Spinning Our Wheels→

Frederick M. Hess, writing for ASCD:

"There's a familiar "spinning wheels" aspect to school reform that can make it tough for any proposed change to actually stick. But this post-pandemic era, with its new landscape, could be a moment of punctuated equilibrium rather than another spin of the wheel.

Rising to that challenge requires leaders to find more promising ways to support students, confront learning loss, and effectively use billions in emergency federal aid."

Hess lists an approach to rethinking education that involves leading inquiry with questions, being precise and specific about the problems being solved, being deliberate about the process and open to new solutions, and rejecting change for change’s sake.

While I appreciate his optimism and agree with his points, I think we’re unfortunately about to see another ”spin of the wheel” in most communities. The intertia of the status quo is strong, and the traditional structures and processes in education have been in place for a long time. Those who have benefited from the way things are will naturally resist any changes that threaten their advantages, regardless of how beneficial those changes may be for the larger community.

Leaders who are pushing for change, particularly in light of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, must be willing to put themselves out there and take a bold stance. This often means going against the status quo and facing resistance, even when the leaders, themselves, may be among those benefiting from the way things are.

To overcome these challenges, leaders must be proactive in forming coalitions that can help drive change. By working together with like-minded individuals and organizations, leaders can help insulate themselves against attacks and criticism, and build a strong foundation for change.

Prioritizing Change in Schools→

Doug Reeves and Robert Eaker writing for ASCD on what needs to change when leading change:

"Leaders must stop waiting for buy-in and giving resisters veto power over essential changes that will have lifetime impacts on students."

Acknowledging and addressing the concerns of those who resist change is crucial, but it's equally important to keep the bigger picture in mind. The primary goal of any school should be to provide the best possible education to students. Therefore, changes that can improve student learning should not be compromised because of resistance from a few individuals.

"Leaders need to take decisive action and say without equivocation, 'This is what we will accomplish in the next 100 days.'"

It’s easy to get bogged down in planning and discussions, but at some point, leaders need to take action. When it comes to implementing change in schools, this is especially important, as every day without making progress is a day when students are not receiving the education they deserve.

"Initiative fatigue, combined with poorly communicated changes, insufficient support, and unnecessary complexity, undermines even the most logically sound change efforts."

Implementing change in schools is no easy feat. It requires effort, resources, and a willingness to step outside one's comfort zone. However, when making particularly challenging changes, the difficulty level only increases. It can be tempting to focus on implementing easy changes first, but this approach can quickly lead to an overwhelming number of initiatives.

As leaders, we must prioritize changes and focus on those that will significantly impact student learning. This requires careful consideration and a deep understanding of our students' needs. We must be willing to tackle the hard stuff head-on, even if it means facing resistance or discomfort.