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Chapter Reflections
Leading Change in Your School
by Douglas B. Reeves
This book is written in four basic parts: creating conditions for change, planning change, implementing change, and sustaining change. The sub title says it just as simply—“How to conquer myths, build commitment, and get results.” Would that it were that simple! 1--chapter one deals with how to pull the weeds out before you plant the flowers. Reeves starts out by saying that change is possible if there is a thoughtful approach given. A good way to begin is for leaders to identify what can be stopped before asking others to adopt new initiatives. This certainly resonates well with me, since change is part of every school year and is usually blind-siding! Pull the weeds, as Reeves’ metaphor goes, and the ground will be primed to plant whatever needs to be planted. 2--chapter two says that there is a personal change readiness assessment. The author insists that I know more about change leadership that I might think. Hmmm…wish I could be confident about that one. He says that there are three personal changes that I have already made in the past five years, and he’s right about that. So, based on the fact that I am reading this book suggests a commitment to, and interest in, change. And given the fact that I am part of the Aspiring Leaders leadership group shows that I am ready to make a personal change in my workplace. I’m starting to see where this author is leading me…! 3--chapter three tells about the organizational change readiness assessment. The author reminds us that the physical act of writing is important, advising us to write down responses in a journal or on computer. The Change Readiness Matrix lets one enter scores to find out what the leadership change capacity and organization change capacity is out of 100 points. This, in turn, tells whether one is ready for learning and change, or ready for resistance and frustration. 4--chapter four deals with cultural change. One of the things that defines the schools we teach in is the culture/climate. How can it be changed? Reeves says first to define it, and it might be simply “the way we do things around here.” Another thing that he says is, “the single greatest impediment to meaningful cultural change is the gap between what leaders say that they value and what leaders actually value” (p. 37). There are four imperatives of cultural change: define what will not change (no one wants change for the sake of change); organizational culture will change with leadership actions (“do what I do, not just what I say to do”); use the right change tools for your system; and, change in culture requires relentless personal attention and background work by the leader. 5--chapter five is the last chapter under Creating Conditions for Change, and it says that myths of change leadership must be confronted. First of all, it must be declared what change is not. There are many theories out there, and what historical figures condoned has been emulated over the centuries, but that doesn’t mean that we have to continue to buy into a belief system. We need to be able to consider seven popular myths of leadership in order to make our own decisions. These seven myths are: plan your way to greatness; just a little bit better is good enough; we want you to change us…really; people love to collaborate; hierarchy changes systems; volume equals volume; and, the leader is the perfect composite of every trait. These myths can be replaced with positive ones, and Reeves will do so in the following chapters.
Chapter Reflections
Leading Change in Your School
by Douglas B. Reeves
6--chapter six speaks to leadership leverage and how to focus on changes with the greatest results. Reeves says that in most cases the least experienced and least qualified teachers are assigned to the classes with the most complex and challenging student needs, and the teachers with the most experience and highest qualifications teach the most motivated and self-directed students. I would have to say that this isn’t the case in our school, at least this year. Our biggest obstacle is our testing coordinator who has allowed hostility and bitterness to get in the way of student achievement, in my opinion. I have experienced, on several occasions, where my students were placed at a disadvantage this year, and this is diametrically opposed to what we are here for at teachers and staff . Collaboration is a moot point when disagree, do not share the same vision, or have opposing priorities. 7--chapter seven talks about having the right team by using teachers and s. Reeves says that CWTs, data analysis, and looking at student work is the way to decide which teachers and s to hire and retain. This is nothing new, and I think that his argument is weak with regard to this chapter with it relation to how to lead change in my school. There is nothing I can do to lead change that will “transform sterile exercises in exchanging code words into a thoughtful analysis of attitudes, beliefs, and professional practices” (p. 71). 8--chapter eight deals with building capacity with coaching. 9--chapter nine is the last chapter under Planning Change, and tells how to make strategic planning work. Coaching is forming a relationship between a supervising or mentoring teacher and a new teacher. I don’t believe that this can currently work in our district because of the fact that this used to be a paid position and now our district has done away with peer teachers due to financial concerns. How do we do it then? We tend to mentor within the separate departments, and on a one-to-one basis, as needed. I can (and do) try to lead change in my school with this process of mentoring and tutoring new teachers, but only when asked so as not to force my opinion or ways upon others. This in an area where I can be proactive. 10--chapter 10 helps with closing the implementation gap. These chapters are getting shorter— chapter 10 is only four pages. Reeves says that just as we fail to follow through with our New Year’s resolutions, goals that are made within the school are not always implemented as planned. While we know what to do—there is a huge abundance of data, instruction, and research—human nature can be the deciding point about what actually gets done. 11--chapter 11 is entitled “The Flywheel: Getting Short-Term Wins to Sustain Long-Term Change. This chapter ties in with the last one, giving a real-life example of a school in Indianapolis that kept its goal of “no failure” and implemented it to yield significant benefits and results. The key to success of this school was to make early, frequent, and decisive interventions. We know that this works, and it’s another reason why we have more seniors failing this year at our school—we lost our graduation coach, and it doesn’t look like the district will allow us to replace him. Another case of, “Look, see? It’s working…let’s change it.” Extremely frustrating. (Ask me about this…I’d be very willing to inform you!)
