is your culture too loose, too tight, or just right? · way home she created a loose–tight...

Is Your Culture too Loose,too Tight, or Just Right?

Brian K. Butler

Brian K.

ButlerBrian K

. Butler

Brian K.

ButlerBrian K

. Butler

Brian K.

Butler

1

SolutionTree.com | 888.763.9045

Is Your Culture too Loose, too Tight, or Just Right?

Brian K. [email protected]

Our Guiding Principles for Time Together

Share expertise Learners Hand signal Terminology Have fun!

Learn about Mason Crest’s journey and how the administrators set the parameters for what was tight but gave much flexibility (loose) within those parameters for freedom, creativity, and flexibility for staff.

Participants will have the opportunity to use multiple self and team refection tools to assess elements of their culture and individuals and teams will share with others how they constantly tend to their culture.

Understand the questions needed to create consensus for a cultureof collective responsibility.

Role play different scenarios in order to be able to go back to their team, schools, or districts with experience and confidence to create a culture of collective responsibility that is simultaneously loose and tight.

Learning Outcomes


School Culture“School culture is the set of norms, values, and beliefs, rituals and ceremonies, symbols and stories that make up the ‘persona’ of the school.”

—Peterson in Cromwell, “Is Your School Culture Toxic or Positive?” Education World (2002)

© Butler 2018. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.

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“[Good to great companies] first got the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats—and then figured out where to drive it.”

—Collins, Good to Great (2001), p. 13


“People are not your most important asset. The right people are.”

—Collins, Good to Great (2001), p. 13

At Disney Elementary School, the happiest place on earth, the teacher teams were used to doing their own thing. There was no guaranteed and viable curriculum and in turn no common pacing. Common assessments were seen as when the students took the district quarterly benchmark assessments. The teachers enjoyed great autonomy and because many of the students in the school came from means, the test scores were very good. Upon entering the school as the new administrator you noticed that there was a huge gap, although it was hidden by the numbers. Only about 10% of the students came from poverty and about 8% had been identified for special education but 75% of those students were not on grade level or not proficient on the end‐of‐year assessment in both reading and mathematics. Come up with a plan for addressing this issue with your staff.

Scenario #1The former principal team at Mason Crest created an expectations document for all staff in order to ensure clarity around their employment. They were crystal clear on what was nondiscretionary (tight) as a condition for continuing on the journey at the school. What would be some of the concerns that you might anticipate from some of your staff members who are traditionally against change if your school administration created such a document? What would your response be for such challenges? Feel free to refer to the “Creating Consensus for a Culture of Collective Responsibility” handout.

Scenario #2


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Principal Kerr went to a Leadership Now Institute in Las Vegas, Nevada and learned about the concept of loose–tight leadership. She was excited to get back to her school and on her way home she created a loose–tight leadership document which was in line with everything that she had learned. She literally followed the script from Rick DuFour’s one page Loose vs. Tight article. She called a Monday afternoon staff meeting and handed the document to all staff and ask them to read it and give feedback. In less than two minutes the staff was up in arms yelling, many people saying that she did not trust them and that they were blindsided by these mandates. Principal Kerr agreed to table the conversation and retreated to her office alone, demoralized. What guidance could you give to Principal Kerr from your own experience and what you have learned today?

Scenario #3From what you have learned today, use the materials to create a document that is simultaneously loose and tight which aligns with the mission of ensuring high levels of learning for both students and adults.How would you create ownership? We don’t care for the term buy‐in because it could mean we are trying to sell it, and when people don’t like something they buy they can return it. Think of the following quote:

“People are less likely to tear down a fence if they help to build it.”

—Dr. Luis F. Cruz

Scenario #4

Celebration is a big part of a positive school culture. How would you create a loose–tight culture for celebration in your school? Be specific with examples along with the process that was used to institute such a culture.

Scenario #5Getting the right people in the right seats on the bus is critical to moving in the right direction as a school. Describe in detail how a school could institute a hiring and retention process that was simultaneously loose and tight.

Scenario #6


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“The journey will undoubtedly require hard work. But if there is one undeniable reality for every educator every year, it is that we are going to work hard. The real question is this: Will we work hard and succeed or work hard and fail?”

—DuFour, In Praise of American Educators (2015), p. 252

The Real Question


Brian K. [email protected]

To schedule professional development at your site, contact

Solution Treeat (800) 733‐6786.

DuFour, R., & Mattos, M. (2013). How do principals really improve schools? Educational Leadership, 70(7), pp. 34–40.

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. W., & Mattos, M. (2016). Learning bydoing: A handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (3rd ed.).Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Kramer, S. V., & Schuhl, S. (2017). School improvement for all. Bloomington, IN:Solution Tree Press.

Collins, J. (2001). Good to great. NY: HarperBusiness.

Cromwell, P. (2002). Is your school culture toxic or positive? Education World.

Muhammad, A. (2017). Transformingschool culture: How to overcome staff division. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Interviews, Videos, and Other Resources Erin Hansen C/O Mike Mattos Multiple Videos from Global PD Sarah Schuhl – Colleague Coaching Diane Kerr – Colleague Coaching

Resources and References



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Why Should We Articulate Collective Commitments?

With the democratization of organizations, especially schools, the leadership function becomes one of creating a “community of shared values” (Lezotte, 1991, p. 3).

“Values describe how we intend to operate, on a day-to-day basis, as we pursue our vision. . . . Values are best expressed in terms of behavior: If we act as we should, what would an observer see us doing? . . . If values are made a central part of the organization’s shared vision effort, and put out in full view, they become like a figurehead on a ship: a guiding symbol of the behavior that will help move people toward the vision” (Senge et al., 1994, p. 302).

Both profit and nonprofit organizations should be grounded on “a timeless set of core values and an enduring purpose” (Collins & Porras, 1994, p. xxiv).

