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.

 

The Pressure to Perform

As a turnaround leader, you are always aware of the pressure to hit the targets - to achieve the goals of the turnaround plan. It can color the way that you look at the progress that you are seeing. When you are looking at data - even when it shows growth - you are painfully aware that it is not enough growth. The pressure to perform can impact the morale of the staff and lead to anxiety in both the adults and the students within the school. Teachers can worry that they won't be able to keep their jobs if they don't demonstrate enough growth in their data. Students can feel like they are "less" than students who are moving faster. Parents can start to feel like they wish it could go back to when they were blissfully ignorant of how the school was performing because it didn't seem like there was anything wrong with the "old ways."

Our targets require that we move from 2% proficiency on state assessments (our baseline) to 85% proficiency within three years. That seems like a pretty difficult mountain to climb. We broke the targets into grade level proficiency targets so that we could see how we would get there, one step at a time. Even so, 85% proficiency means that all students are involved. Twenty percent of our population receives ESL services and 15% of our students receive support through special education. Eighty-five percent proficiency includes these students. When we say that we believe in meeting the needs of every child, every day, we mean that all of our students need to be performing at a level that meets or exceeds grade level expectations. That is a very real pressure to perform.

Celebrating each step along the way is an important aspect of continued improvement. We may not have hit our goal, but when we see that our students are improving in their reading comprehension, or have used text-based evidence in their writing, or can explain how 5/8 is larger than 1/2 on a number line, then we need to celebrate.

We need to celebrate in our own teaching and in our own leadership as well. Each day there is an opportunity for us to see something that we did that made a difference. Maybe the conversation you had with a colleague helped a light bulb go off and they have renewed commitment to the work. Perhaps you only had to speak to your most challenging child once during your whole group instruction. It could be that you finally got some supports for a parent who is in severe need. Whatever the celebration, take the time to acknowledge it and know that the work that you are doing matters. Don't give up. Keep encouraging those around you to stay the course. No matter what - do NOT lower your standards. Make sure that because of your leadership, your teaching, your support that your students will achieve  - and it will all have been worth it.

Leading People - Not Just Leading Change

While leading change and leading transition, we can lose sight of the fact that we are leading people. All of the initiatives, all of the targets and goals, all of the pressure to achieve in a turnaround school can cause a leader to lose sight of what people need in terms of support.

In the book, Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute, we are challenged to look at the ways that we, as leaders, see ourselves as in charge or more right than those we are leading. Sometimes when we are "in the box" we forget that leadership is more about serving others. Personally, I am about the work. Having an intense work ethic does not preclude caring about the people involved in the work. However, when you are "in the box" you can tell yourself that you are right in the way you communicate about the work that needs to be done. Forgetting to think about what the people involved in the work need in order to feel supported and cared about is a huge mis-step in managing transition and change in a turnaround school.

Reflecting on leadership as service to others helps us to be mindful of what the people involved in change need - even when it does not align with our own personality or personal needs. Getting "out of the box" and seeing people as people, rather than employees, is necessary as people manage the transitions and changes involved in turning around a school.

Knowing and understanding that the work of supporting change means supporting the people through the change is a shift in thinking for a turnaround leader. We sign up for leading a turnaround school because we have the vision to see the end result. We know and understand that shifting our practice, using data, and a deep commitment to the vision can be the vehicle through which we move a school from failing to achieving. But that only builds a foundation. We cannot hire and fire our way to achievement. We must commit to developing, caring for, and supporting the people who are in the midst of the change and transition in order to move the work forward. Supporting the work means supporting the people who are in the work - even when what they need is different than what you may need as a leader. Knowing what your people need is essential for a turnaround leader.

Change vs. Transition

As a leader in a Turnaround School, I signed up for change. It underscores the primary responsibility of a new leader charged with turning around a school's poor performance. Anyone who signed on to the work at our school had to agree that the old practices were not effective and that we must embrace new, more effective practices in order to move in the right direction. Everyone agreed that change was necessary and the underlying excitement and enthusiasm for starting the work was amazing.

Transition is different. Less of an event and more of a process. There was a clear change when I came on as the leader. Signing on to be a part of that change was an event. Transitioning to what the change embodies in everyday practice is a deeper, more difficult, more reflective experience that challenges us to make decisions daily about what moving forward will look and feel like. As we move through the transition period, we can be pulled by the lure of past practice or "the way we used to." It is a powerful call that can cause conflict as we move forward. The juxtaposition between the perception of the change and the reality of the change can cause people to question and doubt their continued involvement in the work.

A dear colleague and friend shared an important article about managing change and transition with me. William Bridges cites Moses as an effective leader at managing change and transition. He describes periods of the change process as "the wilderness" and "the neutral zone." Bridges states, "Since the wilderness can be so wide and the Promised Lands can take such a long time to reach, people need some quick successes to reassure them." (http://www.wmbridges.com/pdf/getting-thru-wilderness-2006-v2.pdf ) We have seen early successes that is reflected in initial data, observation, and impact on students that we share and celebrate. Even with these successes, there is still an underlying fear of what is to come. Bridges calls this the neutral zone. He says, "The fear that an organization will become a victim of its transition lies behind the panic that often sets in when things are changing." The key to managing this fear is to listen to, understand, and appreciate where people are in the change process. Supporting and encouraging the people in the organization will help to move through the transition process. http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/bridges-transition-model.htm

We are on the right path to turning our school around. The feelings of uncertainty that exist are a natural part of transitioning to a great, new future. Understanding how to support people through the change and transition is as important as the vision of how we will get there.

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