Chapter Reflections
Leading Change in Your School
by Douglas B. Reeves
12--chapter 12 speaks about the importance of building stakeholder for the academics and the arts. There is a dichotomy between academic skills and the arts. After reading Reeves comments in this chapter, I would have to say that I agree with him and his argument that students do need more time during every regular school day, particularly for the development of literacy skills. However, I also agree that the “opportunity for lifelong enjoyment of the arts is, at least to some degree, dependent upon the opportunity to escape a life of poverty and unemployment” (p. 111). There is definitely room for both. 13--chapter 13 is the last chapter under Implementing Change, and deals with defining change by giving lessons from literacy. Speaking about literacy, it must start at an early age in the student’s education. Reeves says, “Despite a claim to have immediate and mandatory intervention for struggling readers, the time provided for additional reading instruction ranged from zero to more than two hours” (p. 117). We waste so much time in school. Teachers are constantly interrupted. Rules are put in place to decrease interruptions, but are ignored by the very people instituting them under the guise of something being more important (such as more testing). Zero tolerance needs to be extended to those in charge, as in no lenience in meting out discipline for classroom disruptions or lack of respect. 14--chapter 14 starts the last of four parts titled Sustaining Change. It speaks about sustaining excellence. This short chapter closes the book with the warning that we are entering a new era of educational ability. I don’t think that he has to tell that to any teacher who currently teaches in America. As he says, “Although political variables may be beyond our control, at least in the immediate term, the decisions we make every day will determine what ability really means in the eyes of our students and communities (p. 125). We need to put aside indifference, pride, reinventing the wheel, whatever it is that makes us unable to replicate success! 15--chapter 15 gives lessons across the globe. Reeves gives examples of leadership lessons from several places around the world. I do not agree with some of the ideas that things can be replicated cross-culturally, having lived in a different culture and seeing what can or cannot work. There are some very unique circumstances which must be dealt with within a specific country or culture. We talk about differentiation all the time—this can be applied to specific locales and cultures! 16--Chapter 16 deals with teacher leadership. I have read books that preach on how teachers need to “get along and cooperate like doctors and lawyers do.” I have never read anything more ignorant. Cooperative efforts of teachers and s depend on the people and situations wherein they work. Yes, intervention is important, and so is leadership at every level. Challenges must be dealt with by leading by example, and not by spending a lot of money bringing in some motivational speaker to raise the blood pressure temporarily. 17--The Epilogue talks about the risks and rewards of change. Reeves says that he has done his best to assemble the evidence, as to a jury, for our consideration. The standard of evidence exists, and “our choice is not perfection, but a choice of two mistakes: action or inaction, evidence or speculation, criticism from cynics or criticism from a future generation” (p. 146). He ends by onishing us to choose wisely.