“The language of complaint essentially tells us, and others, what it is we can’t stand. The language of commitment tells us (and possibly others) what it is we stand for” (Kegan & Lahey, 2001, p. 32).

High-performing districts “tended to rely more on a common culture of values to shape collective action than on bureaucratic rules and controls. The shared values typically focused on improvement of student learning as the central goal” (Elmore, 2000, p. 26).

“Values provide guidelines on how you should proceed as you pursue your purpose and picture of the future. They answer the question . . . ‘How?’ They need to be clearly described so that you know exactly what behaviors demonstrate that the value is being lived” (Blanchard, 2007, p. 30).

Values must be driven into the policy, the decision-making, and ultimately the culture of the organization, otherwise value statements are just words. When values become part of an employee’s DNA, they not only guide day-to-day work but also empower employees to act in unique situations (Berry & Seltman, 2008).

“Values represent the commitments to action necessary to ensure the vision is realized. . . . In the best PLC cultures, vision and values ultimately become the driving force behind the decision-making process that takes place every day” (Kanold, 2011, p. 13).

To bring a mission statement to life “educators must be willing to transparently communicate their commitment to students as it relates to their stated mission and challenge one another to live up to that commitment” (Muhammad & Hollie, 2012, p. 28).

The key to values impacting the organization in a positive way is that people have to “live by them, reinforce them every day, and not tolerate behavior that is at odds with them” (Bryant, 2014).

REPRODUCIBLE

Learning by Doing © 2006, 2010, 2016 Solution Tree Press • SolutionTree.comVisit go.SolutionTree.com/PLCbooks to download this free reproducible.

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The Story that Drives 2016 Dufour Award Recipient Mason Crest as a Professional Learning Community (PLC) at Work

It has been said that the culture of every organization is found in the stories its members tell themselves about how the organization operates. These stories typically reflect the unspoken assumptions that drive the work of the school. At Mason Crest, if the story were put in writing, our story would sound like this. At Mason Crest you are expected to take an intense personal interest in the success of all of our students. You could never help all students learn if you work in isolation, so you will become a member of a collaborative team – colleagues who work interdependently to achieve a common goal for which they are mutually accountable. One of the most important responsibilities of every member of this staff is to make positive contributions to his or her team. Your teammates serve as your mentors as you do to them. You will find the collaborative culture of your weekly team meetings to be a major source of support as you work your way through the daily questions and challenges confronting the educators here at Mason Crest. You will be clear as to your understanding of the different formal structures of team meetings that we have at Mason Crest, as clarity precedes competence. These team meeting structures and purposes are grade level planning meetings (math, language arts as well as science and social studies), Data Discussion meetings, Progress Monitoring meetings and Team Observation and Reflection meetings. Equity is an important issue at Mason Crest. You will find that teams work continuously to ensure all students in the same grade level and subjects (language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, physical education, music, art and library) have access to the same knowledge and skills and have their work assessed according to the same criteria regardless of the teacher to whom they are assigned. During team planning meetings, your team will clarify the most essential learnings for each unit, agree on pacing of the content, and develop common assessments that will be administered to all students at your grade level. You will benefit greatly from this clear understanding of what students are expected to learn and how they will be asked to demonstrate their learnings from each unit you teach. Your teammates will solicit your questions and recommendations regarding the curriculum and assessments and will encourage you to become an active participant in their decision-making process. It is your obligation to do so. One of the reasons you were hired to be a part of the Mason Crest team was because we felt that you could make a contribution to the work of your team. Our commitment to equity also means the issue of what happens when some students do not learn is not left to chance or to the discretion of individual teachers. We have created a systematic intervention process to monitor student learning on a timely basis and to ensure students receive additional time and support for learning in a consistent and directive way as soon as they experience difficulty. In order for that system to work, you must report student progress accurately and often and be as precise as possible regarding the skill or concept the student is struggling to master. Remember, here at Mason Crest there is a structure in place to support your efforts to help all students learn, and you must make certain your students have access to that structure and rely on your teammates to help you.

© Mason Crest Elementary 2016. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.

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You and your teammates will analyze the results from every common assessment, not only to identify students who are having difficulty or those who require extension but also to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each member’s instruction. On every common assessment you will be given prompt feedback regarding the success of your students in achieving the team’s agreed-upon standard of proficiency compared to all of the other students who took the assessment. The information is presented in a user-friendly format and is openly shared among teammates, so everyone has a wonderful opportunity to learn about materials and methods of colleagues who are getting the best results for each skill or concept taught. You will discover that leadership at Mason Crest is a function of expertise rather than position. Each and every one of you will be considered a leader at some point and we expect you to embrace this as an opportunity to help your colleagues improve their practices. When the evidence demonstrates you have you have been extraordinarily effective in helping your students learn a particular skill or concept, you will be encouraged and expected to take the lead in helping colleagues develop new insights and strategies in those areas. Building shared knowledge (learning together) is the prerequisite homework for making a decision in our school. Developing a common language and agreeing to a limited use of acronyms (without explanation) is an important piece to helping all team members move forward with clarity. We attempt to resolve every important question and issue by engaging in collective inquiry, jointly examining both external and internal evidence of best practice, and honestly assessing our own practice in light of the evidence. We operate from the premise, “without evidence, you are just another person with an opinion.” We make our important decision what to teach, how to assess student learning, best instructional practices, how to assign grades, etc. –on the basis of evidence rather than opinions. We will encourage Pilot Projects (like the joint Intellectual Disabilities’ Team –Kindergarten Guided Reading Project) because they will help us gather additional information before moving forward with a schoolwide initiative. As a part of our School Improvement Plan (SIP) every team is expected to develop and pursue SMART goals (Strategic and specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, Time-bound) to drive the continuous improvement process of Mason Crest. The goal will be aligned with one of our school goals, will focus on results that require evidence of student learning, and will call for a significant contribution from every member of the team in order to be achieved. One of the most powerful forms of professional development we experience at Mason Crest is the ongoing, job embedded learning that takes place among teammates as they work together to meet the needs of all their students. Your team will be able to pursue and identify the topics you feel are most critical to achieving your SMART goals. We learn collectively, we stay focused on issues that have the most powerful impact on teaching and learning, and move quickly to apply our new skills and insights. We value learning by doing, and you will see that working at Mason Crest is the best graduate program you could ever have. It should be evident to you how serious we are about hiring people who fit our culture. Before each of you was offered a job at Mason Crest you were given an expectations document from Diane and Brian, you were interviewed at length by the team, asked to respond to a variety of questions and probed your thinking around the school that you saw Mason Crest becoming in the future. We have invested considerable effort to bring each of you to Mason Crest, we expect you to be successful, and are prepared to offer you considerable support to promote that success. To continue with us, however, you must prove your strong commitment to the learning


