Managing the vision

When took over as leader in a turnaround school, I worked with the staff to develop our vision. We set check points for what we expected to see by October, by January, and by the end of year one as evidence of impact based on successful shifts in practice to align with our new vision ("Every child. Every day. College and career ready."). Our first year of turnaround has seen growth - in culture and climate, data driven instructional practices, and strategies to support more rigorous, common core aligned instruction. But our targets require more than just incremental change. We are charged with making dramatic gains in student achievement - so we need to make decisions moving forward about how much change can we effectively implement in order to get our students where they need to be.

One of the criticisms of education is that we change to new programs before we have been able to master the current program. For turnaround teachers, the amount of change can be overwhelming and difficult to manage. Supporting the changes means supporting the teachers and engaging the school community in understanding the purpose of the changes that are being implemented. Without a sense of mastery, we become easily frustrated and can lose sight of the vision that we are working so hard to achieve. Developing a community where teachers support one another and are able to share feedback to their peers about instruction is an important part of managing the change and the vision of a turnaround school.

We initiated a practice called "Instructional Rounds" where we visit classrooms in teams to provide warm and cool feedback to a practitioner on a focus area (Problem of Practice) that we establish ahead of time. This practice has been pivotal in building our team collaboration, reflection, and support of our vision. Moving in to year two of our turnaround plan, we will need to leverage every ounce of of that collaborative power in order to move us toward substantial growth in student achievement.

The amount of change facing education now can be overwhelming. Being a turnaround teacher, or a turnaround leader, can feel like you have weight of the world on your shoulders. The power of instructional rounds is where observing practice, networking, and planning for improvement meet. As we are managing our vision moving forward, our team makes all of the difference. Without a team of people who are deeply dedicated to the children we serve and the work that we do, we cannot achieve our vision. Being a turnaround teacher means being open to change. As we move closer to our vision, we must stay rooted in our purpose and embrace the changes. We cannot achieve our goals by staying where we are. Change is the only option.

What would you do if you could do anything?

What would you do if you had complete autonomy to structure a school where the only definite was that you had to dramatically improve student achievement? Would the student growth be enough of a motivator for you to change your practice or try something new? What would you need in order to have enough instructional mastery to take risks and fail forward? Daniel Pink, in his book, Drive, presents research that directly contradicts that "reward the top performers" mentality that is central to TIF (Teacher Incentive Fund) grants and other incentive based programs that have surface since the APPR legislation that has changed much about how we look at teacher performance.

 One of the key concepts in Drive, is that productivity is increased, not by monetary incentives, but rather by increased autonomy, higher levels of mastery, and a strong sense of purpose.

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This makes me wonder about the ways that we make decisions in education. If the teachers are actually charged with the task of dramatically improving student achievement, how are we as turnaround leaders increasing their autonomy, purpose, and mastery so that they can truly innovate within classrooms? I know that in my first months as a turnaround leader, I worked with teachers as we mapped out our first months of school, but I did not empower them to really be innovative. What's more, it can be difficult to feel like you have the autonomy to be innovative within curricular structures and with deadlines for assessments.

So, I am trying to reflect on Pink's work and challenge myself to increase the level of mastery in my teachers in order to be able to increase their autonomy. We have a clear purpose - we have to move our students from predominantly below level (2% baseline on state assessments before turnaround) to predominantly proficiency (we are charged with achieving 85% proficiency within three years on state assessments). But even that is more of a goal than a real purpose. My purpose is to provide the same level of education for the children I serve that I would expect for my own children, but Pink reminds me that I have not asked teachers to define their purpose - to articulate what they are working for. We have goals, but Pink challenges us to think about the purpose of goals in changing what we do. Without autonomy, mastery, and purpose, we will see very little impact in our day to day interactions despite clearly articulated goals.