Chapter Reflections
Leading Change in Your School
by Douglas B. Reeves
Reference
Reeves, D. (2009). Leading change in your school. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Leading Change in Your School
by Douglas B. Reeves
This book is written in four basic parts: creating conditions for change, planning change, implementing change, and sustaining change. The sub title says it just as simply—“How to conquer myths, build commitment, and get results.” Would that it were that simple! 1--chapter one deals with how to pull the weeds out before you plant the flowers. Reeves starts out by saying that change is possible if there is a thoughtful approach given. A good way to begin is for leaders to identify what can be stopped before asking others to adopt new initiatives. This certainly resonates well with me, since change is part of every school year and is usually blind-siding! Pull the weeds, as Reeves’ metaphor goes, and the ground will be primed to plant whatever needs to be planted. 2--chapter two says that there is a personal change readiness assessment. The author insists that I know more about change leadership that I might think. Hmmm…wish I could be confident about that one. He says that there are three personal changes that I have already made in the past five years, and he’s right about that. So, based on the fact that I am reading this book suggests a commitment to, and interest in, change. And given the fact that I am part of the Aspiring Leaders leadership group shows that I am ready to make a personal change in my workplace. I’m starting to see where this author is leading me…! 3--chapter three tells about the organizational change readiness assessment. The author reminds us that the physical act of writing is important, advising us to write down responses in a journal or on computer. The Change Readiness Matrix lets one enter scores to find out what the leadership change capacity and organization change capacity is out of 100 points. This, in turn, tells whether one is ready for learning and change, or ready for resistance and frustration. 4--chapter four deals with cultural change. One of the things that defines the schools we teach in is the culture/climate. How can it be changed? Reeves says first to define it, and it might be simply “the way we do things around here.” Another thing that he says is, “the single greatest impediment to meaningful cultural change is the gap between what leaders say that they value and what leaders actually value” (p. 37). There are four imperatives of cultural change: define what will not change (no one wants change for the sake of change); organizational culture will change with leadership actions (“do what I do, not just what I say to do”); use the right change tools for your system; and, change in culture requires relentless personal attention and background work by the leader. 5--chapter five is the last chapter under Creating Conditions for Change, and it says that myths of change leadership must be confronted. First of all, it must be declared what change is not. There are many theories out there, and what historical figures condoned has been emulated over the centuries, but that doesn’t mean that we have to continue to buy into a belief system. We need to be able to consider seven popular myths of leadership in order to make our own decisions. These seven myths are: plan your way to greatness; just a little bit better is good enough; we want you to change us…really; people love to collaborate; hierarchy changes systems; volume equals volume; and, the leader is the perfect composite of every trait. These myths can be replaced with positive ones, and Reeves will do so in the following chapters.
Chapter Reflections
Leading Change in Your School
by Douglas B. Reeves
6--chapter six speaks to leadership leverage and how to focus on changes with the greatest results. Reeves says that in most cases the least experienced and least qualified teachers are assigned to the classes with the most complex and challenging student needs, and the teachers with the most experience and highest qualifications teach the most motivated and self-directed students. I would have to say that this isn’t the case in our school, at least this year. Our biggest obstacle is our testing coordinator who has allowed hostility and bitterness to get in the way of student achievement, in my opinion. I have experienced, on several occasions, where my students were placed at a disadvantage this year, and this is diametrically opposed to what we are here for at teachers and staff . Collaboration is a moot point when disagree, do not share the same vision, or have opposing priorities. 7--chapter seven talks about having the right team by using teachers and s. Reeves says that CWTs, data analysis, and looking at student work is the way to decide which teachers and s to hire and retain. This is nothing new, and I think that his argument is weak with regard to this chapter with it relation to how to lead change in my school. There is nothing I can do to lead change that will “transform sterile exercises in exchanging code words into a thoughtful analysis of attitudes, beliefs, and professional practices” (p. 71). 8--chapter eight deals with building capacity with coaching. 9--chapter nine is the last chapter under Planning Change, and tells how to make strategic planning work. Coaching is forming a relationship between a supervising or mentoring teacher and a new teacher. I don’t believe that this can currently work in our district because of the fact that this used to be a paid position and now our district has done away with peer teachers due to financial concerns. How do we do it then? We tend to mentor within the separate departments, and on a one-to-one basis, as needed. I can (and do) try to lead change in my school with this process of mentoring and tutoring new teachers, but only when asked so as not to force my opinion or ways upon others. This in an area where I can be proactive. 10--chapter 10 helps with closing the implementation gap. These chapters are getting shorter— chapter 10 is only four pages. Reeves says that just as we fail to follow through with our New Year’s resolutions, goals that are made within the school are not always implemented as planned. While we know what to do—there is a huge abundance of data, instruction, and research—human nature can be the deciding point about what actually gets done. 11--chapter 11 is entitled “The Flywheel: Getting Short-Term Wins to Sustain Long-Term Change. This chapter ties in with the last one, giving a real-life example of a school in Indianapolis that kept its goal of “no failure” and implemented it to yield significant benefits and results. The key to success of this school was to make early, frequent, and decisive interventions. We know that this works, and it’s another reason why we have more seniors failing this year at our school—we lost our graduation coach, and it doesn’t look like the district will allow us to replace him. Another case of, “Look, see? It’s working…let’s change it.” Extremely frustrating. (Ask me about this…I’d be very willing to inform you!)