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of all students, become a positive contributing member to your team (and the Mason Crest Team as a whole), and demonstrate a willingness to continue your own professional learning. Mason Crest is a wonderful place to work. Celebration is an important part of who we are. Every staff gathering gives us an opportunity to celebrate efforts and achievement of a variety of individuals and teams. The team process fosters both appreciation and recognition as you make contributions to your colleagues and they recognize improvement in your teaching. The achievement of SMART goals is another cause for collective celebration and builds a powerful sense of individual and collective self-efficacy. You will have a sense of belonging and connection because you will always have someone to turn to for help in meeting the challenges of this profession. All the systems that have been created to keep us focused on student learning will remind you of the significance of the work we do, and there is something very powerful about being a part of a collective effort to achieve a mighty purpose. Finally, you will become the very best educator you can by virtue of the fact that you work here at Mason Crest, and there is a tremendous sense of satisfaction that comes with fulfilling your full potential as a professional and a person. This is the story that drives Mason Crest to fulfill its mission of ensuring high levels of learning for both students and adults. If, through our collective effort, we are able to fulfill that mission/purpose, our students will have the knowledge, skills, and growth mindset essential to pursuing their goals and dreams throughout their lives.

(Adapted from DuFour & DuFour, Building the Foundation of a Professional Learning Community Course, 2012)


10

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. Peo

ple

th

rou

gh

ou

t th

e sc

ho

ol w

ill c

on

fro

nt

tho

se w

ho

dis

reg

ard

th

e p

rio

riti

es.

page

2 o

f 3

REPRODUCIBLE


11

Ind

icat

or

Pre

-Ini

tiat

ing

Init

iati

ngIm

ple

men

ting

Dev

elo

pin

gSu

stai

ning

Th

e le

ader

s in

th

e sc

ho

ol c

om

mu

nic

ate

pu

rpo

se a

nd

p

rio

riti

es t

hro

ug

h m

od

elin

g, a

lloca

tio

n o

f re

sou

rces

, wh

at

they

cel

ebra

te, a

nd

w

hat

th

ey a

re w

illin

g

to c

on

fro

nt.

Th

ere

is n

o s

ense

o

f p

urp

ose

an

d

pri

ori

ties

. Dif

fere

nt

peo

ple

in t

he

sch

oo

l see

m t

o

hav

e d

iffe

ren

t p

et

pro

ject

s, a

nd

th

ere

is c

on

sid

erab

le in

-fi

gh

tin

g t

o a

cqu

ire

the

reso

urc

es t

o

sup

po

rt t

ho

se

dif

fere

nt

pro

ject

s.

Lea

der

s ca

n ar

ticu

late

th

e p

urp

ose

an

d

pri

ori

ties

of

the

sch

oo

l wit

h a

con

sist

ent

voic

e,

bu

t th

eir

beh

avio

r is

n

ot

con

gru

ent

wit

h th

eir

wo

rds.

Th

e st

ruct

ure

s, r

eso

urc

es,

and

rew

ard

s o

f th

e sc

ho

ol h

ave

no

t b

een

alte

red

to

alig

n w

ith

the

pro

fess

ed

pri

ori

ties

.

Th

e sc

ho

ol h

as

beg

un

to a

lter

th

e st

ruct

ure

s, r

eso

urc

es,

and

rew

ard

s to

b

ette

r al

ign

wit

h th

e st

ated

pri

ori

ties

. S

taff

mem

ber

s w

ho

o

pen

ly o

pp

ose

th

e in

itia

tive

may

be

con

fro

nte

d, b

ut

tho

se

con

fro

nti

ng

th

em a

re

likel

y to

exp

lain

th

ey

are

do

ing

so

meo

ne

else

’s b

idd

ing

. Fo

r ex

amp

le, a

pri

nci

pal

m

ay s

ay, “

Th

e ce

ntr

al

off

ice

is c

on

cern

ed

that

yo

u ar

e o

vert

ly

resi

stin

g t

he

pro

cess

w

e ar

e at

tem

pti

ng

to

im

ple

men

t.”

Peo

ple

th

rou

gh

ou

t th

e sc

ho

ol a

re

chan

gin

g t

hei

r b

ehav

ior

to a

lign

wit

h th

e p

rio

riti

es.

Th

ey a

re s

eeki

ng

n

ew s

trat

egie

s fo

r u

sin

g r

eso

urc

es

mo

re e

ffec

tive

ly t

o

sup

po

rt t

he

init

iati

ve,

and

are

will

ing

to

re

allo

cate

tim

e,

mo

ney

, mat

eria

ls,

and

peo

ple

in o

rder

to

mo

ve f

orw

ard

. S

mal

l im

pro

vem

ents

ar

e re

cog

niz

ed a

nd

ce

leb

rate

d. L

ead

ers

con

fro

nt

inco

ng

ruen

t b

ehav

ior.

