Before you proceed any further...
WARNING! This posting may not be as positive as one would expect!
Activity #2:
Our school has undergone a few changes in the past year and a half with a change in leadership and the conceptualization of our 'School Culture' has 'arisen like a spectre' (spectre has been used as is intended). The climate of the school has altered and the future, like in many situations, is uncertain and dare I say it, 'balkanisation' is beginning to rear its head in a once 'almost-collegial-I-Care-tranquil school staff'.
While no school culture is perfect, some are more preferred than others and I refer to the spirit of staff collegiality, staff input is valued (your wishes might not actually come into fruition but at least you got to let others know what your ideas/beliefs were without persecution) and staff are a community willing to go the 'mile' together, all in 'it' for the good of all...that kind of thing! Furthermore, the culture of a school has embedded within its centre the unseen factors, the 'known' without having to be 'said' or 'how a school feels' and 'behaves' because these are the norms and quiet expectations..."the way we do things around here" (Stoll, 1998, p9).
All school cultures must evolve and move otherwise becoming stagnant but how the school works towards an evolution for improvement may be more difficult than assumed but change is never easy! Well...in part. I believe the process of change can be made easier if everyone is on 'the same page', information is transparent to all involved and staff are willing to 'roll up sleeves and pitch in' because 'that's what we do'. Over this past year however, I feel the transparency of knowing information is disappearing because only 'those in the know, know'. Our teaching and support staff are a good staff and don't mind the hard work and even though we do not need appreciation shown and said aloud, we do need to feel our worth is valued.
What happens however, if the school culture evolves into two communities or multi-communities who are beginning to pull apart? This isn't going to be a pretty picture as conflict and rifts are more than likely to appear despite staff appearances of trying to be civil and polite. The doomed 'them' and 'us' parody (yes, intended) is appearing and what I marvel at, is the small amount of time our school culture went from 'almost ideal' to the 'them and us'.
Leadership will always play a great part and I don't mean the many facets of leadership occurring throughout staff. I refer to the Leader at the top who is our role model, the inspirational person who is to guide and keep our staff together as we face the multitude of everyday challenges (Oh gosh, I just romanticized the notion of Leader). As Schein (as cited in Stoll, 1998, p13) surmises, "The only thing of real importance that leaders do is to create and manage culture".
How is our Community of Practice (excluding Senior management) coping with or trying to address these issues? Sadly, they are starting to leave.
How should a CoP address these issues?
They would work towards supporting each other in positive and productive ways, look for advice from the wider community, be innovative and creative sparking inspiration amongst each other, openness to voice opinions professionally and respectfully and be responsible for our 'success', our team can improve even if the school as a whole might not be, rise above the 'crap' and believe in what is important...teaching our students who deserve the best, and if in the end no resolution is in sight (which is a real possibility), find another home.
If we cannot depend upon our Leader to manage this culture (OMG, please make the shift from Laissez-faire to transformational already), to hear and react upon issues raised by staff, to work towards mending the rifts which are beginning to appear and build better staff collegiality, then this culture is inhibited to evolve.
References:
Stoll (1998). School Culture. School Improvement Network’s Bulletin 9. Institute of Education, University of London. Retrieved from http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Understanding-school-cultures/School-Culture
Images Used:
Image 1 - 'School Culture is'. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=947&q=school+culture&oq=school+culture&gs_l=img.3...34.1411.0.1535.14.7.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..14.0.0.a90AC1tutEI#imgdii=_km_1nl9gfK4EM%3A%3B_km_1nl9gfK4EM%3A%3BXfav8DkF4zYpNM%3A&imgrc=_km_1nl9gfK4EM%3A
Image 2 - 'They Build Culture by Example'. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=947&q=school+culture&oq=school+culture&gs_l=img.3...34.1411.0.1535.14.7.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..14.0.0.a90AC1tutEI#imgrc=OZb8wvcaPAMPTM%3A
Image 3 - 'Why School Culture is Important?' Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=947&q=school+culture&oq=school+culture&gs_l=img.3...34.1411.0.1535.14.7.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1ac.1.64.img..14.0.0.a90AC1tutEI#imgrc=_km_1nl9gfK4EM%3A
Sounds like you are going through a rough patch with your school. If this is because of change, then it is normal. You will survive, we always do, but it is't pleasant at the time. At least you now have the tools, supplied by what we have been studying together at Mindlab, to more honestly assess what is happening and why. Then you need to decide what you want to do about it.
ReplyDeleteYour choice really is glass half full or half empty. You can't choose what happens, but you can choose your reaction. I do hope that your year will be a fruitful learning experience for you and your school, even if it is mostly learning about yourself and how you handle things. Remember, everything means something and good can come out of any experience you have if you determine to learn from it. You do have a choice. Exercise it wisely.
All the best
Ruth
Thanks for sharing this post Lesa.
ReplyDeleteThere were many parts in your post that at this time last year I could relate so well too in my community of practice. The “us” and “them” was also a very familiar feeling for myself and many of our staff members.
We have however, had a huge overhaul of staffing and at the beginning of 2016 a complete new senior leadership team. (Yes ours jumped ship too!) With the introduction of a new leadership team came the introduction to "Change Leadership". There is a great article about Change Leadership here: http://www.core-ed.org/thought-leadership/ten-trends/ten-trends-2016/change-leadership
One of the biggest focuses this year has been having some challenging conversations with our team members and with the senior leadership team. As stated by Heifetz, Grashow, & Linsky (2009):
Elephants in the room are named. ‘Undiscussables’ are missed opportunities for learning, and potential areas where culture might be damaged because everyone is thinking the same thing but no one is brave enough to confront the issue.
This has made a huge difference to our school culture and the downwards spiral conversations that were appearing throughout our school are now used as new learning for our staff where they feel valued and supported to share their point of view.
I hope for you that this doesn’t continue on for the remainder of the year. I really like what Ruth had to say about something good coming out of this if your are determined to learn from it.
All the best
Sarah
Oh gosh, the ole 'elephant in the room' which as you say, are the opportunities we really do need to discuss (well in my head they are!) otherwise they will fester and contaminate...the apple barrel so to speak! We are polite but I 'kind of think', if we address the 'now' and 'get-it-over-and-done-with', we will either move on and find positive solutions or die a quick death and no one will speak to each other (which has unfortunately happened at our school in recent months)! I believe, if no-one is happy or you are not on the same page as the new directive or 'Principal', get out! No point in you being the contaminant. I say this with the view point, 'If you're not on the bus, don't bother getting on. Go find your bus (niche) that better fits you'. That's not meant to sound harsh. If you don't see their way and never will, why fight it? However, a little bit different if you're in that seat where you need to find another bus! I still believe, if being at your school doesn't sit well with you (due to a great difference in values in learning and teaching), get out. Find your niche where you have the same beliefs and values (or view-point). Otherwise, if you stay, it is because you believe in your wider community and 'those' staff who think like you. Yes, I like what Ruth referred to too. I just can't see how dragging our school back to the authoritarian model of 'My way or the highway' fitting with me. Our school hierarchy has regressed to 'a golden triangle' of the 'them' and 'us'. I have always worked for 'forward' thinking Principals and Senior Management teams, where I felt I was 'part of the team'. I sometimes find out about new minor initiatives (eg reward systems which I disagree with)in assemblies. With this small infraction in mind, why must I find out about what our staff is doing in assembly with the kids (as an example)? Sorry, this is not meant to be a moan session, but a stark reality for teachers now teaching for Principals who believe they are displaying leadership at its best :(
DeleteThanks for such an honest post Lesa. You are so right in your comment on "the small amount of time our school culture went from 'almost ideal' to the 'them and us'." I have found the converse, going from 'them and us' to 'almost ideal' to take sovery much longer. And I think that is largely to do with the loss of trust within a 'them and us'environment. CoPs can be a usefulstrategy to rebuild trust. All the best in a tough year Lesa.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh without my CoP, I would be a little lost (and that extends to my lovely team I work in and my outside-school groups I am a part of). Yes, the trust which was once there (as has always been on my part for the different schools I worked in) is slowly eroding. Even though, dealings within the school are 'mediocre ok', interactions and relationships could be so much better and more positive. Your school sounds like it is on the way up! I can relate to how frustrating coping with the 'uptake' must be, but a positive observation is, your school is transitioning from the 'them and us' scenario to the 'us as a whole'. Maybe, taking and forming new interactions slowly may be better because you are all part of the new foundations and laying down robust and solid foundations makes for a whole 'new way of being' :)
ReplyDeleteOops...I forgot to say 'Thank you' Rena and I hope the rest of the year is uneventful for my staff and your staff :) As long as I don't 'short-change' my children and keep on working hard. :)
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