Chapter Reflections
Leading Change in Your School
by Douglas B. Reeves
12--chapter 12 speaks about the importance of building stakeholder for the academics and the arts. There is a dichotomy between academic skills and the arts. After reading Reeves comments in this chapter, I would have to say that I agree with him and his argument that students do need more time during every regular school day, particularly for the development of literacy skills. However, I also agree that the “opportunity for lifelong enjoyment of the arts is, at least to some degree, dependent upon the opportunity to escape a life of poverty and unemployment” (p. 111). There is definitely room for both. 13--chapter 13 is the last chapter under Implementing Change, and deals with defining change by giving lessons from literacy. Speaking about literacy, it must start at an early age in the student’s education. Reeves says, “Despite a claim to have immediate and mandatory intervention for struggling readers, the time provided for additional reading instruction ranged from zero to more than two hours” (p. 117). We waste so much time in school. Teachers are constantly interrupted. Rules are put in place to decrease interruptions, but are ignored by the very people instituting them under the guise of something being more important (such as more testing). Zero tolerance needs to be extended to those in charge, as in no lenience in meting out discipline for classroom disruptions or lack of respect. 14--chapter 14 starts the last of four parts titled Sustaining Change. It speaks about sustaining excellence. This short chapter closes the book with the warning that we are entering a new era of educational ability. I don’t think that he has to tell that to any teacher who currently teaches in America. As he says, “Although political variables may be beyond our control, at least in the immediate term, the decisions we make every day will determine what ability really means in the eyes of our students and communities (p. 125). We need to put aside indifference, pride, reinventing the wheel, whatever it is that makes us unable to replicate success! 15--chapter 15 gives lessons across the globe. Reeves gives examples of leadership lessons from several places around the world. I do not agree with some of the ideas that things can be replicated cross-culturally, having lived in a different culture and seeing what can or cannot work. There are some very unique circumstances which must be dealt with within a specific country or culture. We talk about differentiation all the time—this can be applied to specific locales and cultures! 16--Chapter 16 deals with teacher leadership. I have read books that preach on how teachers need to “get along and cooperate like doctors and lawyers do.” I have never read anything more ignorant. Cooperative efforts of teachers and s depend on the people and situations wherein they work. Yes, intervention is important, and so is leadership at every level. Challenges must be dealt with by leading by example, and not by spending a lot of money bringing in some motivational speaker to raise the blood pressure temporarily. 17--The Epilogue talks about the risks and rewards of change. Reeves says that he has done his best to assemble the evidence, as to a jury, for our consideration. The standard of evidence exists, and “our choice is not perfection, but a choice of two mistakes: action or inaction, evidence or speculation, criticism from cynics or criticism from a future generation” (p. 146). He ends by onishing us to choose wisely.
Chapter Reflections
Leading Change in Your School
by Douglas B. Reeves
Reference
Reeves, D. (2009). Leading change in your school. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
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