By Vicki Bechard, Secretary LFKS
This past week I took my parents to Rocky Mountain National
Park near Estes Park, Colorado. We had been there many times when I was
growing up, but my own vacation in August sparked an interest for them to
return to a place with spectacular scenery and where we had made many memories. A major difference this time was that I was
the leader, planning and assisting them throughout this journey. We also went in the fall, instead of
mid-summer, so even familiar sights looked different because of the aspen, now
golden, and the skiffs of snow dusting the peaks. There had also been some flooding in the park
that altered the landscape since they last visited, so those changes also made
a difference in what we saw and did. As
with many of my life journeys, it made me think of education and how we “do school”
in general, and how we “do professional learning” in particular.
While school, as we know it, may be similar every year,
there are many changes that occur both inside and out that affect how we teach
and learn. Change may cycle like the
seasons, allowing us to purge the old to make room for new growth. Or change might dramatically alter what we do
when we are faced with new leadership, promising research, new resources, or emerging
strategies; all of which can shift our perspective and ultimately affect how we
do business. There are also actions,
seemingly beyond our control, like severe budget cuts and policy changes at the
state and federal level that also affect the business of “school.” As we implement these changes, we have too
often heard the cynics say, “We’ve already tried that before,” or “Just wait
long enough and this initiative will go away too.” Yes things cycle, including ideas, and
vacation destinations. But each time you
revisit something old, you blend it with something new, and the experience can altogether
change, transforming into something better.
With any new learning or initiative, whether you are the
teacher or the student, there is a period of adjustment where you wrestle to
find balance between what was, what is, and what needs to be. Many factors play
into the successful implementation of whatever change(s) will occur.
Relationships: Identifying and addressing the needs of all
the stakeholders is a must. My parents
wanted to see Estes Park and Rocky
Mountain National Park one more time, and in the fall season of the year (which
they had never done before). Their
physical limitations would hold them back or even prohibit this trip if they
tried to do this by themselves, so I offered to take them. We are all adults and somewhat set in our
ways of living, traveling, and what interests us on vacation-like trips, so it was
important that I listen to their wants and needs and blend my skills and
interests with their needs and interests in order for them (us) to have an
enjoyable trip. So I asked a lot of
questions, offered suggestions, listened to their responses, and ultimately we
got to see and do those things that made their trip worthwhile.
In schools, leadership is also charged with the task of
identifying and addressing the needs, questions, and concerns of the
stakeholder groups that will be impacted by the change initiative about to take
place. Establishing and nurturing the
relationships during this process is an action that will build trust and
ultimately lead to better communication throughout the change process. Also during this assessment process,
identifying pockets of excellence and blending the strengths of those involved
will produce a more successful transition and/or end result.
Change feels better when you work together and not have
it done to you. If we are mindful of the
people in the process and what they bring to the table, we will design learning
experiences that are meaningful and provide the players with resources and support
to ensure success.
Learning Design and Support: My parents don’t have the abilities, stamina,
or physical health to do the things they used to do (or at the same speed) when
we went on vacation when I was a kid (actually neither do I!). So I had to be mindful of that and operate at
a slower pace, assist them when necessary, and step back and let them be
independent whenever possible. And yet
sometimes they still thought I was going too fast! Sounds like school, doesn’t it?
How do we adjust the [learning] design so that all can find success?
Adjusting the Time
needed to successfully complete the task is a must for all learners. Whether we are students or educators, we don’t
come in with the same level of past experience or learn and understand at the
same rate. Even though we might be on a
deadline, finding time to understand and implement is critical.
Collaborating and
Asking the Right Questions produces buy-in, ownership, and collective
responsibility for the outcome. I could
have easily planned the entire itinerary and just put my parents in the car and
took them to sights I thought they wanted to see. I did have a framework of a “tentative schedule”
but that only served as a starting point for this trip. I asked them questions and made
adjustments. We discovered new
opportunities we hadn’t considered and as a result changed course a time or two,
which resulted in seeing new and exciting things! Other factors affected our journey too, such
as the weather. We could only rely on
the forecast when making our original plan, but even the weather people don’t
always get it right, so adjustments were needed.
How often do we plan a lesson, unit, or professional
learning experience without including the opportunity for collaboration or
buy-in from the learners? If we include
the learners or stakeholders in this process, it increases the likelihood of
success.
Support is
critical to achieving our goals. We all
need the right resources and assistance as we progress toward the end
result. This summer, I found using a
walking stick on the rocky trails was especially helpful. My dad has started using a cane everywhere he
goes. My mom took one on our trip “just
in case.” We steady each other on uneven
paths, and watch with pride as we stride out along the trail.
But there is a
balance that must be achieved between facilitating or guiding and doing it for
them. “Independent doing” is also a
goal. Sure it’s faster to do it for them
but how will that help THEM succeed (think
about when you taught your children to tie their shoes and how long it took to
accomplish that before you could walk out the door)? My parents have been independent their whole adult lives, traveling and doing what they want to do. The physical limitations of their age are
affecting that now, but they still want to be as independent as possible. I have to be careful not to just swoop in and
do it for them, or expect them to do things at the same rate that they used to
do.
All educators need
support during new learning. When we
ask someone to change how they are doing something, there will be some
frustration before there is success. The
kind, frequency, and level of support we offer the staff may be the difference between
successful implementation and just putting another initiative on the
shelf. Anyone who is comfortable with
the way they do something (teaching is just one example) is challenged when we
ask them to do some things differently. Everyone will need periodic support to ensure
implementation is going well or to help correct problems that may have surfaced
– and yes, some may need support more often or at deeper levels.
Providing support becomes a part of the learning design.
Over the last few months, I have been privileged to be a
part of and witness some on-going professional learning in a nearby
school. They have not just provided the
new learning for the staff, but have committed to providing support from both the outside
(me) and from within (time, frequent check-ins from the principal, PLCs, and
in-house expertise). They are committed
to this long term goal and dedicated to ensuring it will be accomplished by
providing the necessary support to get everyone on board. They recognize that this new learning is an on-going process – not just an event.
Change requires us to use the pillars of professional
learning as we plan, implement, and seek to achieve the goals of the new initiatives.
How will you address the many changes
that will occur on your school’s journey this year (or in the future)? As you consider how we “do school” and
specifically how we “do professional learning,” remember that each time we
revisit (or revise) something old, we blend it with something new, create a new
experience, and transform into something better.
My parents and I arrived home safely from this quick trip
that allowed us to enjoy the beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park. Yes it was a different experience from what
we had done before, but one rich with new memories, and a greater appreciation
for the participants, the destination, and the journey we took together, for it
was OUR trip not MY trip. How will your
school experience and view its journey to and through the next change initiative?
