As New Zealand educators we are going through some significant changes. Change is scary sometimes - we all know that. We also know of the idiom ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ - the truth is that any area of significant change can feel like a big challenge. Change challenges us at our core and can leave us feeling vulnerable. So how can we adapt?
Change Models - Cohesion to make the change stick
When it comes to meaningful change and making change stick, there are some key aspects that need to be kept in mind. Firstly, without a clear vision for change the journey will be unclear. Without collaboration and a united approach, the vision for change and the path to get there will not be clear. Without cohesion, the change is unlikely to stick.
Celebrations that shape culture
In his book Professional Learning Communities at Work, Rick DuFour shares, “One of the most important and effective strategies for shaping the culture of any organization is celebration.”
How and what do you celebrate in your school?
Celebrating Students
Most of us will be able to name a variety of ways we celebrate our students - we reward effort, progress, achievement, in some cases attendance. We celebrate academic progress, academic achievement, values, and competencies, and these celebrations take many forms. In schools today we see celebration through rewards - certificates, trophies, shields. Assemblies and prize-givings were missed during the pandemic, and have been welcomed back now too. A personal favourite of mine has been the introduction of celebrations or exhibitions of learning. It makes my heart sing to see students be so excited to share their learning with an authentic (often adoring) audience, and also the insights and partnerships that can be developed with whānau and friends too.
Of course, there will be debate and challenges to these processes e.g. during lockdowns we had to rethink how we celebrated our students. Another common debate is the intrinsic vs extrinsic rewards discussion. When we step back though - who doesn’t love a good celebration - even our shyest of learners can benefit when it is done through a thoughtful process!
Celebrating our Staff and Community
School leaders also know that to shape culture within a school we celebrate not only our students but our staff and members of our community also. Maybe we need to crowdsource our ideas, and collectively strengthen our ketes - with the goal of creating awesome Professional Learning Communities… imagine a smorgasbord of ideas that have been tried and worked in a variety of contexts. Wouldn’t that help to keep our school leaders supported with ideas for how we celebrate staff and whānau? This could also be shared with staff, as we ensure that while we have the overall responsibility, the culture within a school is a collective responsibility.
It is important to celebrate a journey within a school. A wise person once told me that “a school is like a book - and as school leaders, we are all but a chapter… and the school will go on once we are gone”. I think that analogy is helpful to remember, however, most leaders I know are intrinsically motivated (consciously or not) by ensuring their added value - their legacy. The All Blacks refer to it as ‘leaving the jersey in a better place’. Whatever the context or motivation, celebrating a school or kura’s journey acknowledges, and honours the mahi that has built the legacy of the school, the one you inherit. The work that you do in your ‘chapter’, and sets the path for the future.
What are our ‘best practices’ for:
Celebrating Staff
Celebrating Whānau
Celebrating Our School’s Journey?
Rochelle Inwood
Professional Learning Facilitator
Momentum Learning Ltd