Jumping from macro to micro, it is fascinating to look at the striking differences between individual school districts and even schools within the larger U.S. K-12 landscape. While the vast majority of schools look very similar, there are a few that stand out as being radically different.
Two come to mind for me. One is a district that has taken a long-term team-based approach to tackling the whole standards-curriculum-assessment alignment challenge. In the process of doing so, they have developed a system in which large numbers of demographically-representative students are successful, not only on state tests but also in areas of deeper learning: critical thinking, higher order thinking skills, and collaboration. This district’s administration, teachers, and other staff universally praise the approach and its results. They support one another in many ways as they happily go about their jobs of educating students.
The other example is a school in which a learning community has taken root and prospered among the staff. Despite having all the challenges of a modern public high school, the teachers work together to bring about the best education for their students. They embrace new methodologies, vigorously debate new ideas, and seek continuous improvement for all. They work weekends, go the extra mile for each other, and spend their time praising not blaming.
What do these schools have in common? A strong culture.
In visiting these schools, one can’t help thinking about how their specialness might be transferred to other schools. Being able to foster this kind of environment could radically change our nation’s future. It is the stuff that ed reformers dream of. Â But how do you bring about deep and meaningful change in culture? It requires so many elements. Strong leadership, Commitment. Competence. Long-term thinking. And probably some other special elements that are difficult to quantify.
Changing culture is a challenging problem and one that seems only marginally more manageable on a local basis than on a widespread one. Eighty thousand silos is a big number.
And yet if education is to undergo reform, culture change seems a must.
How do people actually go about changing the entrenched leadership that tends to stand in the way of change? School boards and administrations rarely seem to embrace change unless that change is forced. Even changing one or two of the top people may not be the answer, as the status quo is really pretty resistant to change. Where does one start?