ED 258 Understanding School Culture and Change

Summer 2016 Syllabus

Instructor: Meg Anderson

Email:

Cell: 339 927 4579

Office Hours: By appointment

The Brandeis Teacher Leadership Program helps elementary and secondary teachers from diverse settings develop the knowledge and skills they need to:

  • Motivate and mentor fellow teachers in the ongoing improvement of teaching and learning
  • Collaborate with administrators on school change initiatives
  • Influence education policy.

Designed for experienced teachers in public, Jewish day, and independent schools, the program combines face-to-face summer coursework with distance learning during the academic year. It culminates in either a 13-month Advanced Graduate Study endorsement based on a thirteen month program or a two-year EdM in Teacher Leadership.

ED 258, “Understanding School Culture and Change,” is one of two foundational courses offered in the first residential summer. (“Understanding and Improving Teaching and Learning” is the second foundational course.) Together the two courses lay a conceptual and practical foundation for taking on responsibilities related to improving instruction as well as the overall functioning of the school as a learning environment for both teachers and students.

Learning Goals of ED 258: Understanding School Culture and Change:

As a result of this course, students will:

1) Useresearch on school organizations, adult development, and change theory to analyze the functioning of schools and the factors that enable and constrain school change;

2) Understand the professional culture of teaching in schools and how it affects relationships among teachers, the character and quality of teaching, and formal and informal opportunities for teacher collaboration and learning;

3) Appreciate why teacher leadership may be counter-cultural and clarify what needs to happen in the profession and in their school to change that;

4) Identify leadership skills that enable teacher leaders to support instructional and school improvement and analyze and develop their own capacity with respect to these skills;

5) Develop an inquiry question and initial steps for a school initiative they can undertake as teacher leaders to improve instruction and strengthen the functioning of their school, leading to better outcomes for students.

Course Requirements:

This course will model the building of a professional learning community and draw from participants’ own experiences in their schools. We expect each participant to take responsibility for your own and others’ learning. Course readings, along with other resources, will be available on LATTE.

Feedback, Assessment, and Grading

The purpose of this course is to grow your capacity as an instructional leader in order to improve student learning. Ultimately, the true assessment will be in the working lives and teaching practice of the teachers with whom you work and the learning of their students. You will receive feedback from your professors and coaches in order to support your growth as an instructional leader during the summer and beyond.

Grade distribution:

Written reflections (3) 60 %

Feedback to peers (participation during sharing activities) 20 %

Participation in discussions, text based protocols, and final reflection day20 %

Written reflections: At three points during the course, students will be asked to submit a written reflection in which they apply the course content to their school and themselves.Students are encouraged to use their daily reflection writing (during class) to help them write their more formal written reflections given as assignments. All reflection papers will be submitted electronically. Peers will provide each other with feedback on these reflections in the context of class discussions as well the professor. Reflection # 1+2 = 30 pts.; Reflection # 3 = 30 pts

Written reflection assignments will receive one of four grades:

  • Exceeds expectations: This grade indicates that the assignment goes beyond the expectations to show particular insight, sophisticated thinking, and/or extraordinary effort.
  • Meets expectations: This grade indicates that the assignment fully meets the professional and intellectual expectations.
  • Approaches Expectations: This grade indicates that while the paper has some strengths, it does not meet all of the professional and intellectual expectations. Any work receiving this grade may be revised and resubmitted within 2 days.
  • Below Expectations: Any work receiving this grade must be revised and resubmitted within 2 days.

Course Goals and Assignments:

Below are each day’s topic, goals, and assignments.There are also resources for further reading for the topic of the day. I reserve the right to make changes in response to student learning needs.

Essential Questions for the Course

  • Who are we as a community of learners?
  • What is needed to develop a learning culture with strong relationships and reflective practices that invite honest and respectful sharing of work, ideas, research?
  • What is teacher leadership?

Tuesday, July 5, 2016: What’s it all about??

Goals for July 5

Students will

  1. Understand the general themes of the two courses and the connections between them as well as the expectations for the school-site initiative
  2. Appreciate each others’ school contexts as a beginning basis for sharing and collaboration
  3. Begin to explore ideas, protocols, and structures that support teacher learning and teacher leadership.

Assignment for July 6

  1. Bring your school’s mission/vision statement
  2. Reading
  1. Everyone reads

P23-29 Professional Learning Communities at Work, DuFourEaker

  1. Choose ONE of the following to read:
  • Muniz Academy – website: Start with the mission, then read each of the website’s pages. If you are interested in learning more, I have posted the school’s Innovation school proposal (2011) and the SY2014-15 board report on student progress on LATTE as well as an Innovation School proposal for a school within a school at Medford HS, International Day and Evening Academy (2015)
  • P1-8 How Schools Enact Their Jewish Missions: Religious Purposefulness in Leadership, Curriculum, and Practice
  • K. Merseth, (2009). Inside Urban Charter Schools: Promising Practices and Strategies in Five High-Performing Schools, Chpt 2, (pp. 33-49) Harvard Education Press. Before you read the whole chapter, look at bottom of p. 37 for the Roxbury Prep Charter School Mission.