Th

e p

urp

ose

an

d

pri

ori

ties

of

the

sch

oo

l are

evi

den

t b

y th

e ev

eryd

ay

beh

avio

r o

f p

eop

le

thro

ug

ho

ut

the

sch

oo

l. T

ime,

mo

ney

, m

ater

ials

, peo

ple

, an

d r

eso

urc

es h

ave

bee

n st

rate

gic

ally

al

loca

ted

to

re

flec

t p

rio

riti

es.

Pro

cess

es a

re in

p

lace

to

rec

og

niz

e an

d c

eleb

rate

co

mm

itm

ent

to t

he

pri

ori

ties

. Peo

ple

th

rou

gh

ou

t th

e sc

ho

ol w

ill c

on

fro

nt

tho

se w

ho

dis

reg

ard

th

e p

rio

riti

es.

page

2 o

f 3

REPRODUCIBLE


12

Whe

re D

o W

e G

o F

rom

Her

e? W

ork

shee

t C

om

mun

icat

ing

Eff

ecti

vely

Ind

icat

or

of

a P

LC a

t W

ork

Wha

t st

eps

or

acti

viti

es m

ust

be

init

iate

d

to c

reat

e th

is

cond

itio

n in

yo

ur s

cho

ol?

Who

will

be

resp

ons

ible

fo

r in

itia

ting

o

r su

stai

ning

th

ese

step

s o

r ac

tivi

ties

?

Wha

t is

a

real

isti

c ti

mel

ine

for

each

ste

p

or

pha

se o

f th

e ac

tivi

ty?

Wha

t w

ill

you

use

to

asse

ss t

he

effe

ctiv

enes

s o

f yo

ur in

itia

tive

?

Th

e sc

ho

ol h

as e

stab

lish

ed a

cle

ar p

urp

ose

an

d p

rio

riti

es t

hat

h

ave

bee

n ef

fect

ivel

y co

mm

un

icat

ed. S

yste

ms

are

in p

lace

to

en

sure

act

ion

step

s al

ign

ed w

ith

the

pu

rpo

se a

nd

pri

ori

ties

ar

e im

ple

men

ted

an

d m

on

ito

red

.

Th

e le

ader

s in

th

e sc

ho

ol c

om

mu

nic

ate

pu

rpo

se a

nd

pri

ori

ties

th

rou

gh

mo

del

ing

, allo

cati

on

of

reso

urc

es, w

hat

th

ey

cele

bra

te, a

nd

wh

at t

hey

are

will

ing

to

co

nfr

on

t.

page

3 o

f 3

REPRODUCIBLE


13

Whe

re D

o W

e G

o F

rom

Her

e? W

ork

shee

t C

om

mun

icat

ing

Eff

ecti

vely

Ind

icat

or

of

a P

LC a

t W

ork

Wha

t st

eps

or

acti

viti

es m

ust

be

init

iate

d

to c

reat

e th

is

cond

itio

n in

yo

ur s

cho

ol?

Who

will

be

resp

ons

ible

fo

r in

itia

ting

o

r su

stai

ning

th

ese

step

s o

r ac

tivi

ties

?

Wha

t is

a

real

isti

c ti

mel

ine

for

each

ste

p

or

pha

se o

f th

e ac

tivi

ty?

Wha

t w

ill

you

use

to

asse

ss t

he

effe

ctiv

enes

s o

f yo

ur in

itia

tive

?

Th

e sc

ho

ol h

as e

stab

lish

ed a

cle

ar p

urp

ose

an

d p

rio

riti

es t

hat

h

ave

bee

n ef

fect

ivel

y co

mm

un

icat

ed. S

yste

ms

are

in p

lace

to

en

sure

act

ion

step

s al

ign

ed w

ith

the

pu

rpo

se a

nd

pri

ori

ties

ar

e im

ple

men

ted

an

d m

on

ito

red

.

Th

e le

ader

s in

th

e sc

ho

ol c

om

mu

nic

ate

pu

rpo

se a

nd

pri

ori

ties

th

rou

gh

mo

del

ing

, allo

cati

on

of

reso

urc

es, w

hat

th

ey

cele

bra

te, a

nd

wh

at t

hey

are

will

ing

to

co

nfr

on

t.

page

3 o

f 3

REPRODUCIBLE


14

REPRODUCIBLE


15

REPRODUCIBLE


16

REPRODUCIBLE


17

Mason Crest: A Professional Learning Community at Work To: Mason Crest Staff

From: Brian Butler, Diane Kerr, and Sherry Shin - Administrators

Subject: Expectations for Staff

In our collective commitments to you we promised to promote and protect the foundation the staff established when the school opened and continue to refine and commit to before each school year (Mission, Vision, Collective Commitments, and Goals: The Four Pillars). If you are interested in continuing to work at Mason Crest Elementary School, we feel obligated to share our expectations for all staff so that there is no guessing or wondering about our expectations for the 2016–2017 school year. The following are our expectations to ensure that we continue to focus on our mission of ensuring high levels of learning for all students and adults. The staff develops and promotes a shared mission, vision, collective commitments, and goals at Mason Crest by embracing the “Three Big Ideas” of the Professional Learning Community at Work process: A Focus on Learning, Building a Collaborative Culture, and a Focus on Results that drives all instructional conversations, decisions, and actions. Focus on Learning

Collaborative teams confirm a guaranteed and viable curriculum for every content area, grade-level, and unit.

