Notes on a Panel
Below is an opportunity to hear from SAELP colleagues about how they reached the nexus between thought and action in their SAELP work, their thoughts on what SAELP has done to improve the system, their cogitation on what still needs to be done, and notions on how we might get there….
Coherence: The quality or state of cohering, especially a logical, orderly, and aesthetically consistent relationship of parts.
“Statewide, we’re making changes. SAELP has given us the opportunity to see/ share what others are doing.” – Phil, Panelist
1. System of Leadership Development: How has SAELP increased system coherence?
Ø Conversations within district, statewide and national became more aligned when looking at leadership and it’s link to teaching and learning
Ø Allowed for shift from equity of opportunity to equity of outcomes
Ø Enabled Oregon districts to begin to speak with a common language
Ø Enabled Leaders to better prioritize their time in such a way that maximizes teaching and learning
Ø Helped leaders focus on “the right” priorities that influence the relationship between instruction and learning
Ø Enabled collaboration at all levels of the system as evidenced by groups like ORPEA that formed out of the SAELP work.
Assessment: the classification of someone or something with respect to its worth
“If you don’t look at the quality of work in assessing effectiveness, then what is it all for? We all need to own it and share ownership of the problem”
- Sho, Panelist
2. How can leadership be assessed to bring about an increase in learning/achievement?
Ø Need to rethink idea of assessment and traditional reliance on quantitative assessment over qualitative.
Ø Use relationships as a means of holding people accountable
Ø Cannot be about judgment or condemnation, but rather support, growth and learning.
Ø Need to build capacity for collaboration of best practices
Ø New tool developed by University of Oregon
Ø Engage in more critical conversations so that we continue to learn from each other (since learning is at the crux of all assessment)
Ø Leadership assessment requires thinking in new ways :
Ø Should it be called “assessment”? or “growth indicators”?
Ø Should it be based on data and student achievement or relationships and conversations?
Ø Should it focus on compliance or shared vision?
Ø Should it be based mostly on external or internal indicators?
Ø Can we attribute “student achievement” to good leadership, or good teaching or both?
Partnership: A relationship between individuals or groups that is characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility, as for the achievement of a specified goal
“We’re making priorities that are focused on kids learning”
- Krista, Panelist
3. What has your school/school district learned from the partnerships that have come out of this SAELP group that you may not have learned otherwise?
Ø Systematic approaches to increase awareness and make necessary changes to improve leadership
Ø Leadership can happen at all levels
Ø We need to work together to solve problems and resolve issues
Ø Libraries for staff and opportunities to grow
Ø The ability to delve deeper to truly “examine” the issues, develop action plans, and then share those plans across the district/state
Ø Reinforced the importance of collaborations
Ø The importance of culturally –responsive curriculum
Ø The importance balance between providing information and “sharing”
Ø The fact that this work can’t be done in isolation
Improvement: a person or thing that represents an advance on another in excellence or achievement
“It’s going to take far more than just “appreciating” diversity”
-Barbara, Panelist
4. How has a focus on cultural competency or literacy lead to improvement in teaching and learning?
Ø A focus on literacy has lead to deep understanding of what success means across curriculum and different culture groups
Ø Literacy focus has helped us develop a system of intervention that is researched-based, and reaches kids below the level of proficiency
Ø Has enabled us to incorporate Marzano’s factors that impact cultural competency and learning
Ø Has provided the needed emphasis to build capacity within our organization enabling us to better support minority administrators and reach their needs.
Ø The impact is still inchoate, but it has provided the opening for the district to begin having some of those difficult conversations that have an impact on student achievement. Has enabled us to begin looking at how perceptions, assumptions, white privilege, classism, covert and overt biases may perpetuate the gaps we see in student achievement.