1. The first thing that I found interesting was the Ecological systematic change. After reading it I immediately thought of our school districts and the State of Michigan. In it it says that systematic change is based in a clear understanding of interrelationship and interdependency within a system of interest. If there is a large change in one part of the system it requires changes in the other part. It remind me the the school funding issue, back when we were under proposal A there were many schools who were doing just fine getting enough money to support themselves just from property taxes. There were other schools that were not even close to making it. When we got rid of the Proposal A, we became interdependent on the state much more then we were. It was great for some, and has probably hurt others. regardless when one changed all the others had to change. It still happens today as must schools have to adjust and readjust budgets according to what the State provides. There is a definite interdependent relationship.
2. In the section titled needs and Future directions it brings it all together nicely but also brings up a couple great points. One multiple occasions it says whole-system improvement. This is key in anything school, business, and life. If everyone is not on board it never is going to work. if there is one person who doubts what the final picture is going to look like it is going to be a failure. This is something that is dealt with in coaching a lot. It needs to be a whole- system improvement, or a whole team improvement. Just like in coaching your whole school needs to buy into improvement in order for it to work. Seems easy enough, however it is says in the text it isn't the easy way to do it. The easy way is to stay where you are, but with that attitude there will be no whole-system improvement.
I chose the Ecological change also. I believe you are right that is how the Michigan schools are trying to change and conform the to meet the budjet constraints. Tough job for the districts and all the cuts are affecting everyone.
ReplyDeleteMargie
I wish it was only fair. So schools still get more from the State then others especially in Oakland County. I still think the system needs to to go through the evaluation process. Its like they stopped when it looked like it was working and then did not look back!
ReplyDeleteGetting everyone on board is key. I think it is impossible to get everyone on one vision which is unfortunate. So I think it takes a majority to make change. The more you can involve parents and community members the more you get an idea of what they expect but I don't think that they are always right. We as teachers are in the school on a daily basis and have a better idea of what change needs to be made.
It is true that there needs to be buy in before true change can be made in any system. Even if 100% of people are not on board, there needs to be a majority of people on board, and the right people at that. I was also drawn to the discussion about systemic change within the text. I think it is something that we knew already, but the text did a great job of going into detail about it, shedding more light on it, and bringing its importance to light. Change definitely needs to be systemic and across the board if it is going to be lasting and meaningful. And the school budgeting is definitely something that needs change. It is unfortunate that certain districts are able to provide more materials and a stronger education because of the way the money is panned out. Something needs to change...but how and when?
ReplyDeleteI would just echo what Dean and Abra pointed out, which is that successful change will require a majority, but to expect 100% support for change is to expect to never change.
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