Systems That Learn

Dr. Timothy MitchellRapid City Area Schools Administrative Advance 8-5-13

Systems That Learn

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to

each other”

John F. KennedyWords never spoken

Speech to be deliveredNovember 22, 1963-Dallas,TX

Systems That Learn

Welcome and Introduction of

New Staff

Agenda

7:30-8:00 Continental Breakfast8:00-9:00 “Systems That Learn”-Part I9:00-9:15 CSAC Feedback Survey9:15-10:00 Support Services 10:00-10:15 Break10:15-10:45 Human Resources10:45-11:15 Indian Education11:15-11:45 Federal Grants/Assessment

11:45-1:00 Lunch--(On Own)

Agenda

1:00-1:30 Curriculum and Instruction1:30-2:00 Business Office2:00-2:15 Break2:15-3:15 Special Education3:15-3:45 Technology3:45-4:15 Student Achievement4:15-4:30 “Systems That Learn-Part

2”

Administrative Advance

In Latin, the word retreat means "to draw back." Many view retreating in a negative way - that it is somehow cowardly or unproductive. Gaining

perspective before action is the best way to advance.

Administrative Advance

What do we do during our ADVANCE:

•Invest in yourself and your relationships•Quiet the mind to help see things clearer•Time to reflect on difficult decisions•Plan and strategize your vision•Celebrate past success

What will she need?

RCAS Mission

Building a community of life

long learners, one student at a

time.

RCAS Vision

All Rapid City Area School students will

achieve to their full potential.

RCAS Goals

Goal #1: RCAS will develop a guaranteed and viable curriculum in all grade levels and in all courses so that all students have access to the same essential learning.

Goal #2: RCAS will develop a comprehensive system of assessment that is aligned with content standards, curriculum materials and instructional practices.

Goal #3: RCAS will develop diverse opportunities for students to learn and be academically successful.

Guaranteed, Viable, Relevant Curriculum Life and Career skills Technology Literacy (21st century skills) Staff Effectiveness and Organizational

Capacity-Building Comprehensive System of Assessment Diverse Opportunities for students to

learn and be academically successful

RCAS Priorities

Systems That Learn-Year 2Learning Target:

To build a district-wide shared understanding of PLC principles, practices, and concepts with an emphasis on the four critical questions and how they interconnect and support each other.

To develop a high-performing collaborative team at the district and building level in order to achieve the collective purpose of high levels of learning for all students

Systems That Learn-Year 2Learning Target:

To clarify what all district employees must know and be able to do to achieve a high performing learning culture that supports a highly functioning PLC.

 To develop and deploy frequent team-developed evaluation processes to provide specific and immediate feedback to the district that will support the development of a highly functioning PLC. 

Systems That Learn-Year 2Criteria for Success:

The RCAS Administrative Team will develop as a Learning Team with a shared focus, shared priorities and shared understandings that support a highly functioning PLC.

 The RCAS Administrative Team will shift all behavior to align systems, structures, process and policies to create a high performing learning culture that will support a highly functioning PLC.

Systems That Learn

Part 1Leading to LearnLearning to Lead

Systems That Learn

District-wide Survey-Spring 2013218-Comments

80-Positive87-Neutral51-Negative

Review of comments-Trends-Lack of consistency,

understanding and confusion as to the work

Seven Leadership Practices

*Creating and Sustaining Collaborative Relationships

*Aligning Systems*Facilitating Shared Responsibility*Building Coherence and Clarity*Modeling Practices and Expectations*Reflecting on Leadership

Effectiveness of Self and Others*Developing Leadership Capacity in

Self and Others

Seven Leadership Practices

The first three represent the core leadership practices

Building coherence and clarity serves as the base

The last two encircle the core work and extend and broaden the core and base

Seven Leadership Practices

Changing practice requires focus and commitment to

developing new beliefs and skills. These leadership practices help to create

successful, sustainable PLCs

Building Coherence and Clarity

Helping individuals understand the why and the what with

consistency is critical. Building coherence and clarity

underpins each leadership practice

Building Coherence and Clarity

“Change can not happen unless educators bring people

along, and people will not change without a compelling

reason”Reeves

Building Coherence and Clarity

Devoid of a firm foundation in the area of the compelling

WHY question all organizations do indeed “stand on shaking

ground”

Building Coherence and Clarity

Each time resistance is found, leaders must redirect their

efforts to engage their colleagues in building a

personal rationale and shared understanding of their

collective work.

Building Coherence and Clarity

In the absence of coherence and clarity, change becomes

confusing, chaotic and ultimately unwieldy. Building

coherence and clarity is foundational and it is imperative

in everything we do.

Building Coherence and Clarity

In the absence of organizational coherence and clarity, the beliefs of a few, even when

presented with strong conviction and authority seldom have staying power to carry the

work forward.