RESOURCES, NOT REQUIRED READING:

  1. SRI website for downloadable copies of protocols:
  2. Pollack, S. (2005). Beyond Icebreakers. Boston: The Center for Teen Empowerment.
  3. Ritchhart, R., Church, M., Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking Visible. San Franciso: Jossey-Bass. (especially for students in the classroom, but good for adults as well!)
  4. Lipmanowicz, H., McCandless, K. (2013). The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures. Liberating Structures Press.

Wednesday, July 6, 2016: “Getting on the Balcony”

Goals for July 6

Students will

  1. Deepen their understanding of how mission/vision impacts the structures and practices of schools
  2. Continue to develop as a community of learners
  3. Practice protocols that support learning cultures

Assignment for Thursday, July 7

  1. Bring your “Priority Challenge” sheets (May/June assignment)
  2. DuFour, R. (2015) HowPLCs Do Data Right. Educational Leadership: November, 2015, Vol. 73 No. 3, p23 - 26
  3. Reflection paper #1 DUE FRIDAY

A) Create a visual chart that reflects: The organization and systems of your school (don’t forget Boards of Trustees, Governing Boards, Parent Councils, or other groups associated with the school).

B) Written Reflection on the following (1 – 2 page)

A reflection on the organizational structures and systems in your school: how is the work of students, teachers, administrators, and others in your school organized? And what do you see as the challenges and the strengths of your schools’ organizational structures and systems?

Consider

- Who meets? How often? To do what?

- Who leads?

- Which group(s) on your chart make what decisions?

- What does the school invest in?

RESOURCE, NOT REQUIRED READING

  1. Schmoker, M. (2006). Results Now: How We Can Achieve Unprecedented Improvement in

Teaching and Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Thursday, July 7, 2016: Yikes! Data?!?!

Goals for July 7

Students will:

  1. Develop a broader understanding of how inquiry and the use of data can help teachers focus on equity and impact student outcomes.
  2. Begin to develop an inquiry question around a priority challenge
  3. Continue to develop as a community of learners
  4. Practice protocols that support learning cultures

Assignment for MONDAY, July 11

  1. Barth, R. Improving Relationships in the Schoolhouse. Ed Leadership, Summer 2006, Vol. 63
  2. M. Levenson, Pathways to Teacher Leadership: Choose one of the following chapters to read that matches the area you will be working in:
  • Instructional leadership in larger, more traditional schools (p 11-32);
  • Instructional leadership in a small school (p 33-48)
  • Institutional Leadership (school-wide work) (p 49-74)

RESOURCES, NOT REQUIRED READING

1. Love, N., Stiles, K., Mundry, S. DiRanna, K. (2008). The Data Coach’s Guide to Improving Learning for All Students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Friday, July 8 (1 hr classtime + meetings with coaches):

WHERE will my priority challenge fit?

Goals for July 8

Students will:

  1. Share school organizations and consider where there are supports/allies for working on a priority challenge areas
  2. Continue to develop as a community of learners
  3. Practice protocols that support learning cultures
  4. Meet with their site coaches

Assignment for MONDAY, July 11(repeated from July 7: Nothing new!)

  1. Barth, R. Improving Relationships in the Schoolhouse. Ed Leadership, Summer 2006, Vol. 63
  2. M. Levenson, Pathways to Teacher Leadership: Choose one of the following chapters to read that matches the area you will be working in:
  • Instructional leadership in larger, more traditional schools (p 11-32);
  • Instructional leadership in a small school (p 33-48)
  • Institutional Leadership (school-wide work) (p 49-74)

RESOURCES, NOT REQUIRED READING:

  1. Little, J. W. The Persistence of Privacy: Autonomy and Initiative in Teachers’ Professional Relations. Teachers College Record, Volume 91 Number 4, 1990, p. 509-536

ID Number: 406, Date Accessed: 6/24/2016 6:47:53 PM

  1. Bryk, A., Schneider, B. (2002). Trust in Schools: A Core Resource for Improvement. NY: Russell Sage Foundation.
  2. Tschmannen-Morgan, M. (2004). Trust Matters: Leadership for Successful Schools. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Mon, July 11:School Culture and Norms of Teaching I

Goals for July 11

Students will:

  1. Explore the characteristics of an effective collaborative culture and reflect on their own school cultures
  2. Explore the roles teachers can play in a collaborative culture
  3. Continue to develop as a community of learners
  4. Practice protocols that support learning cultures

Assignment for July 12

  1. Adult development: Choose oneof the following to read:
  • Knowles, M., Holton, E., & Swanson, R. (2012). The Adult Learner. New York: Routledge, pp. 1-2 + pp. 146-154.
  • Drago-Severson, E. (2004). Helping Teachers Learn: Principal Leadership for Adult Growth and Development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, pp. 21-36.
  • Lieb, S. (Fall1991). Principles of Adult Learning. VISION. Phoenix, AZ: South Mountain Community College.

