Creating Sustainable Systematic School Change

Wafa Hozien, Ph.D.Virginia State Universitywhozien@vsu.edu

Based on the Book: Why Failure Is Not An Option

Chapter 1: Why Failure is NOT an Option: An Example From Chile

Read Full case: http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-to-lead-during-a-crisis-lessons-from-the-rescue-of-the-chilean-miners/

Chilean Miners

• Detailed study of leaders in the act of making decisions has often proven unusually challenging. Organizational leaders communicate in public but decide in private. As a consequence, in the words of one inside observer, “most executive decisions produce no direct evidence of themselves.” The executive decisions of Laurence Golborne during the rescue of the 33 miners thus offers an unusual opportunity, since he and his top team members agreed in interviews to describe the decisions they made during the rescue..

• The focus is the person who led the rescue effort, Golborne. Two others played critical roles: Chilean president Sebastian Piñera and crew foreman Luis Urzúa. Piñera insisted on searching for the miners at all costs, provided consistent support to Golborne and closely supervised the rescue efforts. Trapped with the miners, Urzúa helped form them into a microsociety to ration food, preserve morale and prepare for rescue. Though their decisions are very instructive, they are beyond our space and scope here.

From: http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-to-lead-during-a-crisis-lessons-from-the-rescue-of-the-chilean-miners/

Failure is NOT an Educational Option

• The ability to articulate a clear and compelling message to all educational stakeholders- inside and outside of the school building – is the beginning of moral purpose. (Fullan, 2001)

• Education in key to developing human capital. The nature of our education system-whether mediocre or excellent- will influence society into the future.

• Education affects not only the economy but also the civic and cultural life (Ravitch, 2011).

The Passion to Persevere

Lessons From Leaders in the Field

• Lesson 1: Connect With Your Core: a deep connection to one’s core values inspired by a great personal relationship or contact.

• Consider how one overriding idea strategically chosen and aligned to the “core” of the leader and thousands of employees

• Lesson 2: Articulate and Act on Beliefs

Once the “core connection” is made, it becomes easier to state a clear and compelling commitment.

• Once the tenet of no-failure becomes the clear picture of a core group of leaders, it begins to spread and develop in a manner that reflects the character of the new owners.

• Value-based commitments tend to be unwavering, and eventually they must connect to commitments by the larger group, fueled by their belief in what can be achieved.

• Lesson 3: Unleash the Leadership Within

• Effective leaders…

(1)Intuitively root themselves and their learning communities in their core beliefs or common purpose, and then

(2)Build the team that can shape the culture to…

3. …support collective teacher efficacy (CTE), which

4. …sustain student success

• Lesson 4: Create Cultures of Relational Trust

Principals must rely more heavily on the face-to-face relationships than on bureaucratic routines…the most powerful incentives reside in the…relationships among people in the organization. (Elmore, 2000)

• Trust is built on taking tough actions in a fair, truthful, and data-based manner.

• Trust is built on truth.

• Lesson 5: Tap the Answers in the Room

Come Together

• In schools, the product is learning by using an agreed-upon set of measures. The process to achieve that product includes pedagogy, creation of positive school climate and so forth. The people are all those involved with the process. To tap the answers that lie within a school and make excellence the norm, we must create a solid process that brings people together to achieve a commonly defined aim or outcome.

Maintaining a Collaborative Learning Community While Introducing Teacher Evaluation and Merit Pay

• Strategies:

• Move toward the danger

• Maintain trust by communicating fully and transparently

• Focus on the work

• Rename, reframe and own the initiative

• Meet new demands with support

• Create a consistent instructional processes

• Engage staff formally and continuously

References

• Blankstein, Alan M. (2004). Failure Is Not an Option: Six Principles That Advance Student Achievement in Highly Effective Schools. Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin.

• Useem, Michael; Jordán, Rodrigo; and Koljatic, Matko . (August 2011) How to Lead During a Crisis: Lessons From the Rescue of the Chilean Miners. Retrieved From: http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-to-lead-during-a-crisis-lessons-from-the-rescue-of-the-chilean-miners/