Building Coherence and Clarity

Key Concepts:-Focusing on the ONE Thing-Answering the WHY Question

Before the HOW-Clearly Communicating Priorities-Framing Collaborative

Conversations to Ensure Shared Understanding

Building Coherence and Clarity

Focusing on the ONE Thing

Collins (2001) stated that great organizations “simplify complex world into a single organizing idea, a basic principle or concept that unifies and guides everything”

Building Coherence and Clarity

Focusing on the ONE Thing

Every failed organization had a gradual movement and retreat from the fundamental purpose and guiding principle of the organization.

(Collins)

Building Coherence and Clarity

Focusing on the ONE Thing

Effective PLC leaders: Did not waiver in their belief in the fundamental purpose and guiding principle “facilitating high levels of learning for all”

Building Coherence and Clarity

Focusing on the ONE Thing

Simplify, Simplify, SimplifyKISS (Keep It Simple, Silly)

Building Coherence and Clarity

Answer WHY Before WHAT

Rationale that all understand and shareUse data to identify the rationaleLink all actions to the ideaEnsure support for all aligned programs

Building Coherence and Clarity

Clearly Communicate the Priorities

Intentional and Thoughtful with CommunicationNot a One-time EventDevelop the Common VocabularyInvest Time and Emotional Energy in Dialogue

Building Coherence and Clarity

Framing Collaborative Conversations

Less Meetings—More DialogueLess Speaking—More Listening

Building Coherence and Clarity

The journey is first and foremost about orientation. Developing coherence and

clarity through building capacity is key to helping

everyone in the organization.

Systems That Learn

Part 2WHY?

It is All About Learning!

Systems That Learn

Consider the following questions:

*Have researchers ever shown that teacher isolation is more educationally effective strategy that teachers collaborating toward common goals?

*Is there evidence that top-down management is more effective that teacher problem-solving and leadership at all levels of the school system?

Consider the following questions:

*Is there evidence that school structures based upon standardization are more effective that school structures that are differentiated based on actual student needs?

*Lastly, is there any evidence in the private or public sector that employees do not need frequent training and quality supervision throughout their career?

Systems That Learn

Systems That Learn

The answer to each question is “NO”.

There is no research that supports the claim that high employee

performance is based on isolation, top down management,

standardization and lack of employee training.

Systems That Learn

The Big IdeaThe learning dynamics that a teacher establishes in his/her classroom is similar to the learning dynamics a principal/instructional leader establishes in his/her school, and is similar to what a superintendent does to promote learning within the district leadership team.

Systems That Learn

Decreasing costs and increasing student achievement can not be

opposing goals. Resource allocation needs to be part of the

solution. The hardest part is winning the support for these bold and necessary decisions.

Systems That Learn

Working smarter as a school or school system does not require a larger

school budget

Systems That Learn

Strengthening the adult learning will benefit students:

*When School Boards learn*When Central Administrators learn*When Building Administrators learn*When Schools and departments learn*When individual teachers learn

Systems That Learn

Overarching TheoryWhen a school systems learns,

continuous improvement enables educators to close

achievement gaps and ensures that all students grow and

develop as learners.

Systems That Learn

Creating team time does not guarantee improvements

Structural change is not cultural change. Simply altering the

schedule to provide time to meet does not create conditions for

learning.

Systems That Learn

“School leaders and teachers need to create schools and classroom environments in which error is

welcomed as a learning opportunity, in which discarding incorrect knowledge and understanding is welcomed, and in which teachers feel safe to learn, re-learn, and explore knowledge and

understanding”J. Hattie

Systems That Learn

What Do We Need to Do?

*Listen, listen, listen*Be willing to display fallibility*Invite participation & dissent-value open and honest communication*Reframe failures as learning opportunities

Systems That Learn

In order to disagree, learn from mistakes, successfully manage conflict, and continually learn, the systems needs sufficient:

TrustCapacity building for ALL

educatorsCollaboration in All directionsLeadership at all levels

Systems That Learn-Year 2Learning Target:

To build a district-wide shared understanding of PLC principles, practices, and concepts with an emphasis on the four critical questions and how they interconnect and support each other.

To develop a high-performing collaborative team at the district and building level in order to achieve the collective purpose of high levels of learning for all students

Systems That Learn-Year 2Learning Target:

To clarify what all district employees must know and be able to do to achieve a high performing learning culture that supports a highly functioning PLC.

 To develop and deploy frequent team-developed evaluation processes to provide specific and immediate feedback to the district that will support the development of a highly functioning PLC. 

Systems That Learn-Year 2Criteria for Success:

The RCAS Administrative Team will develop as a Learning Team with a shared focus, shared priorities and shared understandings that support a highly functioning PLC.

 The RCAS Administrative Team will shift all behavior to align systems, structures, process and policies to create a high performing learning culture that will support a highly functioning PLC.

Systems That Learn

“Leadership is about going somewhere. If you and your people don’t know

where you are going, your leadership doesn’t matter.”

Ken Blanchard