction around
accountability, administrators in schools
are required to raise the bar for academic
achievement. Creating the exact school or
district culture that is responsive to all stu-
dents within the organization and within
the confines of the classroom, is one of the
single biggest challenges facing a new or
veteran administrator.
Budget development, school safety,
teacher relationships, community engage-
ment and personnel matters are all impor-
tant in building the culture on a strong
foundation. This foundation moreover, is
aligned to a district’s vision, mission, goals
and ultimately a strategic plan that is built
on defined core values.
Leadership becomes imperative in estab-
lishing responsive practices within the orga-
nization that parents, teachers and students
can recognize. These practices must be
trusted, clear and easy to follow. As change
within a school or district is called for,
incumbent on the leader is the ability to
translate his/her message with respect to
the adjusted practices in the most positive
manner possible.
The strategy for rising to the challenge
of moving a district or school becomes the
focus at school board meetings, community
meetings and teacher meetings on a regular
basis and questions begin to mount regard-
ing governance, change and the process
for moving an organization. The ongoing
struggle for administrators is the recogni-
tion of hidden and competing commit-
ments of the superintendent, boards and
special interest groups.
Administrators have some choice in how
they lead and how they go about deter-
mining what needs to be focused upon.
Relationship building and the degree to
which they have been positively estab-
lished is critical. In moving the organiza-
tion, administrators can take the traditional
approach by highlighting what has not
worked or take a more innovative approach
and focus on all the positive things that have
worked and kept the organization alive and
together as one.
It is possible to get a more responsive
system of governance and change through
an “appreciative inquiry process.” Outlined
in numerous published works, is the conten-
tion that through positive inquiry we can
find more of the elements of success – the
“strength building” elements that have kept
things alive in the organization. Teachers,
parents and administrators will have the
tendency to be supportive of the process as
opposed to the constant evaluation, assess-
ment and problem identification and cre-
ation of temporary solutions.
The evaluation trap and singling out
what has not worked is represented in an
outdated style of assessing what needs to
be fixed. The demand for change is usually
based on a complicated sense of direction
given by a board or superintendent. It is
expected that the direction will be trans-
lated into a vision and mission, publishable
through written documents, charts posters
and strategic plans with embedded core
values.
The opposite process represents immedi-
ate trust in staff and administrators to delve
into the realm of possibilities, after a deter-
mination is made with respect to why staffs
have stayed together and what has been the
common bond. This can be accomplished
through the Appreciative Inquiry Process.
Some examples of types of questions that
begin a new structure for governance and
change follow.
With groups of teachers an interrogative
approach would be:
• Ask the right questions – What has
worked? What would you like to enhance
and why? What has worked with certainty
and what was most productive?
• What are some assets that continue to
exist and how can they be tapped? What is
the potential if these assets are continually
tapped? What might the outcomes be?
• What are some unique gifts, skills and
notable contributions made by teachers or
other staff members?
• Describe some of the collective actions
in your school or district that have made
a difference? What image or vision best
describes the successes?
• Are there strengths that we have not
talked about and how have they given life
to the school or district? What hopes do
you have for the governance system and
what suggestions might you have for action
groups?
• What has been transformational over
the years that has gone unnoticed?
• Describe an incident when you or
someone you know went the extra mile to
provide teachers, parents and students what
they really wanted – when they wanted it?
• What made that possible?
• What was your or others specific con-
tributions?
• Describe the optimal work environ-
ment. Describe a when you were proud
member of a team of in a positive work
environment.
• What specifically makes you proud?
What do you value most about being a
member of a positive team or group? Why?
• Without being humble, what do you
value most about yourself – as a person, as a
learner and as a change agent?
• When you are feeling best about facili-
tating positive change or dialogue, what do
you value most about the task or process?
Through a discovery and non-threaten-
ing process, individuals can be moved and
enticed out of their comfort zones. There
should be less potential for resistance and
defensiveness, as staffs are honestly and
openly asked for their best thinking of what
could be. Administrators should be asking
questions that reflect and examine when
a school or district is operating at its best.
This model suggests a pause on command-
and-control into communities of discovery
and cooperation.
As with the “strength-based model,” the
appreciative inquiry process can move a
school beyond an authoritarian or top down
model.
Management, supervision and evalua-
tions will continue so long as there are
policies and laws. Imagine for a minute
what is possible when positivity influences
our decisions. Appreciative inquiry can be
liberating, if pursued as a change agenda or
strategy that encourages conversations and
real dialogue.
The literature points to a four D cycle
or framework: Discover, Destiny, Dream
and Design. This approach focuses on a
revolutionary approach that pursues the
positive potential of a school, district or
organization. This is a profound shift for
leaders. The right questions are mandatory
for individuals who are often compelled
to talk about sustainable successes rather
than the core of what has not been work-
ing. It is no doubt a mind-shift for leaders
to be vigilant about finding the untapped
collective wisdom, tangible and intangible
strengths and assets of the environment in
which they work.
As a former superintendent and profes-
sional developer of coaches, I have found
that identifying the best of “what is” has
certainly caused a more rigorous effort to
co-create a future that is based on fostering
positive relationship, a positive culture, posi-
tive communication and a deeper sense of
meaning and purpose. The positive stories,
shared images and celebrations that teach-
ers and administrators wanted to talk about,
often times were the compelling things
that shaped a new system of change and
governance.
I would encourage new, aspiring and vet-
eran administrators to utilize an approach
based solely on positivity when rethink-
ing governance and change. The examina-
tion and charting what has not worked
has become less and less appealing over
the years. Proactivity, appreciating strengths
cultivating aspirations, can all lead to a
higher level of collective commitment for
change and powerful results.
More information can be found at www.
centerforappreciativeinquiry.net.
ACSA’s Targeted Assistance program can
support superintendents in strengthening
their governance teams. Targeted Assistance
Consulting Solutions is designed to enhance the
superintendent’s ability to leverage resources
to meet the goals of the Local Control and
Accountability Plan (LCAP) in two crit-
ical practice areas: Governance and Labor
Relations/Bargaining. Go to www.acsa.org/
targetedassistance for more information.
Bill signed that could open districts
to increased financial liability
Consultant and coach Mike Bossi instructs an ACSA Leadership Coaching class. This two-day workshop
emphasizes many items including strategies to promote reflection and growth in educational leaders. More
information can be found at www.acsa.org/leadershipcoaching.
A bill has passed the Legislature and been signed into law that prohibits school
districts and other local agencies from adopting claim procedures that limit the
presentation of childhood sexual abuse claims.
Senate Bill 1053 (Beall) overturns an appellate court ruling in Big Flat-
Groveland USD vs. Superior Court that allowed local agencies to limit the amount
of time to bring a claim of childhood sexual abuse against the agency.
ACSA had serious concerns regarding SB 1053, and has opposed a similarly
themed bill, AB 3120. ACSA fully acknowledges and is sensitive to the rights of the
victims in these cases. However, allowing claims to come to court years after occur-
ring places school districts in an impossible position for gathering evidence, when
employees have left, and witness memories have become hazy.
Complicating matters in this area is that the California Supreme Court has
already agreed to review Big Oak Flat-Groveland USD vs. Superior Court, and
such a decision could have ramifications on any claims that occurred prior to the
adoption of SB 1053. ACSA legal partner Lozano Smith recommends consulting
legal counsel if any such claims come forward.
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LORENZO
Continued from page 1
think he’s seen how hard life can be and he
sees education as his way out.”
It is no surprise that Rolando thrived as a
student at San Benito High. Alvarez says he
was every teacher’s dream student.
“The ELD teachers would joke and we
would look at the rosters and we would see
who had Rolando,” Alvarez said. “And we
would be like, ‘Oh man!’”
Joanne Kaplansky, an English Learner
Program specialist at San Benito High,
predicted Rolando’s success from the very
beginning.
“He was just very eager from the get
go,” Kaplansky said. “He’s a role model for
all of our students that no matter what t he
circumstance is, anything can be accom-
plished.”
Rolando graduated from San Benito
High in June, fulfilling his dream of receiv-
ing a high school diploma.
“To me, it was something impossible,”
Rolando said. “Because I didn’t imagine
to be in high school. To learn English. To
graduate. To have a diploma.”
As for what’s next, Alvarez says she sees
big things in Rolando’s future.
“He’s the kid that’s going to roll with
the adversity and he’s going to overcome,”
Alvarez said. “Because it’s just who he is.
He’s not going to take no for an answer.
He’s just going to keep pushing.”