Frequent, team-developed common formative assessments (although we support district common assessments, they should not substitute for team-developed common formative assessments—the genius of “and” not the tyranny of “or”)

Systematic, timely, and directive interventions Specific plans to enrich learning for students who are proficient Team analysis of, and dialogue about, results from common assessments to determine the

efficacy of different instructional strategies The faculty continually examines policies, practices, and procedures to assess their impact

on learning. Collaborative Culture

Faculty is organized into collaborative teams with a focus on learning. Team is defined as “a group of people working interdependently to achieve a common goal for

which they are mutually accountable.” Collaboration is specifically designed to analyze and impact practice. Teams are given time to collaborate. Teams are provided with the resources, support, templates, and exemplars to guide their work. Leaders have created processes for monitoring the work of teams to ensure that teams remain

focused on the questions most crucial to student learning.


18

Focus on Results Every team has identified a SMART goal specifically aligned to the schoolwide goal. Teachers are provided with frequent feedback on the performance of their students in meeting

an agreed upon standard on a valid assessment in comparison to others. Growth Mindset

Have a genuine and sincere interest in working with children. Embrace the belief that every child can and will learn and achieve success. NOT use our students’ ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and/or home language as

excuses for adults who are responsible for their learning. The answer is in the room. It is our responsibility to find it. No Excuses!

Recognize students’ individual strengths and interests and plan accordingly. Be transparent with classroom practices, policies, and procedures in order to share with and

learn from colleagues. Possess a “total school” perspective; see the big picture. Maintain a focus on professional growth and learning. Learn about and support the schoolwide focus on co-teaching models; plan for co-teaching and

continuously refine practices through reflection. Embrace the concept of a using a common language for all terms and refrain when possible

from using acronyms that tend to confuse, distract, and slow down the learning and collaborative process.

Have a subject area expertise/strength and focus of interest. Be knowledgeable about innovative teaching and assessment strategies, current research-

based effective practices, instructional technology, appropriate resources, and current trends in education.

Accept additional responsibilities (i.e., patrol sponsor, committee member, etc.). Be willing to view and use setbacks and failures as opportunities to learn. Be willing to celebrate “small victories” early and often. Participate in planned staff development activities. Be ambitious, positive, energetic, and willing to put in extra time when necessary and

requested. Be willing and able to share how Mason Crest operates—sharing our collaborative culture,

the various types of meetings we have, our co-teaching models, and how we use data to differentiate and meet the varying needs of our students with various audiences (parents, school visitors, writing articles for journals, etc.).

Meet and exceed all standards of teaching performance. Assess our effectiveness on the basis of results rather than intentions and, as a member of a

professional learning community, seek relevant data and information and use that information to promote continuous improvement.

Community Building

Value parent involvement and be willing to communicate frequently with parents. Support and attend PTO and extracurricular school-related functions.


19

Mason Crest is a true Professional Learning Community at Work. Staff members who elect to move forward with us in 2016–2017 also agree to the following: We will continue to refine our literacy, math, social studies, and science instructional practices

through ongoing, job-embedded learning. All general education, special education, reading, and ESOL teachers working in grades K–5 will

be trained in DRA2. Teachers and administrators will continue to work towards Advanced Academics Certification

to be completed within 5 years of your first course completion. Instructional assistants, public health training assistants, and public health attendants will

continue the tradition of excellence with their positive attitudes, eagerness to learn, and willingness to pitch in to support the various daily challenges that we face.

All staff members will continue to learn together about our Growth Mindset philosophy. Mission Statement The purpose of Mason Crest is to ensure high levels of learning for all—students and adults. Vision Statement We, the staff of Mason Crest Elementary School, recognize that the fundamental purpose of our school is to ensure high levels of learning for all—students and adults. If, through our collective effort, we fulfill that purpose, our students will have the knowledge, skills, and growth mindset essential to pursuing their lifelong goals. Collective Commitments In order to realize our vision we have developed core values and beliefs, which describe the specific behaviors that individuals and collaborative teams at Mason Crest must demonstrate to move us in the desired direction of our goals. (See Staff and Administrator’s Collective Commitments Documents.)


20

The

Pro

fess

iona

l Lea

rnin

g C

om

mun

itie

s at

Wo

rk™

C

ont

inuu

m: R

esp

ond

ing

to

Co

nflic

t

DIR

EC

TIO

NS

: Ind

ivid

ually

, sile

ntly

, and

ho

nest

ly a

sses

s th

e cu

rren

t re

alit

y o

f yo

ur s

cho

ol’s

imp

lem

enta

tio

n o

f ea

ch in

dic

ato

r lis

ted

in t

he le

ft

colu

mn

. Co

nsid

er w

hat

evid

ence

or

anec

do

tes

sup

po

rt y

our

ass

essm

ent.

Thi

s fo

rm m

ay a

lso

be

used

to

ass

ess

dis

tric

t o

r te

am im

ple

men

tati

on

.

We

hav

e es

tab

lish

ed p

roce

sses

fo

r ad

dre

ssin

g c

on

flic

t an

d u

se c

on

flic

t as

a t

oo

l fo

r le

arn

ing

to

get

her

in o

rder

to

imp

rove

ou

r sc

ho

ol.

Ind

icat

or

Pre

-Ini

tiat

ing

Init

iati

ngIm

ple

men

ting

Dev

elo

pin

gSu

stai

ning

Mem

ber

s o

f th

e st

aff

reco

gn

ize

that

co

nfl

ict

is a

n es

sen

tial

an

d in

evit

able

b

y-p

rod

uct

of

a su

cces

sfu

l su

bst

anti

ve

chan

ge

effo

rt.

Th

ey h

ave

tho

ug

htf

ully

an

d

pu

rpo

sefu

lly

crea

ted

pro

cess

es

to h

elp

use

co

nfl

ict

as a

to

ol f

or

lear

nin

g

tog

eth

er a

nd

im

pro

vin

g t

he

sch

oo

l.

Peo

ple

rea

ct

to c

on

flic

t w

ith

clas

sic

fig

ht-

or-

flig

ht

resp

on

ses.

