weeding the garden
DESCRIPTION
Weeding the Garden. From: Doug Reeves (2011) Finding Your Leadership Focus: What Matters Most for Student Results. How Do We Create a Plan That Focuses on a Few Strategies AND How Will We Implement with High Fidelity (By at Least 90% of Our Staff?). - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Weeding the Garden
From: Doug Reeves (2011)Finding Your Leadership Focus: What Matters
Most for Student Results
How Do We Create a Plan That Focuses on a Few Strategies
ANDHow Will We Implement with High Fidelity (By at Least 90%
of Our Staff?)Reeves, Douglas B (2011). Finding your leadership focus: What matters most for student results.
3 Keys to Successful Implementation
FocusEfficacy
Monitoring
Reeves, Douglas B (2011). Finding your leadership focus: What matters most for student results.
Laser-Like Focus: Why Weed the Garden?
• Of 21 variables studied, the combination of FOCUS, MONITORING, and EFFICACY were most powerfully related to student results
• Schools with effective monitoring and focus had TWICE THE GAINS in reading over three years compared to low focus schools
• Schools that most needed focus were least likely to have it.
Webinar Title: 02/07/2011 Change Leadership in Action www.leadandlearn.com/multimedia-resource-center/webinars
The Focus (Stage 2: Plan)
Goals, Strategies & Actions Steps
• Efficacy– When staff believe that what they do in the
classroom DOES predict the outcome of student achievement, their levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout are lower.
• Monitoring (Stage 3: Implementation)– Frequent: at least every 1 -2 weeks– Adult Actions must be addressed– Constructive
Reeves, Douglas B (2011). Finding your leadership focus: What matters most for student results.
What is Your Load Limit?
One Person’s
Is Another Person’s…
What Happens When We Don’t
Weed our Garden?
1.Toxic Weed
Toxic Weeds– Demand a response– We are reluctant to challenge and remove them– May look good, sound good, make people feel
good in the short term– Once introduced into the environment, they
strangle the life out of the other plants that we had hoped to cultivate
Thistle: Deep roots, use caution when touching
Reeves, Douglas B (2011). Finding your leadership focus: What matters most for student results.
2. Unsustainable Weed
Unsustainable or Programmatic Weeds– Can be a meritorious idea– Becomes a weed when it is unsustainable!– Can quickly move from good intentioned to chaos
Bamboo can grow quickly and become a weed when not carefully planning for it’s growth/use.
Reeves, Douglas B (2011). Finding your leadership focus: What matters most for student results.
3. Diversionary Weed
Diversionary Weeds– Earnest intent and good appearance– Becomes a weed when it takes time and focus
away from priority– What we do with our time has to have an
outcome related directly back to student achievement
Melaleuca Tree/Brush: Takes over in Florida. Not native to USA
Reeves, Douglas B (2011). Finding your leadership focus: What matters most for student results.
Implementation Audit Protocol 1. Initiative Inventory:
a.) Look at each initiative listed. Start with items in the “Current” column.
Repeat Steps 2-4 with “Possible/New” column. 2. Determine Impact on Student Achievement
a.) Review actual student achievement and researched achievement claims. Define from Low to High.
3. Range of Implementation:a.) Define/quantify the levels of implementation i. How much time, energy and fiscal/human resources will be needed to
continue to implement at a level of at least 90%? HIGH Implementation is 90% of staff implementing with fidelity. 4. Plot results on the chart
Reeves, Douglas B (2011). Finding your leadership focus: What matters most for student results.
Current Initiatives 2 minutes: Each person (without discussion) list
the CURRENT initiatives in their district/building that
are being undertaken.
THEN, combine the individual lists into one
group list.
Definition of Initiative: Anything being undertaken that must maintain a focus, needs human and/or fiscal resources and should be monitored for implementation.
Step 2: Determine Impact on Student Achievement
Current Initiatives ListDefinition of Initiative: Anything being
undertaken that must maintain a focus, needs human and/or fiscal resources and should be
monitored for implementation.
AchievementLow to High
Level of Implementation
Actual Student
Results
Researched
Claims
Actual Level of Implementation
Low to High(High = 90%)
Can we continue to provide the time, energy, resources
(human & fiscal) to ensure 90% level of
implementation?
Hattie, J. (2008). Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. New York, NY: Routledge.
Step 3: Determine Level of Implementation
Current Initiatives ListDefinition of Initiative: Anything being
undertaken that must maintain a focus, needs human and/or fiscal resources and should be
monitored for implementation.
AchievementLow to High
Level of Implementation
Actual Student Results
Researched
Claims
Actual Level of Implementation
Low to High(High = 90%)
Can we continue to provide the time, energy,
resources (human & fiscal) to ensure
90% level of implementation?
Negotiate It Do It!
Avoid It Drop It
Level of Implementation HIGHLOW
HIGH
LOW
i.e. District mandates a specific assessment be used for short cycle assessments to use in TBTs. Negotiate that you’ll do SCA but can a variety be used instead.Boundaries vs. Micromanagement
High learningHigh action able to be taken
Low impact on learning ANDLow action on part of implementers
•We keep doing it because we always have
You have control but there is low impact on learning.
•i.e. using a textbook from front to back even if standards aren’t addressed vs. only using the chapters that focus on the standards
Research findings from Implementation Audits1) Non-linear relationships2) Drowning in initiatives3) Most initiatives not monitored4) Many initiatives are not linked to student achievement
Threats to Sustainability1.) “Program Orientation” – tradition of cycles of initiatives, boredom, death, and then comes another new initiative2.) Vocal Opposition of a few wears the leadership down3.) Political Opposition – i.e. Honors classes increased in size due to improved core instruction which created large class sizes in honors which were traditionally small
Deliberate Practice• It takes 24 (Reeves) to 40 hrs (Darling-Hammond) of practice to apply
new professional practices.
Reeves, Douglas B (2011). Finding your leadership focus: What matters most for student results.