Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Union Grown Teacher Led Schools!
Great article highlighting teacher-led schools sponsored by their unions. It has been incredible to work with the Boston Teachers Union and United Teachers Los Angeles as we have pushed forward on our own innovations... led by teachers. All three of these locals are members of the Teacher Union Reform Network!
Friday, November 13, 2009
What’s Wrong with the New DPS Board?
I find it ironic that the new school board members are being criticized for running on platforms that included engaging the community, strengthening our neighborhood schools, and accountability. Isn’t that what is best for our kids?
Daniel Kim, co-founder of the MIT Center for Organizational Learning, developed a “Core Theory of Success” that identifies four key areas that need to be implemented effectively for any organization to be successful. Since looking at schools/districts as a business seems to be the accepted practice these days, let’s apply Kim’s Core Theory to the Denver Public Schools. The areas are:
• Quality of Relationships,
• Quality of Collective Thinking,
• Quality of Actions, and
• Quality of Results.
Daniel Kim’s theory purports that an organization can only be successful if all four areas are interconnected and implemented effectively. Due to the interwoven nature of these areas, the system engages in a loop of continual improvement. When organizations focus only on the problem, it worsens because no attention was paid to the root and additional factors that caused the issue.
Let me translate this into DPS language. Relationships matter with students, parents, employees, and community. Collective thinking allows for buy-in to reforms in the district, resulting in a school community that has contributed their ideas and energies to improving student learning. Implementing the plan will ensure that the entire community is engaged and accountable for their collective actions. Finally, the results are, in this case, student learning. DPS will show results because of the relationships, collaborative planning, collective action, and accountability of each stakeholder in the school community. Our students cannot succeed without each piece of this theory being enacted effectively.
Where has DPS gone wrong? A top down approach. Let’s play out the status quo:
DPS identifies a problem and comes up with a plan that is shared with the community. Courtesy meetings are held where community members are talked through the problem and solution, and then it’s implemented. This leaves out developing positive relationships with stakeholders, input/buy-in to the reform, and accountability for all stakeholders (all means all: students, parents, teachers, administrators, staff, community, and elected officials), and finally reflecting on the results and making adjustments to improve the implementation. Has the district studied the effectiveness of their previous reforms i.e. redesigns, closings?
The new members of our Board of Education have committed to real systems reform by working with the school community, our neighborhood schools, and holding all stakeholders accountable. After all, if it works for business, it should work for DPS. Sign me up- I’m “Up to the Challenge!”
Daniel Kim, co-founder of the MIT Center for Organizational Learning, developed a “Core Theory of Success” that identifies four key areas that need to be implemented effectively for any organization to be successful. Since looking at schools/districts as a business seems to be the accepted practice these days, let’s apply Kim’s Core Theory to the Denver Public Schools. The areas are:
• Quality of Relationships,
• Quality of Collective Thinking,
• Quality of Actions, and
• Quality of Results.
Daniel Kim’s theory purports that an organization can only be successful if all four areas are interconnected and implemented effectively. Due to the interwoven nature of these areas, the system engages in a loop of continual improvement. When organizations focus only on the problem, it worsens because no attention was paid to the root and additional factors that caused the issue.
Let me translate this into DPS language. Relationships matter with students, parents, employees, and community. Collective thinking allows for buy-in to reforms in the district, resulting in a school community that has contributed their ideas and energies to improving student learning. Implementing the plan will ensure that the entire community is engaged and accountable for their collective actions. Finally, the results are, in this case, student learning. DPS will show results because of the relationships, collaborative planning, collective action, and accountability of each stakeholder in the school community. Our students cannot succeed without each piece of this theory being enacted effectively.
Where has DPS gone wrong? A top down approach. Let’s play out the status quo:
DPS identifies a problem and comes up with a plan that is shared with the community. Courtesy meetings are held where community members are talked through the problem and solution, and then it’s implemented. This leaves out developing positive relationships with stakeholders, input/buy-in to the reform, and accountability for all stakeholders (all means all: students, parents, teachers, administrators, staff, community, and elected officials), and finally reflecting on the results and making adjustments to improve the implementation. Has the district studied the effectiveness of their previous reforms i.e. redesigns, closings?
The new members of our Board of Education have committed to real systems reform by working with the school community, our neighborhood schools, and holding all stakeholders accountable. After all, if it works for business, it should work for DPS. Sign me up- I’m “Up to the Challenge!”
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sometimes you need to have some fun in school...
