Making strategic, wise decisions

James Nottingham www.p4c.comwww.jamesnottingham.co.uk

L

E

V

E

R

A

G

E

Systems & Structures

Vision

Patterns of Behaviour

Events

Mental Models

Levels of Perspective (Daniel Kim)

Too much innovation

“One of the most critical problems our schools face is not resistance to innovation but the fragmentation, overload and incoherence resulting from the uncritical and uncoordinated acceptance of too many different innovations”

Fullan & Stiegelbauer, 1991

What Are You Focusing On?

"It's not what's happening to you now or what has happened in your past that

determines who you become. Rather, it's your decisions about what to focus on, what things mean to you, and what you're going to do about them that will determine your

ultimate destiny.”

(Stephen Covey, 2004)

Core Values of a school in Doncaster, UK

We develop a learning environment where children feel happy and secure

We build self-esteem through praise, encouragement and positive reinforcement

We put children first

Everyone in our school feels valued

Pupils' personal development and well-being flourishes within the safe and happy environment. Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is shown by rates of attendance which have improved and are now above average. Behaviour is good and pupils show high levels of care for one another.

Ofsted, 2008

We are positive, enthusiastic and show joy

We celebrate each other’s differences

We treat each other with respect

The impact of core values

Söderporten school, Norrköping

The school is extremely multi-cultural, with most children having recently arrived in the country and speaking Swedish as a second language.

Our Core Values have helped to:

Achieve in 2010 the best exam results since the national grading system was introduced in Sweden in 1997

The school´s video surveillance is being switched off in autumn 2010

Creating Core Values through consensus

Parents, governors and staff speak openly about the significant impact of the current headteacher. This is reflected in better teaching, a lively curriculum, good behaviour and rising standards. The headteacher's approach is collegiate. She has generated a debate within the school about the type of school that staff wished to create and how it would meet the needs of the pupils and the community. This process was a model of good practice. It was research-based, engaged all staff and generated a strong sense of commitment and belonging; staff speak about feeling valued and able to contribute. The outcomes were a five year plan which identifies clearly the key priorities to raise standards. This process has provided a clear sense of direction to the school and a shared purpose.

Ofsted, 2008

Sit in a circle

Ask the first person for their first idea

Accurately write their idea down on a flip chart

Ask the next person for their idea

If someone wants to, they can say “pass”

Collect ideas from every person. Go round the circle twice, or until everyone says “pass”

Number each idea

There should be NO discussion

Classic Brainstorming

No discussion!

Discussion smashes ideas to bits!

From the Latin, discutere, meaning: “strike asunder, to break up”

(from www.etomyonline.com)

Discussion can also lead to power games …

Brainstorm – what core values would you like?

What values would you like in your school?

Each person has 10 votes

There are three rounds of voting

You may not use more than 4 votes in one round

Over the course of the three rounds you can place your votes in any combination (eg 4-4-2; 3-3-4; 4-2-4) so long as you do not exceed 10 votes altogether

You can plonk all your votes onto one idea or spread them across 10 different ideas

The ideas with the most votes at the end of the third round are written into the shared vision

Consensus building with 10 – 4 voting

What are the ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS that make our school outstanding? How can we best help and GUIDE our students in their learning? How can we CHALLENGE our students more, and encourage their parents to do the same? What ATTITUDES & SKILLS do we wish our students to possess by the time they leave our school? How can we best SHARE EXPERTISE and ideas with each other within and across the 3 areas? How can we make the most of our OPEN LANDSCAPE? What EVIDENCE should we gather to help us know how the students are progressing in every aspect of their learning? GREEN HAT THINKING – what could really make a difference to our school?

What should be happening in lessons when OUTSTANDING TEACHING is occurring? How should we COLLABORATE and COMMUNICATE with each other to ensure outstanding learning for all children? How can we make learning more relevant for ALL PUPILS? What would make our indoor/outdoor ENVIRONMENT the best possible place for students to grow physically, emotionally and intellectually? What could we do to enhance MOTIVATION and ENJOYMENT for all our students? What ASSESSMENT strategies best promote students’ growing abilities to assess their own progress and plan what to do next? What are the best ways to identify the BARRIERS TO LEARNING, especially for those with specific learning, social and personal needs? How can we continue to build on our ASSESSMENT procedures to ensure that all students make progress? What are the key skills, learning and teaching beliefs we each need as staff to ensure students leave us life-long INDEPENDENT LEARNERS?

At this school we provide a positive, caring, nurturing and stimulating environment inside and outside the classroom. Our children are encouraged to try new and different activities and to explore boundaries within safe limits. They have fun and enjoy working both independently and as part of a team.

We are open to the views and opinions of every member of our school community. We invite and value their ideas. We take time to listen and communicate with each other in a respectful and open manner. This creates a rich culture of quick, effective feedback. In this way everybody feels valued and we pull together to support each other. We recognise and praise each other’s achievements in an informal way.

The right to learn is respected allowing every child, including our special needs and gifted and talented children, to develop to their full potential. Every member of our learning community sets achievable goals and receives regular and positive feedback. We have high expectations for behaviour and have a behaviour management system that creates a calm environment where issues are dealt with fairly and consistently.

Primary School Vision

At RMGS we create critical, reflective and independent learners for life through a learning community which provides a secure and challenging environment.

 

We believe deep learning is facilitated through outstanding teaching and occurs when all learners are actively engaged in a variety of tasks, taking responsibility for their own learning and progress, collaborating and thinking with shared expectations of success.

 

At RMGS through innovative learning strategies and positive relationships our students enjoy learning and achieve their full potential.

Teaching and Learning Vision

1: Forming agreeing to do something together

Excitement

Uncertainty

Negotiation

Collaboration

Skilled Consensus

Shared Vision

Storming breaking free from current reality

Challenge to Mindsets

Confrontations

Abuse of Power

Collective Awareness

Clarify Training Needs

Create Focus

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds

cannot change anything.”

George Bernard Shaw (1856 – 1950)

Storming is Necessary for Learning

3: Norming alignment to new ways of doing things

Noticeable Improvements

Alignment

Team Learning

Confidence Builds

New Mental Models Emerge

4: Performing in a state of flow

Real Progress

Fine Tuning

Continual Learning

Sense of Achievement

This Is The Way We Do Things

www.jamesnottingham.co.uk

james@p4c.com

www.challenginglearning.com

Contact Details