A Case For Change

A Case For Change? How to Develop Your School as a Learning Community We live in a new environment. Tomorrow's Schools has created a new environment for schools. In many ways the bureaucracy of the old Education Department has been replaced by a technocratic compliance culture which has imposed new layers of accountability over teachers in the name of efficiency. As well, there has been a profusion of curriculum changes to cope with. This has resulted in many schools and teachers feeling somewhat 'shell shocked'. There is a need to be critical and positive. It is not possible nor is it desirable to return to the past. We now need to accept the new reality and make the best of the situation we find ourselves in. It is important to reflect on the changes, be critical, and then add a positive alternative to the debate. What is missing in this new environment are the humane and holistic values that have always underpinned primary teaching. The technocratic business audit culture sits uncomfortably with child centred learning. We know the important things in education can't be simply measured and that education is more a lifetime process than a measurable outcome. A real alternative - the school as a community. To retain a sense of control, important in times of continual change, we need a model that we feel comfortable with. This is why the 'School As A Community' model is an excellent alternative. Innovative ideas from the business world It is interesting to note that innovative businesses are also moving towards a similar concept, that of 'The Learning Organisation' which is based on trusting people to be accountable to the bonds of shared values for their competitive advantage. Trusting 'empowered' employees in self managing teams is the only way a modern business can thrive in these times of continual change. The importance of collegiality What we need to do (within the current compliance constraints) is to develop the 'School As A Community' model. To work it will mean that each staff member of the school make a real commitment to its success. This may mean changing some of our views on teaching and giving away some of our individuality as teachers (or isolation) and really valuing the advantages of collegiality. The community model is no soft option and depends on each person being willing to be accountable and appraised against agreed school values. Any differences will have to be made open and handled constructively for the common good. We also need a more informed vision of learning The teaching approach will have to be compatible to the agreed belief system. We need to move away from the more 'permissive' ideas developed in the 60/70s, build on the best of past practices and include new ideas about how students learn. A need for greater teacher interaction We need to place a greater emphasis on teachers interacting to make sure students really think about what they are doing. In the past we may have placed too much faith in 'learning by doing', We now know that talking with others, and recording what we know, is also vital. In the past we also may have been so concerned with providing activities and managing them that we never really had time to teach. To counter this we need to introduce more predictability into our classrooms and only provide students choices when they can work independently. We need to organise ourselves to gain the time to teach those in need. Classrooms need to reflect moral values We also need to negotiate with the students the values that underpin all class interactions so that they are able to control themselves through moral obligations. The classroom communities will need to reflect the values of the total school community. Students as life-long learners To empower students we need to negotiate with them class activities and organisations, the achievement criteria they need to assess how successful they have been, and then to help them set new goals to

develop the habit of continual quality improvement. As well, students need to become aware of thinking strategies involved in any learning activity. To do this we need to deliberately teach thinking strategies in realistic contexts. It will also be important to help them see connection between Learning Areas so that they learn to integrate their learning. This will require teachers to work in teams to plan collaboratively. Secondary schools will need to develop new multi skilled teams rather than outdated subject departments. Valuing effort and perseverance Most importantly of all, students will need to value personal effort and perseverance if they are to gain the satisfaction of quality achievement. In the past we may have not expected enough. Too many of our students are caught up in wanting instant gratification, thinking that first finished is best. We need to instil a sense of qualiSCHOOLS ORGANIZED FOR EVERY STUDENT'S SUCCESS

Each district partnership school is organized into small, flexible schools-within-a-school, called academies. The students are then grouped into houses of approximately 100 students. Each house is taught by a team of four to six teachers who stays with the same group of students for the duration of their academy experience. This organization ensures that students are better known and more closely guided by adults. To learn more ty rather than quantity in our students. Education as a partnership All these ideas combine to help students take a greater responsibility for their own learning and contribute to them becoming life long learners. Little however will be of use to those children 'at risk' if we don't work in full partnership with the parents and the wider community. Leadership, hard work and fun Such a transformation will require leadership and hard work but it promises raising teacher morale, making teaching more fun, and will ensure all students gain a sense of responsibility for their own learning. Regaining the educational initiative If schools combine the 'School As A Community', model with new ideas about learning, building on the best practices of past progressive teaching and adding new ideas about how students learn, this will enable schools to regain the educational initiative. In the process schools could well be transformed. Total Community Involvement Such a transformation will require a total school community effort to realise and those in leadership positions will have to consider if the ideas as outlined are worth the dramatic change that they will have to make in their school in how their school will be managed. Guidelines to consider If the ideas above are considered realistic, a guideline is available, 'The Blue Sky Community School' based on how some schools have introduced the school As A Community model, . This is at best a guide only. The use of an outside facilitator has been shown to be a real advantage in leading discussion groups, in helping gathering data, and in compiling and preparing a draft vision for the Board of Trustees and staff to consider.

SCHOOLS ORGANIZED FOR EVERY STUDENT'S SUCCESS Each district partnership school is organized into small, flexible schools-within-a-school, called academies. The students are then grouped into houses of approximately 100 students. Each house is taught by a team of four to six teachers who stays with the same group of students for the duration of their academy experience. This organization ensures that students are better known and more closely guided by adults. To learn more