Change diagram 02

 

[from http://tinyurl.com/aofe8]

What would school organizations be like if every employee had the opportunity to pursue Option B? As Kathy Sierra notes, 'What if the price for working on weakness . . . is less chance to be f'n amazing?'

Comments

[heidi]

1.

Yes we can shift that focus - we have to!

It's a domino effect! In order to have f'n amazing schools, we need to give our students the ability to be f'n amazing, which happens best when teachers are supported in becoming their f'n amazing best! This is fun!;-)

I'm a project manager and I know that when I build my team, I get extraordinary results when everyone is working to their strengths and we fill in each other's weaknesses!

I'm a "big picture" thinker - so I always partner well with someone who is a concrete thinker & detail oriented. I help keep everyone focused on what's important, I push the big ideas and the possibilities - my team fills in all the details that have to be taken care of to get to our vision!

So, how can the system help teachers work to their strengths?

1) change the model above from an employee "performance review" to a "development plan". (and don't just change the title - change the approach behind it!) A review implies that you're going to look at what you're not doing well. A development plan is a self directed, guided look at how you want to develop (which includes so much more than just how to improve your weaknesses - it includes how you're going to mature and possibly change what you're doing to be more effective). Teachers need to assess themselves, understand the big picture objectives and detail/decide how they best deliver on that vision.
2) give teachers options re: deliver. Team teaching? Access to outside resources (either District level experts or outside consultants) who can come into the classroom to enhance the classroom experience. Project ideas that include how the students can contribute (i.e. the teacher doesn't have to know it all).
3) support pro-d that meets the needs of each teacher and their individual learning needs.
4) support for self-reflection and personal development that contributes to great learning environments.

You know - I just realized that I'm describing an IEP for every teacher! We do it for our students - why wouldn't we look at support and development of the whole person in the same way for our teachers?

It's just gotta be authentic!

To quote Obama - YES WE CAN!