Mo

st

staf

f m

emb

ers

wit

hd

raw

fro

m

inte

ract

ion

s in

o

rder

to

avo

id

con

tact

wit

h th

ose

th

ey f

ind

d

isag

reea

ble

. O

ther

s ar

e p

erp

etu

ally

at

war

in

acr

imo

nio

us,

u

np

rod

uct

ive

arg

um

ents

th

at

nev

er s

eem

to

get

re

solv

ed. G

rou

ps

ten

d t

o r

egar

d

each

oth

er a

s ad

vers

arie

s.

Ad

dre

ssin

g

con

flic

t is

vi

ewed

as

an

adm

inis

trat

ive

resp

on

sib

ility

. S

cho

ol l

ead

ers

take

ste

ps

to

reso

lve

con

flic

t as

qu

ickl

y as

p

oss

ible

. Th

e p

rim

ary

ob

ject

ive

in a

dd

ress

ing

d

isp

ute

s is

to

re

sto

re t

he

pea

ce

and

ret

urn

to

th

e st

atu

s q

uo

.

Team

s h

ave

esta

blis

hed

no

rms

and

co

llect

ive

com

mit

men

ts in

an

eff

ort

bo

th t

o

min

imiz

e co

nfl

ict

and

to

cla

rify

h

ow

th

ey w

ill

add

ress

co

nfl

ict

at t

he

team

leve

l. N

on

eth

eles

s, m

any

staf

f m

emb

ers

are

relu

ctan

t to

ch

alle

ng

e th

e th

inki

ng

or

beh

avio

r o

f a

colle

agu

e. If

th

e si

tuat

ion

bec

om

es

too

dis

turb

ing

, th

ey w

ill e

xpec

t th

e ad

min

istr

atio

n to

inte

rven

e.

Sta

ff m

emb

ers

hav

e cr

eate

d

pro

cess

es t

o

hel

p id

enti

fy

and

ad

dre

ss t

he

un

der

lyin

g is

sues

ca

usi

ng

co

nfl

ict.

T

hey

are

will

ing

to

pra

ctic

e th

ose

p

roce

sses

in a

n ef

fort

to

bec

om

e m

ore

ski

llfu

l in

eng

agin

g in

cru

cial

co

nver

sati

on

s th

at

seek

pro

du

ctiv

e re

solu

tio

n to

co

nfl

ict.

Sta

ff m

emb

ers

view

co

nfl

ict

as a

so

urc

e o

f cr

eati

ve e

ner

gy

and

an

op

po

rtu

nit

y fo

r b

uild

ing

sh

ared

kn

ow

led

ge.

Th

ey h

ave

crea

ted

sp

ecif

ic s

trat

egie

s fo

r ex

plo

rin

g o

ne

ano

ther

’s t

hin

kin

g,

and

th

ey m

ake

a co

nsc

iou

s ef

fort

to

un

der

stan

d a

s w

ell a

s to

be

un

der

sto

od

. Th

ey s

eek

way

s to

te

st t

hei

r co

mp

etin

g a

ssu

mp

tio

ns

thro

ug

h ac

tio

n re

sear

ch a

nd

are

o

pen

to

exa

min

ing

res

earc

h, d

ata,

an

d in

form

atio

n th

at s

up

po

rt

or

chal

len

ge

thei

r re

spec

tive

p

osi

tio

ns.

Th

ey a

pp

roac

h d

isag

reem

ents

wit

h h

igh

leve

ls

of

tru

st a

nd

an

assu

mp

tio

n o

f g

oo

d in

ten

tio

ns

on

the

par

t o

f al

l m

emb

ers

bec

ause

th

ey k

no

w t

hey

ar

e un

ited

by

a co

mm

on

pu

rpo

se

and

th

e co

llect

ive

pu

rsu

it o

f sh

ared

g

oal

s an

d p

rio

riti

es.

page

1 o

f 2

REPRODUCIBLE


21

Whe

re D

o W

e G

o F

rom

Her

e? W

ork

shee

t R

esp

ond

ing

to

Co

nflic

t

Ind

icat

or

of

a P

LC a

t W

ork

Wha

t st

eps

or

acti

viti

es m

ust

be

init

iate

d

to c

reat

e th

is

cond

itio

n in

yo

ur s

cho

ol?

Who

will

be

resp

ons

ible

fo

r in

itia

ting

o

r su

stai

ning

th

ese

step

s o

r ac

tivi

ties

?

Wha

t is

a

real

isti

c ti

mel

ine

for

each

ste

p

or

pha

se o

f th

e ac

tivi

ty?

Wha

t w

ill

you

use

to

asse

ss t

he

effe

ctiv

enes

s o

f yo

ur in

itia

tive

?

Mem

ber

s o

f th

e st

aff

reco

gn

ize

that

co

nfl

ict

is a

n es

sen

tial

an

d in

evit

able

by-

pro

du

ct o

f a

succ

essf

ul s

ub

stan

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Creating Consensus for a Culture of Collective Responsibility

A culture of collective responsibility is based on two fundamental beliefs:

1. The first assumption is that we, as educators, must accept responsibility to ensure high levels of learning for every student. While parental, societal, and economic forces impact student learning, the actions of the educators will ultimately determine each child’s success in school.

2. The second assumption is that all students can learn at high levels. We define high levels of learn-ing as high school plus, meaning every student will graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge required to continue to learn. To compete in the global marketplace of the 21st century, students must continue to learn beyond high school, and there are many paths for that learning, including trade schools, internships, community colleges, and universities.

Discussing the following critical questions will assist the school leadership team in creating consensus for a culture of collective responsibility aligned with these beliefs.

1. How will we provide a compelling case for change? For someone to change, they first must see a compelling reason to change. In other words, one must show why there is a need to change. Raising test scores or meeting district, state, or federal mandates hardly meets this goal. Instead, look to paint a picture of what adulthood will likely look like for students who don’t succeed in school.