Let's go Steelers! Can't deny my roots... always a Pittsburgh fan. Go Steeler Nation!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
A New Day in DPS!!
The election results are in! I cannot tell you how excited I am to work with our new Board members: Jeanne Kaplan, Andrea Merida, and Nate Easley. All three, along with Arturo Jimenez, have shown a true commitment to listening to our school communities. They will continue to advocate for our students, families, and employees. (yes, this means the unionized teachers/ staff!)
It is very frustrating to watch reform plans that are being discussed in this district with a courtesy information session with the school community. Now the real work begins. Our candidates talked about neighborhood schools, and investing in them. We need to support them in their efforts to get the much needed resources into our schools, and hold them accountable.
It's a new day in DPS, and I know that these candidates will work hard to support our schools by working with teachers and parents so that our students have what they need.
p.s. Yes, get out your broom and dustpan, too.
It is very frustrating to watch reform plans that are being discussed in this district with a courtesy information session with the school community. Now the real work begins. Our candidates talked about neighborhood schools, and investing in them. We need to support them in their efforts to get the much needed resources into our schools, and hold them accountable.
It's a new day in DPS, and I know that these candidates will work hard to support our schools by working with teachers and parents so that our students have what they need.
p.s. Yes, get out your broom and dustpan, too.
Monday, November 2, 2009
When Schools Close: Effects on Displaced Students in Chicago Public Schools...
A report was recently released that looked at the student achievement rates of students that had attended schools that were closed in Chicago. Take the big districts... New York, Chicago...yes, Denver. Everything that happens in Chicago and New York is replicated in Denver. From closing strategies, to Human Resource Systems, to data collection systems... Denver follows them.
The Consortium of Chicago School Research's study is entitled:
When Schools Close: Effects on Displaced Students in Chicago Public Schools
"The authors focused on 18 CPS elementary schools closed between 2001 and 2006 due to chronically poor academic performance or enrollment significantly below capacity. The schools enrolled 5,445 students at the time of their closings. To assess the academic effects of closing on these students, the study compares students ages 8 and older displaced by school closings with students in similar schools that did not close. The comparison group provides an estimate of how the displaced students should have performed on a range of outcomes had their schools not been closed."
How does this relate to Denver??
DPS has closed and redesigned many schools throughout my 16 year tenure in the district. The real question is, were the redesigns effective? I would challenge the district to come up with any conclusive evidence that they were. Why? Because they haven't evaluated the effectiveness of these strategies. They need to focus more on sharing best practices in our schools... and not just based on CSAP scores. School Reform takes 5-7 years to show results. How would we be able to see results when student, teacher, and administrator turn over is so high? Has the district invested the necessary time and resources to implement a meaningful reform? Often times, a "change" is mandated, and schools are left on their own to implement and resource the changes. Meanwhile, the district sits back and watches pointing fingers until they feel the need to intervene- usually with a punitive measure. It's time to change the culture, and let downtown serve as a resource to our schools... if they really want schools to succeed.
p.s. dedicated to my Viking and Del Pueblo friends
The Consortium of Chicago School Research's study is entitled:
When Schools Close: Effects on Displaced Students in Chicago Public Schools
"The authors focused on 18 CPS elementary schools closed between 2001 and 2006 due to chronically poor academic performance or enrollment significantly below capacity. The schools enrolled 5,445 students at the time of their closings. To assess the academic effects of closing on these students, the study compares students ages 8 and older displaced by school closings with students in similar schools that did not close. The comparison group provides an estimate of how the displaced students should have performed on a range of outcomes had their schools not been closed."
How does this relate to Denver??
DPS has closed and redesigned many schools throughout my 16 year tenure in the district. The real question is, were the redesigns effective? I would challenge the district to come up with any conclusive evidence that they were. Why? Because they haven't evaluated the effectiveness of these strategies. They need to focus more on sharing best practices in our schools... and not just based on CSAP scores. School Reform takes 5-7 years to show results. How would we be able to see results when student, teacher, and administrator turn over is so high? Has the district invested the necessary time and resources to implement a meaningful reform? Often times, a "change" is mandated, and schools are left on their own to implement and resource the changes. Meanwhile, the district sits back and watches pointing fingers until they feel the need to intervene- usually with a punitive measure. It's time to change the culture, and let downtown serve as a resource to our schools... if they really want schools to succeed.
p.s. dedicated to my Viking and Del Pueblo friends
Denver School Board Campaigns end tomorrow...
Check out a new Nancy Mitchell article in the In Denver Times.
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