Currently, I am not in the field of education so my reflection is probably out of date (7 yrs ago) compared to you my fellow classmates. I concur with the authors that the type of change should be about an ecological systemic change process. However, I think it has been more piecemeal at least in my experience. It seems districts jump from one bandwagon to the next without properly researching and preparing for the change! Case in point is the whole block scheduling and mastery learning idea I have mentioned in previous blog entries. After about 2-3 years my high school has switched back to periods and block scheduling/mastery learning has gone by the wayside. The district had good intentions but did not have the proper process in place. I think this occurred because the front line (teachers) were not properly trained (prepared) and the district could not financially support this type of teaching. I remember having to teach a 90 minute science class with minimal resources to engage my students for that time period! The first year about killed us! It also seemed that we lowered the standards of mastery as I remember instead of raising them!
I thought the product vs. process approaches to change hit the nail on the head because I think that was what happened to our block scheduling/mastery learning project. I think more time should be spent on the process rather then the product because of the high rate of failure as mentioned by the authors. Most educators will agree that education needs to change but how to go about it is another story. I often avoid talking about it because I do not have any current solutions.
The GSTE and SUTE models seem encouraging to adopt in the transformation of education. Although both seemed to be pretty lengthy and expensive. I think the district would need to hire a consultant who can oversee the whole process. They also seemed pretty complicated. Although one of the needs for school-based improvement is for the educators to understand that it is a doable process. I think 2 of the most important needs for school transformation is proper planning and money budgeted from the start to the unending improvement once the process is completed. I know when most schools were built there was no budgetary means for upkeep and building improvements which should have been in place even before the school was built! So literally, some schools are falling down!
I would like the ecological systemic transformation for education to continue but also a process for starting it and maintaining it. Are most schools looking toward these models of improvement?
1 hour ago
Money, money, money is probably the biggest issue about ecological systemic change! Especially in Michigan.
ReplyDeleteI agree, too, that teachers (or principals and superintendents) tend to jump on the latest bandwagon for quick fix, without really determining if the change is doable and effective.
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ReplyDeleteKathy, In response to your question "are most schools looking toward these models of improvement?" I would argue that they both are and are not. In my district it seems that we have a lot of plans in place, but that we are not implementing them effectively. Teachers are told of a new goal, without really being trained to effectively reach these goals. I think the administrators have the right idea and attitudes, but aren't supporting all of the people/resources to make it happen. I think our district would benefit from hiring outside help; someone without a bias that truly knows what they are doing. I feel that we are often assessed, but after the assessment, we aren't told the plan to improve.
ReplyDeleteDanelle Drake
This was a pretty complicated chapter for me. I think in terms of theory, the GSTE and SUTE models look very promising. In reality, I think it's very difficult to implement not only due to financial resource but getting people to work together.
ReplyDeleteWell i just graduated and i am just a substitute so i felt that my answer wasn't as educationally based as some of the others would have been. I related my answer to my past job that i was at for 7 years in the office. i talked about the same thing when you asked if most schools were looking toward these improvements. And schools need more planning and budget options.
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