2. What must we do differently? Besides a compelling reason to change, one must also provide a doable plan. The noblest cause is useless if the changes required are seen as unrealistic. Staff mem-bers want a clear picture of exactly what changes are necessary to achieve learning for all students.

3. How do we know these changes will work? Having experienced the pendulum of school change for the past decades, many educators are skeptical of change processes. What evidence is available to demonstrate the validity of the recommended changes? (Besides the research quoted in Simplifying Response to Intervention, the website www.allthingsplc.info has dozens of schools and hundreds of pages of research validating the elements of PLCs and RTI.)

4. What concerns do we expect, especially from staff members traditionally against change? The leadership team should brainstorm the concerns staff members will have regarding the recom-mended changes. What will be the leadership’s response to these concerns?

5. What is the best setting or structure for the conversations needed to create consensus? One of the leadership team’s greatest leverage points is its ability to determine the location, structure, and timing of the conversations to create staff consensus. All stakeholders must have a voice in the process, but not necessarily in the same meeting. Sometimes the feelings of the silent majority can be drowned out by the aggressive opinions of a loud minority resistant to change. Consider a series of meetings with teams, grade levels, or departments. Also, set clear norms for the meeting, as professional, respectful dialogue is essential.

6. How will we know if we have reached consensus? Remember, it does not take 100 percent approval to get started; it takes consensus. Consensus is reached when all stakeholders have had a say and the will of the group has emerged and is evident, even to those who disagree. Consider how many key people will be needed to create the tipping point necessary for consensus.

In the end, true commitment comes when people see that the changes work. So the key is to build consensus, then get started doing the work. You will never get commitment until you start doing the work, but you cannot start until you get consensus.

Source: Adapted from Buffum, A., Mattos, M., & Weber, C. (2012). Simplifying response to intervention: Four essential guiding principles. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

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Taking Action © 2018 Solution Tree Press • SolutionTree.comVisit go.SolutionTree.com/RTIatWork to download this free reproducible.

23Visit

Creating Consensus for a Culture of Collective Responsibility

A culture of collective responsibility is based on two fundamental beliefs:

1. The first assumption is that we, as educators, must accept responsibility to ensure high levels of learning for every student. While parental, societal, and economic forces impact student learning, the actions of the educators will ultimately determine each child’s success in school.

2. The second assumption is that all students can learn at high levels. We define high levels of learn-ing as high school plus, meaning every student will graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge required to continue to learn. To compete in the global marketplace of the 21st century, students must continue to learn beyond high school, and there are many paths for that learning, including trade schools, internships, community colleges, and universities.

Discussing the following critical questions will assist the school leadership team in creating consensus for a culture of collective responsibility aligned with these beliefs.

1. How will we provide a compelling case for change? For someone to change, they first must see a compelling reason to change. In other words, one must show why there is a need to change. Raising test scores or meeting district, state, or federal mandates hardly meets this goal. Instead, look to paint a picture of what adulthood will likely look like for students who don’t succeed in school.

2. What must we do differently? Besides a compelling reason to change, one must also provide a doable plan. The noblest cause is useless if the changes required are seen as unrealistic. Staff mem-bers want a clear picture of exactly what changes are necessary to achieve learning for all students.

3. How do we know these changes will work? Having experienced the pendulum of school change for the past decades, many educators are skeptical of change processes. What evidence is available to demonstrate the validity of the recommended changes? (Besides the research quoted in Simplifying Response to Intervention, the website www.allthingsplc.info has dozens of schools and hundreds of pages of research validating the elements of PLCs and RTI.)

4. What concerns do we expect, especially from staff members traditionally against change? The leadership team should brainstorm the concerns staff members will have regarding the recom-mended changes. What will be the leadership’s response to these concerns?

5. What is the best setting or structure for the conversations needed to create consensus? One of the leadership team’s greatest leverage points is its ability to determine the location, structure, and timing of the conversations to create staff consensus. All stakeholders must have a voice in the process, but not necessarily in the same meeting. Sometimes the feelings of the silent majority can be drowned out by the aggressive opinions of a loud minority resistant to change. Consider a series of meetings with teams, grade levels, or departments. Also, set clear norms for the meeting, as professional, respectful dialogue is essential.

6. How will we know if we have reached consensus? Remember, it does not take 100 percent approval to get started; it takes consensus. Consensus is reached when all stakeholders have had a say and the will of the group has emerged and is evident, even to those who disagree. Consider how many key people will be needed to create the tipping point necessary for consensus.

In the end, true commitment comes when people see that the changes work. So the key is to build consensus, then get started doing the work. You will never get commitment until you start doing the work, but you cannot start until you get consensus.

Source: Adapted from Buffum, A., Mattos, M., & Weber, C. (2012). Simplifying response to intervention: Four essential guiding principles. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Why Should Celebration Be a Part of Our Culture?

“In successful change efforts, empowered people create short-term wins—victories that nourish faith in the change effort, emotionally reward the hard workers, keep the critics at bay, and build momentum. Without sufficient wins that are visible, timely, unambiguous, and meaningful to others, change efforts inevitably run into serious problems” (Kotter & Cohen, 2002, p. 125).

“Milestones that are identified, achieved, and celebrated represent an essential condition for building a learning organization” (Thompson, 1995, p. 96).

“Remembering to recognize, reward, and celebrate accomplishments is a critical leadership skill. And it is probably the most underutilized motivational tool in organizations” (Kanter, 1999, p. 20).

“Win small. Win early. Win often” (Hamel, 2002, p. 202).

“The most effective change processes are incremental—they break down big problems into small, doable steps and get a person to say ‘yes’ numerous times, not just once. They plan for small wins that form the basis for a consistent pattern of winning that appeals to people’s desire to belong to a successful venture. A series of small wins provides a foundation of stable building blocks for change” (Kouzes & Posner, 1987, p. 210).