Pink's work has significant implications for education - and particularly for turnaround schools. We lack innovation in education. We try to keep everyone inside the same box. Teachers are scared to try new things for fear of not being "effective" or "highly effective." Leaders are scared to stand alone in an approach for fear that it will not have the desired impact on student achievement. We try approach after approach that promises "significant results" from "research-based strategies." As leaders, we must be strong enough to get off the hamster wheel. Look at our teachers, our students, and our staff and ask them to be part of the solution. Slow down in order to go fast. Let's reach as high as we possibly can - not just settle for good enough.

#relentless

We have been having this conversation for about a month - what does it mean to be relentless? The Turnaround Teacher Competencies developed by Massachusetts for their Level 4 (turnaround) schools, indicate that teachers must have a "relentless commitment to high achievement for all students" (Massachusetts Level 4 Powerpoint ). As we have been studying these competencies to see where we need to support teachers moving forward in our turnaround plan, we have had a great deal of discussion around what it means to be relentless as an educator. 

When I doubt my own level of commitment or whether I am able to lead us to the level of success that we are challenged with, I invariably see the faces of our students and it pushes me to remember why I do what I do. My belief that our students deserve the same high quality education that I expect and demand for my own children underlies my commitment to the work we are engaged in. A staff member shared this week that there are days when she goes home and feels deflated, but she picks herself up and tries to give everything she has the next day. I think that is the definition of relentless – just not giving in to giving up. I think the more we are able to be okay with the fact that we are not perfect – that there are going to be bad days and days when we wonder why we are involved in this work – and we help one another to see how important we are in the lives of the 800 children we serve, then we will continue to move in the right direction. I have said before that I firmly believe in the power of a teacher. The classroom teacher is estimated to have 2-3 times more direct influence on student performance than any other factor, including leadership, socio-economic status, services received, or facilities and materials (ASCD - The Power of a Teacher ). Teachers matter more than anything else in student achievement. That is powerful – and a little scary. My first superintendent used to always say, “If it is to be, it’s up to me,” and I have lived by that motto throughout my career. There is no place where that statement is more evident than in a classroom.

So, how do we know if we are having an impact? How can we assess that our efforts are truly making a difference - that we are not just relentless in our work without having anything to show for it? Certainly, looking at the data is an important first step. Having data analysis discussion in grade level teams, in vertical teams, and with individual coaching cycles helps to power this forward. We also must carry that data into our planning and implementation of lessons that use effective strategies, checks for understanding that inform our practice and lead to immediate adjustments, and greater individualization to meet student needs. There is simply no denying that this looks different than planning one lesson and sticking with it. Instead of making the kids meet us where we are, we are actively engaged in meeting them where they are. Going back to my initial thoughts – don’t they deserve that?

Here is a link to a video clip of a high school in Texas that has successfully implemented a turnaround plan. http://www.ed.gov/blog/2013/04/texas-turnaround-becomes-a-model-for-success/ In this clip, teachers, parents, students, and administrators talk about what it took to dramatically improve student achievement. The pride that they felt when they knew they were moving in the right direction is evident in the smiles on their faces and the words that they choose. This is powerful testimony to the power of a teacher and the importance of relentless commitment.

A colleague of mine expects that his teachers have a "whatever it takes attitude" about the work involved in dramatically improving student achievement. We talk about having a relentless commitment to high expectations for student achievement. No matter how you phrase it, being a turnaround teacher is challenging, exhausting, and extremely fulfilling. Shifting a school from a failing school takes real work and real change - it is far from easy. Turnaround teachers are a special breed of educator that deserve significant acknowledgement and appreciation. They are changing the face of education every day and giving a future to our children. They are #relentless.

Balance

It seems that having balance would be an oxymoron for a turnaround leader - the amount of work that needs to be done and the pressure to meet goals and targets can be all consuming. Without balance between the work and "real life," there is a very real concern that both ends will begin to unravel. Real life has a way of forcing balance - it might be an illness, a relationship, a family situation, a friend in need, or the passing of someone important to you that brings you back to seeing that the work must be balanced with a level of focus on "real life" that matches the focus on the work.

