Making Campus/District Initiatives Work for You and Your Students
This is the third installment of “What Not To Do If You Want to Maximize Student Achievement” I usually try to focus on the positive, but sometimes it’s important to identify what not to do.
Initiatives come and go--typically when district or campus administration changes. However, it is never a good idea to just pretend to go along with grade level, campus, or district initiatives, even it you think “this too shall pass.” Although, it is relatively easy to just shut your door and be autonomous, this can create a divided, unhealthy campus and/or district culture that could have a negative impact on student achievement.
Successful professional learning communities work together to determine best practices for student success. If you don’t understand or agree with the goals and action steps of the initiatives, engage in professional conversations with others to seek understanding and provide feedback about the implementation of the initiative. Avoid being defensive or argumentative. Follow Stephen Covey and “Seek first to understand, before being understood.” It’s hard to apply what you don’t understand or believe will result in student achievement. Most initiatives provide opportunities for professional growth and reflection that will result in more effective instruction to some degree.
With that said, teaching professionals should be responsible for planning the specific instruction for his/her class. Everyone shouldn’t be required to do exactly the same strategy, at the same time, and in the same way. There really is no one strategy that works successfully for all students in every situation. The key to effective instruction is purposeful planning and deliberate practice that is respectful of students’ learning needs. If our goal is truly to empower learners with strategies for success, all teachers must be empowered to participate fully in the planning and implementation of all initiatives. Remember that when teachers and administrators are effective, student achievement follows.
Happy teaching,
Kelly Harmon