“Specific goals should be designed to allow teams to achieve small wins as they pursue their common purpose. Small wins are invaluable to building members’ commitment and overcoming the obstacles that get in the way of achieving a meaningful, long-term purpose” (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993, p. 54).

“When people see tangible results, however incremental at first, and see how the results flow from the overall concept, they will line up with enthusiasm. People want to be a part of a winning team. They want to contribute to producing visible, tangible results. . . . When they feel the magic of momentum, when they can begin to see tangible results—that’s when they get on board” (Collins, 2001, p. 178).

“Reward small improvements in behavior along the way. Don’t wait until people achieve phenomenal results” (Patterson et al., 2008, p. 205).

“Small successes stimulate individuals to make further commitments to change. Staffs need tangible results in order to continue the development of their commitment to the change program and small steps engender understanding as well” (Eastwood & Louis, 1992, p. 219).

“Visible measures of progress are critical for motivating and encouraging educators to persist in the challenging work of improvement. Even the most dedicated and optimistic among us will stop if there’s no sign that what we’re doing is making a difference, or might make a difference eventually” (Elmore & City, 2007).

“When you set small, visible goals, and people achieve them, they start to get it into their heads that they can succeed. They break the habit of losing and begin to get into the habit of winning” (Heath & Heath, 2010, p. 144).

One of the most important things leaders can do is to create the conditions that allow people to experience progress in their work and then recognize and celebrate their accomplishments, even small accomplishments (Amabile & Kramer, 2011).

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MasonCrestStaffCollectiveCommitments

2016-2017

Inordertohonorandadvanceoursharedpurpose,vision,andgoals,wepledgetohonorthefollowingcollectivecommitments.Wewill:

Ø Identifyandteachtheagreed-uponessentialstandardsandbreakdownintolearningoutcomes(writteninstudentfriendlylanguage),adheretothecurriculumpacingestablishedbytheteamandhelpourstudentsdiscoverwhattheycandowiththatknowledge.

Ø Exploreavenuesofinnovationforallstudentsandadults.Ø Createbothcommonformativeandsummativeassessmentsandadminister

themaccordingtotheteam’sagreed-upontimeline.Ø Usetheresultsfromourcommonassessmentstoimproveourindividualand

collectivepracticeandtomeettheextensionandinterventionneedsofourstudents.

Ø Contributetoaneffectivesystemofinterventionandextensionwhileprovidingenrichmentopportunitiestoall.

Ø Bepositivecontributingmembersoftheschoolwideteamasweworkinterdependentlyusingcommonlanguagetoachievesharedgoalsanddemonstratemutualaccountability.

Ø Engageinopenfrequenttwo-waycommunicationamongallstakeholders,providefamilieswithongoinginformationabouttheirchildren,andofferspecificideasandmaterialstohelpfamiliesbecomefullpartnersintheongoingeducationoftheirchildren.

Ø Embracesharedresponsibilitiesandhelpothersgrowintheirleadershipresponsibilities.

Ø Contributetoacultureofcelebrationbyacknowledgingtheeffortsandachievementsofourstudentsandcolleaguesaswecontinuallystriveforevengreatersuccess.

Ø Agreetocommonbehavioralexpectations,modelandteachthatbehavior,andconsistentlyreinforceourexpectations.

Ø Considerallpointsofviewandcometoourworkeachdayasthebestversionsofourselves.

Ø Wewillhonortheindividualanduniquequalitiesofourstudentsandatthesametimenotusetheiruniquenesstolabelthem.

UpdatedandApprovedonAugust29,2016


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MasonCrest2016-2017

CollectiveCommitmentsfromMasonCrestAdministrators2016-2017

Inordertocreatetheschoolwehavedescribedinoursharedvision,wemakethefollowingcommitments.Wepledgethatwewill…

• Promoteandprotectoursharedmission,vision,collectivecommitments,andgoalsandkeepthemattheforefrontofalldecisionsandactions.Indoingsowewillconfrontstaffwhoseactionsareincongruentwithoursharedpurposeandprioritiesandwillattempttobufferthestafffromcompetinginitiativessotheycandevotetheirfullenergiestotheprofessionallearningcommunityprocess.

• Buildsharedknowledgearoundtheterm“collaborativeteam”andthevariousstructurestheycantake.

• Supportthecollaborativeteamsbyprovidingthemwithsufficienttimetomeet,cleardirectionregardingtheworktobedone,ongoingfeedback,andthetrainingandresourcesnecessarytohelpthemsucceedatwhattheyarebeingaskedtodo.

• ProvideallteamstheProgramofStudies,pacingguides,andresourcesandensurethespecialistsworkingwiththoseteamsfacilitatedialoguetopromoteadeepunderstandingofessentialstandards-learningoutcomes.

• Buildsharedknowledgearoundteam-developedcommonformativeassessmentsandprovidetrainingthatwillenablethemtoeasilyandeffectivelydisaggregatedatato:

o bettermeettheinterventionandextensionneedsofindividualstudents,

o informandimprovepracticeofindividualmembersoftheteam,ando improvetheteams’collectiveabilitytoachieveitsSMARTgoals

• Provideexamplesofsystemsofintervention,extensionandenrichmentandworkwithstafftocreateaneffectivesystemforMasonCrest

• Helpstaffunderstandthedefinitionofandtheirroleasateammember• Modelopencommunicationbysharingimportantinformationinatimely

manner• Createopportunitiesforleadershipthroughoutthestaffbasedonindividual

expertiseandinterest.• Model,encourage,andplanforcelebrationasapartofourcultureand

approachinitialeffortsthatdonotachievetheintendedresultsasopportunitiestobeginagainmoreintelligentlyratherthanasfailures.
