Prepared by D M Dyet, 2006

In reality ‘learning and change’ are

synonymous. Change is not an issue if it
makes sense to, and is ‘owned’ by,
those involved, rather than being
arbitrarily imposed. An appreciation
that change is a continual process,
involving confusion and difficulty, is
vital for future learners. “It is not
change that kills, it is the transitions.”
“In order to transform
schools successfully,
educators need to navigate
the difficult space between
letting go of old patterns
and grabbing on to new
ones.” Deal 1990
Educators have traditionally reacted to
outside pressure for changed practice
by…
a. Accepting practices in an uncritical, unquestioning
manner
b. Adopting a mentality of keeping up with the
Joneses or ‘groupthink’ (Irving Janis)
c. Acting out patterns from the past, rather than
becoming conscious designers
d. Looking for black and white solutions to complex
problems
If the education department provided a weekend white
water rafting trip, all expenses paid, for teachers and
administrators, what would be the response of your
staff members?

a. Ah, how tough is the river?

b. Well, what's the point of this trip?
c. Oh yeah ! Sign me up.
d. You’re kidding.No way!
 'It is hard to remember
that you’re there to drain
the swamp ….
when you’re up to your
backside in crocodiles.'
Tip > Stay focused on the vision.
Expect resistance to change… and
develop strategies to deal with it .
 Positive resister: agrees with new ideas and programs, but
never moves to implement any changes

Unique resister: •believes each change is find for other

areas but not for his or her "unique"
situation

Let-me-be-last •hopes new ideas and programs will die

before his or her department must act
resister: on them

We-need-more-time-to •discovers that others find it hard to

object to this form of resistance
study resister
Types of
resistance to State-rights resister: •wants no part of programs initiated
elsewhere which may even mean rejection
change (from of whatever comes from outside his or
her department or outside the school
Teachers and system;

Technology,
published by the Cost-justifier: •want everything cost-justified before
any change
National School
Boards Association's
Incremental change •wants the new program, system, or
Institute for the machine as long as it just adds on to
resister: everything the old one had.
Transfer of
Technology to
Education)
Leading successful change and improvement involves
developing and managing six critical components :
1. a
clear, strong, and collectively held educational vision and in
stitutional mission
;
2. a strong, committed professional community within the
school;
3. learning environments that promote high standards for
student achievement;
4. sustained professional development to improve learning;
5. successful partnerships with parents, agencies,
universities etc, and other community organizations; and
6. a systematic planning and implementation process for
 Leadership and
co-ordination
Home, school Standards and
and community targets
partnerships

Intervention and Beliefs and

Monitoring and
special Understanding
assessment
assistance

School and Classroom

classroom teaching
organisation Professional strategies
learning teams
Tips on facing barriers and challenges in the change
process a. Washington State School Directors’ Association:
•Make sure •Expect •Seek •Track
Explain the people have resistance. opportunities behavior and
rationale the know- to involve measure
for change. how. people. results.

•Wear your
Choose your commitment •Get Alter the •Stay
opening on your resistance reward focused on
moves sleeve. out in the system to the vision
carefully. open. support
improvement.

Provide a •Promise •Outrun the

clear vision. Over- Beware of "problems".. resisters.
communicate bureaucracy
.
Is the end result of the contract
clear:
Think
•In your mind?
about it !
•In the minds of your teachers ?

What is the end result ?

The Vision for Change
A vision is a detailed "big picture" of the end result that
will be realized if all change efforts occur satisfactorily.
A long-term vision, which describes what one is trying to
change and what will ultimately be occurring among all
key players after changes have occurred, is crucial to
the success of any major change effort.

The vision says,

Picture in detail what we'll all do and
what will happen
if everything works out right!
 How do you know your
practice has been effective
and deep learning has
taken place?
Practices
What – do you
actually do ?
Principles

How – do you
justify it ?
Core Values
and Beliefs
What do you
believe?

As managers of change what could you do to modify thinking and practice in

these areas ?
If a teacher articulates values and
beliefs that the whole school
agrees on, but …
these are not reflected in their
practice…
…. as a change manager, how
would you deal with it ?
Dr Barbara Leroy’s Model of …“Requirements for Change to Work”

Managing Complex Change (Leroy Model)

Vision Skills Incentive Resources Action

Plan Change

Skills Incentive Resources Action

Plan Confusion

Vision Incentive Resources Action

Plan Anxiety

Vision Skills Resources Action

Gradual
Plan Change

Vision Skills Incentive

Action
Plan Frustration

Vision Skills Incentive Resources False

Starts
 Solid Learning Community

Reculturing Creativity Connecting

and everything
Spontaneity you know

Community Self- Team

Dialogue Evaluation Learning
Community Dialogue to promote deep and
democratic ownership
3 Basic conditions (Bohm) to ‘encourage people to
participate in a pool of shared meaning that
leads to aligned discussion’ (Jaworski, 1998).
1. All participants suspending their assumptions,
making them open to questioning and
observation.
2. All participants regarding one another as
colleagues – essential. (Thought is participatory –
Senge , 1990)

3. Using a facilitator to hold the context.

Self-Evaluation
Involving strategic thinking, planning and action
to create useful new knowledge for the school community.

Team Learning
Opportunities for teachers and leaders to learn, process
and understand their learning experiences together
are essential.

Reculturing
Adapting the ‘unspokens rules’ (the norms)that guide what
is customary or acceptable behaviour or action within the
community.
Influencing successful ‘reculturing’ of schools and improved outcomes.

1. Shared Goals – “We know where we’re going”.

2. Responsibilty for Success – “We can succeed”.

3. Collegiality – “We’re working on this together”.

4. Continuous Improvements.– “We can get better”.
5. Lifelong Learning – “Learning is for everyone”.
6. Risk Taking – “We learn by trying something new”.

7. Support.– “There’s always someone there to help”.

8. Mutual Respect – “Everyone has something to offer”.

9. Openness – “We can discuss our differences”.

10. Celebration and Humour – “We feel good about ourselves”.

Stoll
(Louise &&Fink,
Stoll 1996.
Dean Fink,
Creativity and Spontaneity
“Learning your way round” –David Perkins , 1995)
Being open to ….new ideas, to people thinking outside the
expected box,to the ‘mavericks’ on staff, to divergent
thinking …able to live with uncertainty., willingness to take
risks and make mistakes, but also having the confidence to
keep going.

Connecting Everything You Know

“The Big Picture” – addressing simultaneously the core
business of learning, teaching, effectiveness and improvement .
Using the connectedness of the 9 intelligences of successful
schools …(MacGilchrist, Myers & Reed, 1997)
Contextual, strategic,academic,
reflective,pedagogical,collegial,
emotional,spiritual,ethical
Or Hargreaves frames – P.155 (Stoll, Fink & Earl)
.
Tips on facing barriers and challenges in the change
process a. Washington State School Directors’ Association:
•Make sure •Expect •Seek •Track
Explain the people have resistance. opportunities behavior and
rationale the know- to involve measure
for change. how. people. results.

•Wear your
Choose your commitment •Get Alter the •Stay
opening on your resistance reward focused on
moves sleeve. out in the system to the vision
carefully. open. support
improvement.

Provide a •Promise •Outrun the

clear vision. Over- Beware of "problems".. resisters.
communicate bureaucracy
.
Develop “new” opportunities for strengthening the
community, and celebrating success, involving
students, teachers and parents.

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