What are the roles that you play in your life? I am a wife, a mother to two teenage boys, a sister, a daughter, a turnaround principal, a friend, a learner, a boss, an employee, a musician, a creative thinker, and a manager. Balancing these roles is challenging because each of them requires so much energy - emotional, creative, and physical. When I am too focused on the role of being a turnaround leader, the other parts of my life - like wife or mother - start to unravel and I am forced to adjust my time. Right now, both of my teenage sons are struggling in school and not maintaining their grades. I have been sick for three weeks and my relationship with my husband has been strained. My house is a mess and I have not taken any time for myself in weeks or months. We are coming off of a site review at school and it has been physically and emotionally draining for me as a leader and for my staff, who is working incredibly hard as well.

So, if the question here is "do we need to be superheros in order to turn our schools around?" The answer is no, but there are some things that we need to do in order to find balance. Here are some things that I find important to keeping things in check and moving the work forward:

• Use lists to keep track of deadlines and things that must be done - include things that must be delegated, can be done quickly, or just pop in to your head in order to capture the big picture. Enjoy the feeling of accomplishment that you get when you cross things off your list!
• Delegate. When delegating to team members or teacher leaders, be clear in your expectations and deadlines for tasks so that what has been delegated doesn't become an additional headache when the deadline is not met. Make the deadline for completion well ahead of the deadline for submission so that there is time for revision.
• Ask for help. Know who on your team can help with things that need to be done but don't necessarily require your personal involvement. Things like flyers, notices, robo-calls, letters can often be generated by someone else on your team.
• Have clear expectations. This may seem like it is unnecessary, but no one can read your mind and being clear at the onset will save you headache in the long run. The other part of clear expectations is to give actionable feedback so when your expectations are not being met, they can be by providing clear, specific, and actionable feedback. This applies to tasks, instruction, classroom management, or anything related to successfully turning around a school. If you are not clear as a leader, no one around you will know how to move forward. 
• Set goals and targets. Where do you expect to be in 3 years? After year 1? After the first 90 days? Share your goals with your staff and get their input and involvement. The goals and targets will feel ambitious, but the more everyone is on board and can pace their own progress against the goals and targets, the more likely it will be that you will get there. When I began as a turnaround principal, I set goals and targets for the first 90 days. The first work that we did as an SLT was to articulate what we expected to see after the first 3 months, half-way through the first year, and by the end of year one of our turnaround plan. This was powerful work, and now that we are planning for year two, we are able to build on the initial goals and can better plan for how we will continue to grow in year two.
• Take time to support those around you. If you are feeling stressed and overworked, your team is likely feeling stressed and overworked. Find time to celebrate the people around you and the work that they are doing. 
• Walk away. There is always work to be done. Know when you can leave it and when you need to take it home with you. It will be there tomorrow, so prioritize what must be done in the time that you have to do it.
• Make time for friends and family. However it looks in your world, make time to be with the people you love. I have made Sunday the day that I work with my kids on their homework and try to cook ahead some meals for the week. Weeknights are fast paced and often feel like more of a check in than real quality time, but Sundays we are able to spend the time it takes to re-connect. This works for me, but you need to know what will work for you.
• Take care of yourself. I am awful at this, but I recognize the importance of it. This is an area I definitely need to improve in.
• Thank people. Thank your family for their support. Recognize your team for all of the hard work that they are doing. Write notes, send emails, give shout-outs at meetings, include appreciations on every agenda, thank parents for supporting their children, thank your students for the hard work that they are doing - create a culture of positivity and optimism by purposefully recognizing the efforts of individuals in moving the team forward. 
• Give yourself a break. You are not a superhero. Know when you need to put it in low gear. (Yeah, I need to work on this, too.)

For more resources on finding balance and helpful strategies, check out this resource on the Wheel of Life ( http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_93.htm ). And no matter what, keep calm and #turnaround.