Tues, July 12

School Culture and Norms of Teaching II

Goals for July 12

Students will

  1. Understand the “life cycle” of teams and how leaders and participants can help guide that development
  2. Appreciate how adults learn and what impact that can have on how teachers lead adults
  3. Continue to develop as a community of learners
  4. Practice protocols that support learning cultures

Assignment for July 13

  1. Reflection paper #2 School Culture and Professional Culture: What are the norms and expectations for students, teachers and the community? How do your schools norms relate to the traditional norms of schooling? What does your school value most and how is it evident in the daily work? How will this culture enable or constrain the work of school improvement and teacher leadership?
  2. Read: Heifetz, R. (2002). Leadership on the Line. “The Perils of Adaptive Change.” Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press, pp. 13-15

Wed, July 13, 2016: Change?!?!?

Goals for July 13

Students will

  1. Gain an understanding of change theory and what supports successful change; begin to relate this understanding to their initiatives
  2. Continue to develop as a community of learners
  3. Practice protocols that support learning cultures

Assignment for July 14

  1. M. Levenson, Pathways to Teacher Leadership, p 99-120

RESOURCE, NOT REQUIRED READING

  1. Ritchhart, R., Church, M., Morrison, K. (2011). Making Thinking Visible. San Franciso: Jossey-Bass. (especially for students in the classroom, but good for adults as well!)
  2. Heath, C. & Heath, D., (2010). Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard. NY: Broadway Books.

Thurs, July 14: What IS teacher leadership anyway??

AND who am I as a leader?

Goals for July 14

Students will

  1. Consider the elements of change and begin to apply these to the work of their initiatives
  2. Begin to define “teacher leadership” and reflect on teacher leadership in their own contexts. What are the benefits and challenges of formal vs informal leadership?
  3. Reflect on their own leadership style
  4. Continue to develop as a community of learners
  5. Practice protocols that support learning cultures

Assignments for Monday, July 18

  1. ASCD, Overcoming the Obstacles to Leadership, Sept 2007, Vol 65 No. 1, p. 8-13.
  2. (2 page) Summary of Heath, C. & Heath, D., (2010). Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard. NY: Broadway Books.

RESOURCES, NOT REQUIRED READING:

  1. Goleman, D. (March-April 2000). Leadership that Gets Results. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business Review.
  2. Educational Leadership (Sept 2007, Vol 65 No. 1): Teachers as Leaders. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
  3. Educational Leadership (Oct 2013 Vol 71 No. 2): Leveraging Teacher Leadership. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Mon, July 18, 2016:

Teacher Leadership as Counter-Culture: Anticipating Conflict/Resistance

It’s MESSY!

Goals for July 18

Students will:

  1. Consider how to interpret the challenges in leadership
  2. Explore and practice addressing resistance to change
  3. Continue to develop as a community of learners
  4. Practice protocols that support learning cultures

Assignment for July 19

1. Choose one of the following to read:

  • Butler, B. It’s not a meeting; it’s a way of life.
  • Adams, C. The Power of Collaboration. Instructor,15320200, Aug2009, Vol. 119, Issue 1.

RESOURCES, NOT REQUIRED READING:

  1. Fischer, R., Ury, W. (1991). Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreements without Giving In. NY: Penguin Books.
  2. Stone, D., Patton, B. (1999). Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most. NY: Penquin Books.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016:

Bringing ideas together: Your Leadership Learning Mission

Goals for July 19

Students will

  1. (Possible: Continue to explore and practice addressing resistance to change)
  2. Develop a “mission statement” for their own growth as a teacher leader
  3. Continue to develop as a community of learners
  4. Practice protocols that support learning cultures

Assignment for July 21

  1. Written Reflection #3: Use your readings from M. Levenson, Pathways to Teacher Leadership and the Managing Complex Change Chart for this assignment. (3-4 pages)

DUE THURSDAY, JULY 21

Guiding Questions:

  • Which model or parts of the models from your readings in Pathways to Teacher Leadership reflect the thinking about teacher leadership in your school? (Your school may still be developing this). How will you enter into teacher leadership in your school? What will be easy? What will be hard?
  • What change in student outcomes you want to see as a result of your initiative (Include your draftinquiry question)? Is this an adaptive challenge or a technical challenge for your school? Why (give evidence of why from your school site)?
  • Using the Managing Complex Change chart, describe the area(s) you feel would give you the most leverage as starting points for your initiative. Why would these areas give you leverage with the teachers/school?
  • Which ideas, structures, strategies (from either course) might be most useful in your initial approach to your priority challenge? Why?
  • What do you need to practice, learn, or learn more about as a teacher leader to create an effective pathway to change in your school?

Wednesday, July 20, 2016:

Observation Assessment; Raising questions

Goals for July 20

Students will

  1. Provide observations on a teacher video and complete course requirements
  2. Reflect on continuing questions they would like to explore in following courses, with their coaches, and in their work at their schools
  3. Meet with coaches

Assignment for July 21

  1. Consider questions for Thursday’s reflection on learning

Thursday, July 21, 2016:

Cohort I presentations; Reflections on Learning

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