6.1 ASSESSING SCHOOL READINESS
Demonstrate how to be an effective change agent in these ways: Assess, recognize, and employ individual and collective assets for adult and student learning. Assess and apply appropriate change theory. Mobilize all constituents to action, drawing on leadership that is distributed across a community of practice. Identify and build on key moments of forward progress. Demonstrate the capacity to effectively accomplish substantial outcomes.
6.1.1 PREPARATION FOR CHANGE
Engage staff to implement tools and processes to assess level of readiness, school coherence, assets, needs, student achievement, and teacher practice
Engage staff in the data collection and analysis processes to articulate the levels of cohesion in the school and the relationship of the school to external accountability measures and school vision
Collectively identify and address technical and logistical issues by distinguishing between managing dilemmas and solving discrete problems
Areas of strength:
Areas of challenge:
Engage staff to implement tools and processes to assess level of readiness, school coherence, assets, needs, student achievement, and teacher practice
Engage staff in the data collection and analysis processes to articulate the levels of cohesion in the school and the relationship of the school to external accountability measures and school vision
Collectively identify and address technical and logistical issues by distinguishing between managing dilemmas and solving discrete problems
Next steps and action plan:
6.1.2 APPROACH TO LEARNING
Engage collaboratively in data/evidence analysis
Collaboratively analyze patterns and effectiveness in relation to desired outcomes
Design and implement a plan for desired changes that uses an appropriate theory of change and includes capacity-building, collaboration, and collaborative sense-making as core elements
Collaboratively identify and implement examples of success in the school and in research to reframe the approach to identified challenges
Areas of strength:
Engage collaboratively in data/evidence analysis
Collaboratively analyze patterns and effectiveness in relation to desired outcomes
Design and implement a plan for desired changes that uses an appropriate theory of change and includes capacity-building, collaboration, and collaborative sense-making as core elements
Collaboratively identify and implement examples of success in the school and in research to reframe the approach to identified challenges
Areas of challenge:
Next steps and action plan:
6.1.3 BUILDING CAPACITY
Engage others in an analysis of the root causes of current assets and school dilemmas
Examine level of school and personnel readiness to assume leadership roles
Assess relationship between leaders’ actions, teacher practice, and student outcomes
Evaluate staff readiness to engage in change efforts
Employ the theory and practice of distributed leadership to engage adults in the change process
Build the capacity of the adults in the school to make needed changes
Areas of strength:
Engage others in an analysis of the root causes of current assets and school dilemmas
Examine level of school and personnel readiness to assume leadership roles
Assess relationship between leaders’ actions, teacher practice, and student outcomes
Evaluate staff readiness to engage in change efforts
Areas of challenge:
Employ the theory and practice of distributed leadership to engage adults in the change process
Build the capacity of the adults in the school to make needed changes
Next steps and action plan:
6.2 COLLABORATIVE GOALS AND ACTIONS
Lead with collective vision. Select appropriate and high leverage goals that take into account student perspectives and experiences. Make decisions based on equity focus, results, and evidence. Ensure that all resources are linked to student learning goals.
6.2.1 PROBLEM-POSING STANCE
Use a problem-posing stance that uses assets to pose dilemmas of practice
Seek multiple perspectives to examine and analyze root causes to affirm shared goals and outcomes before moving to decisions or solutions
Analyze the context and build relationships with all constituents
Connect change efforts on multiple fronts to key teaching and learning goals
Areas of strength:
Seek multiple perspectives to examine and analyze root causes to affirm shared goals and outcomes before moving to decisions or solutions
Analyze the context and build relationships with all constituents
Areas of challenge:
Use a problem-posing stance that uses assets to pose dilemmas of practice
Connect change efforts on multiple fronts to key teaching and learning goals
Next steps and action plan:
6.2.2 MAINTAINING FOCUS
Use collaborative processes to maintain a focus on significant and high impact change actions
Collaboratively review changes efforts to ensure focus on students’ academic, civic, and social emotional outcomes
Create and adhere to norms and processes that allow the group to collectively analyze work habits regularly
Develop systems for reciprocal accountability among adults
Areas of strength:
Use collaborative processes to maintain a focus on significant and high impact change actions
Collaboratively review changes efforts to ensure focus on students’ academic, civic, and social emotional outcomes
Create and adhere to norms and processes that allow the group to collectively analyze work habits regularly
Areas of challenge:
Develop systems for reciprocal accountability among adults
Next steps and action plan:
6.3 REFRAMING PERSPECTIVE
View discomfort, disagreement, and conflict as potential positive forces. Exhibit resilience, flexibility, and decisiveness. Imagine what is possible. Support creative solutions in the service of collective learning.
6.3.1 OPTIMIZING POTENTIAL
Develop norms and procedures that provide regular opportunities for the exchange of ideas and encourage diverse opinions
Engage in collective analyses of conflicts as a way to better understand challenges towards achieving the goal
Areas of strength:
Develop norms and procedures that provide regular opportunities for the exchange of ideas and encourage diverse opinions
Engage in collective analyses of conflicts as a way to better understand challenges towards achieving the goal
Areas of challenge:
Next steps and action plan:
6.3.2 SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
Analyze the relationship of informal groups (teachers, staff, parents) and improve connections for the purpose of more cohesive change efforts
Create space and norms for addressing issues that create discord, paying special attention to issues of cultural discontinuity, root causes, teacher or constituent engagement and practice, and bureaucratic and systemic challenges
Areas of strength:
Engage in collective analyses of conflicts as a way to better understand challenges towards achieving the goal
Create space and norms for addressing issues that create discord, paying special attention to issues of cultural discontinuity, root causes, teacher or constituent engagement and practice, and bureaucratic and systemic challenges
Areas of challenge:
Next steps and action plan:
6.3.3 CREATIVITY, FLEXIBILITY, AND RESILIENCE
Regularly model multiple solutions to dilemmas
Remain open to other ideas and collaboratively discuss the links between and among ideas
Remain engaged despite temporary conflict and setbacks using reflection to move beyond challenges
Connect to individuals or groups who can provide regular critical friend feedback
Support individual and collective reflection as a consistent norm of practice to advance goal achievement
Areas of strength:
Regularly model multiple solutions to dilemmas
Remain open to other ideas and collaboratively discuss the links between and among ideas
Remain engaged despite temporary conflict and setbacks using reflection to move beyond challenges
Connect to individuals or groups who can provide regular critical friend feedback
Support individual and collective reflection as a consistent norm of practice to advance goal achievement
Areas of challenge:
Next steps and action plan: