Why Piecemeal Approaches to Effecting Change in Schools Haven’t Worked – And What Does Work
“An exciting and inspiring approach for tackling deeper system transformation.”
– Professor Michael Fullan
Change in Schools
Remember when you first became a school principal and thought about effecting change in your new school. What were you thinking and feeling at the time? What were your aspirations?
Like most principals, you may have dreamt of a student centered school and curriculum where all students learnt to their maximum potential, high acaemic results, adundant resources, quality staff, strong leadership, high morale, a safe school, partnering with community services, and a strong school community.
But as time goes by, this all seems like such an elusive dream. Managing change in schools becomes more like a nightmare.
If you are like most school leaders, you are probably now so busy just keeping up with day to day requirements that you no longer have time to dream or to focus on the things that are really important.
You may have also experienced the frustration of having teachers who are not fully engaged and where the culture and morale is not what you would like.
But as Professor Michael Fullan acknowledges, there is an “exciting and inspiring” approach for effecting change in schools.
The approach is called “Future Search”. It has been used extensively by schools and school districts across North America and it is now emerging in Australia.
It is an approach based on the premise that the best way to generate school change is a large group structured meeting of the ‘whole system’ (ie a representation of all relevant stakeholders including the school leadership, faith, teachers, admin staff, students, parents, and external partners.)
Change in Schools – The Outcomes
Properly planned and lead, such meetings produce 7 distinct outcomes for effecting change in your school. But the overall outcomes is collaborative engagement to achieve results that the school was previously unable to achieve.
Change in Schools – Understandable Scepticism
Some school leaders are understandably sceptical about the Future Search approach. Like all of us, you have probably experienced many small group meetings that were unproductive, let alone large group meetings aimed at school change.
However, it is the combined effect of quality planning, proper meeting leadership and particularly the 8 Future Search principles, that make this approach so powerful in producing a strategic plan that has meaning and relevance.
Here’s what some authors have said about the use of this approach in developing school strategic plans and effecting change in North American school districts and schools (in a book containing 16 case studies):
“Future Search represents an opportunity to “walk the talk” of effective teaching and learning…Teachers are going beyond rote memorisation and engaging students in higher-level thinking and knowledge construction. They are emphasising self-management of learning where students work independently to meet standards rather than fostering dependency on authority for the right answer. The work of cooperative learning is also evolving as students refine their capabilities as team players and contributors to the learning of others. Building administrators and teachers are working to apply these principles to themselves and their students as they aspire to create learning communities in their schools by actively engaging in meaningful dialogue, sharing what works and discovering possibilities for the future. This modelling at the school level impacts what happens at the classroom level. What does this have to do with Future Search?
Future Search models these principles of effective teaching and learning on a system level. It goes well beyond members of the system providing input. It is a real-time experience for the educational community in sharing information, analysing what it means, and drawing conclusions. People have their perspective is broadened by interacting with others with different views. Mapping the larger environment in all of its glorious complexity helps to heighten the collective confusion that can lead to new possibilities. Future Search offers your community a real-time experience of working in groups, engaging in dialogue, discovering common ground, and crafting a vision for the future.”
– Future Search in School District Change - Connection, Community, and Results, Rita Schweitz & Kim Martens with Nancy Aronson
More information on this approach and how it might be of benefit in effecting change in schools towards becoming a great school.
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Coming 2009!
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News and Events
Advanced Meeting Leadership Workshop for Leaders and Consultants, with internationally renowned US authors and consultants Marv Weisbord and Sandra Janoff of Future Search fame. Sydney. October 2008. Large discounts for first 20 registrants!
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