565 Week 4

The Asking the Right Questions: A School Change Toolkit made oodles of points that resonated with me. The idea that the way we perceive things potentially being the greatest roadblock to change is so simplistic yet makes so much sense. Reflecting upon changes that I've been a part of, the ones that were mandated, unclearly communicated, and seemed to take form out of the blue were the ones that met with the most resistance. I particularly appreciated the steps to change as presented in the image below, as well as the point that no matter where people are in the process of change--what step they're at--they still need support and encouragement. Once the change initiative gains momentum, leaders cannot simply stand back and watch from the bleachers as the change becomes the new way.
I find that in many of the instances where I've been part of the change or have observed change taking place, leaders stepped out of the picture after Awareness and maybe popped in a bit during Transition. Some of this seems to rest on the fact that tough questions were asked, and answers weren't readily available...so avoidance was a (leader) survival strategy.

Chapter 5: Motivational Leadership: Building Climate and Community from How to Thrive as a Teacher Leader provided engaging reading material again this week. Gabriel commented on the importance of leaders not making a comment just to comment at risk of making the comment feel insincere. I can't help but connect this to report card comments. It's expected that I provide at least one comment for all of my 100+ students. There are numerous "canned" comment codes such as "positive participation," "doesn't work up to ability," and "many missing assignments." I wonder if these comments are viewed by parents as disingenuous. I try to provide a free form (individual) comment for each student, but sometimes, I just don't have anything to say...especially as I cannot repeat comments for any of the students each quarter! Ah! Another part of the chapter that particularly resonated with me is as follows:

"...the present undertones imply that there is always a way to make every child a genius.
Best practices, child study testing, and collaboration are valuable methods to helping
students achieve, but sometimes the painful truth, the truth that we are afraid to
whisper, is that some students may have achieved all that they can achieve...another
truth is that were are becoming more interested in rewarding effort over productivity."

I don't know how many times a counselor or administrator or a parent has said to me "but he/she worked so hard." If I ask how he/she was working, or whether we truly KNOW that he/she was working hard, I get scoffed at. At the 7th grade level, with NO reading specialist or extra reading support to offer children, it's difficult to help a child who's reading at a 3rd grade reading level in classrooms of 30. If that child achieve a "C," I am thrilled. I think that's great! Unfortunately, "others" don't see it in the same light. "We can't turn every outfielder into a Joe DiMaggio, regardless of what some may claim and regardless of how hard some might try." Differentiated strategies, best practices, and individualized attention sometimes just doesn't work, especially when parents and teacher are working harder than the child.

I am enormously curious as to how many districts allow teachers to evaluate leadership? Is this something leadership welcomes on an individual basis where this is done or is it district protocol? I cannot imagine the district I teach in ever welcoming this type of thing to take place! Our leadership, currently, is defensive, speaks loudly, and doesn't respond well to anyone disagreeing with him.


Things are still in limbo at the state level...offices outdoors so constituent can reach their representatives? Citizens not allowed to enter the Capitol. Senator Grothman spreading untruths about protestors - "slobs" and "a different breed of people." Wowser!