Sharing Good Practice to their school , family , community , or the wider world ? Your compelling stories put a human face on school transformation , helping to build momentum for change .
Empower teachers to be change agents .
Give teachers time and space to collaborate on problems of practice . If you want students to engage in realworld problem solving , teachers need time to plan projects across content areas and , perhaps , with participation of community partners . Encourage early adopters to open their classrooms for learning walks and observations . Cultivate teacher leaders for in-house professional development and action research . Encourage teachers to ask hard questions , set goals , and reflect on their growth .
Align , align , align .
Creating a shared vision with your stakeholders is just the first step toward transformation . Backward planning — starting with the end in mind and planning steps in that direction — is the hands-on work that will help to bring your vision to life . The leadership challenge ahead of you is to consistently align all parts of your system with your vision .
In one school system , for example , the shared vision is for students to become authentic problem solvers . To pursue that goal , the superintendent first
For many school leaders , the challenge of school transformation is not a shortage of innovative ideas . In recent years , we ’ ve seen the emergence of makerspaces , flipped learning , genius hour , gamification , school gardens , passion projects , and more . Each has its own champions , teaching practices , and even hashtags ; all have the potential to disrupt what we think of as traditional , teacher-centered education by giving students more voice in how they learn . Choosing the right strategy for your context needs to align what happens in classrooms with your shared vision .
Remember that change often starts with small steps . If your vision is about student agency — the ability to set a goal and take action — what does that mean in the elementary grades ? Teachers in one school system created classroom “ look-fors ” that translated agency into concrete actions , aligned with students ’ developmental levels . For example : being able to identify a problem worth solving , or contributing ideas to a collective brainstorming session about solutions . “ Now I know what to nurture in the classroom ,” an elementary teacher explained . “ It ’ s concrete .”
Leverage what ’ s working . What systems and structures do you have in place that will help advance change efforts ? To pursue a shared goal of deeper learning , one school leader recognized it was time to replace traditional assessments that focused only on recall of required content . To encourage his teachers to rethink assessment , he leveraged the existing structure of professional learning communities . Teachers were already comfortable using protocols and norms for collaborative inquiry in their Professional Learning Community ( PLCs ). They used the existing structure to critically examine assessments . That was a first step toward creating performance assessments that gave students more flexibility to demonstrate their mastery of deeper learning goals .
recognized that his teachers needed time and support to develop new practices . They excelled at making sure students would get great scores on traditional achievement tests but struggled with designing more openended projects . He convinced his board to double the time allotted to professional learning . Change has been gradual but steady , fueled by collaborative project planning across disciplines , instructional rounds to showcase effective strategies , and introduction of performance assessments . Eventually , teachers plan to design capstone experiences at transitional grades and have students defend their digital portfolios as a graduation requirement . Each strategy for instruction , assessment , technology integration , and professional learning relates directly to the vision of authentic problem solving .
Build your network . Both formally and informally , savvy school leaders take advantage of networks to accelerate change . Look beyond your own school system for innovative ideas , and share what ’ s working in your schools with others . In addition to networking with fellow educators , look for opportunities to connect with community allies who share your vision for student success . Build a regional network of allies who support school transformation . Networks will help to validate what you ’ re doing ; push you to go farther ; provide feedback on your efforts ; and give you a platform to share your best practices and inspire others .
Celebrate success . School transformation is hard work . Take time to celebrate and reflect on successes when they happen .
Suzie Boss is a writer and educational consultant from the United States who works with schools around the world interested in shifting to more student-centered , innovative approaches to teaching and learning . Her newest book , Redefining Student Success : Building a New Vision to Transform Leading , Teaching , and Learning , co-authored by Ken Kay , focuses on how educators are designing learning experiences that build students ’ readiness to tackle future challenges .
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