Creating Sustainable Systematic School Change

Wafa Hozien, Ph.D.Virginia State Universitywhozien@vsu.edu

Based on the Book: Why Failure Is Not An Option

Third Principle: Collaborative Teaming Focused on Teaching for Learning

CHAPTER 7

The Aim of Collaboration

• Collaboration: a means to an end; enhancing teachers for learning.

• Working interdependently towards a common goal.

A Combination of these Factors Configure To Highly Functional Teams:

• 1. Excellent tools, processes, and facilitation

• 2. The right people in the Bus

• 3. Continuous consistent contact to reinforce the new norms

Four Types of School Cultures

• 1. Individualistic

• 2. Balkanized

• 3. Contrived Collegiality

• 4. Collaborative*

Collaboration

• *Collaboration in schools is based on FOUR elements:

1. Specific data regarding performance by individual students, individual teachers, and specific areas of instruction (e.g., decimals or syntax)

2. Trusting, structured, yet intensive conversations around these data

3. Commitment to action (e.g., structured and frequent instructional learning walks)

4. Evaluation of outcomes from actions, continuous improvement of practice, and refinement of goals based on that evaluation.

Discussion Questions

• How often in your school is data reviewed and with whom?

• What commitment can you make towards working towards a goal found in the data?

• How will your school evaluate the outcomes of goals?

Areas of Collaboration

1. Professional practice forums

2. Classroom observation

3. Curriculum planning

4. Vertical teams

5. Professional study groups

Areas of Collaboration

6. Grade-level or subject-area teams

7. Interdisciplinary teams

8. Task forces

9. Teaching strategy or professional interest teams

10. Leadership teams

What Good Looks Like

1. The staff members are committed to a shared mission, vision, values and goals

2. Strong leaders engage teachers in meaningful collaboration

3. The school is characterized by a culture of trust and respect

4. Decisions are data-based and depersonalized

5. The staff has real authority to make decisions about teaching and learning

Clarity = Functionality

6. Meetings are well-managed and truly democratic

7. The functioning of teams is frequently discussed and reassessed

8. A plan is developed to provide meaningful time for teams to meet

9. Each team has clear purposes and goals

10. Educators acquire and share training in effective teamwork strategies

Implementation Guidelines

1. Team Organization

2. Decision Making

3. Managing Meetings

4. Sharing the Workload

5. Commitment of Team Members

Committment

Each member commits to:

•Attending all team meetings

•Working toward consensus

•Speaking openly and candidly with each other

•Ensuring that each team member’s input and views are sought and heard

•Supporting the team’s decisions when a

consensus is reached

Work on This

6. Communication Protocols

7. Monitoring Team Progress

a.Establish Goals

b.Prioritize and Assign Tasks

c.Decide on a sequence and Timetable of Tasks

8. Implement and Institutionalize Success

Questions

• What are the four types of cultures relative to collaboration discussed in this chapter?

• Provide brief examples of each.

References

• Blankstein, Alan M. (2004). Failure Is Not an Option: Six Principles That Advance Student Achievement in Highly Effective Schools. Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin.