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Presenter
David Hill explalins the objectives of the training, the use
of the participant's guide, and the group agreements (norms).
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In
addition to short lectures, the workshop included time to
read short articles.
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Several
surveys were included in the work sheets, which participants
filled out regarding their individual perceptions and beliefs.
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Then
participants discussed the surveys with another participant
not in their school team.
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As
a way to look at culture, groups were asked to brainstorm
how a school was like...a web.
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How
is a school like glue?
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How
is a school like a garden?
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How
is a school like a complex pattern?
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So
many people chose the school as a web that they had to break
into two groups, reported in two columns here.
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In
reporting, the glue simile took two pages, much to the group's
surprise.
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Then
school teams brainstormed how top-notch culture attibutes
might look in their school, recording them on sticky notes
on a sheet of paper.
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Top
Notch Culture Attributes - click to see each of the
brainstorm lists of what it might look like in our schools:
•
Caring
& supportive of others
• Cohesive
• Collaborative
• Diverse
• Efficacious;
"can-do"
• Energetic
• Democratic;
egalitarian
• Focuses
on student & adult learning
• Focuses
on excellence; high expectations
• Hopeful;
optimistic
• Innovative
•
Interdependent
• Respectful
• Trusting
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All
partipants then got to look at the lists, which provided a
starting point for discussion (and some laughter).
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Readings
in the participants guide pointed out the connection between
culture and student achievement.
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The
"Final Word" exercise had a facilitator, a timekeeper,
and a volunteer to "lead off" with 3 minutes to
present an idea.
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Moving
in clockwise fashion, every other group member had one minute
to respond to the idea presented.
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Then
the opening speaker had one minute to make final comments.
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Next,
the process was repeated for the next person in the group
to share an idea and get short responses, until all had had
a chance to present.
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The
skill exercises in the workshop were designed to help people
back in their school to involve others in positive change.
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After
having completed the Cultural Beliefs Questionnaire, participants
were seated in groups of 10, 5 across from each other.
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Each
person interviewed the person across them them and recorded
their responses to the questionnaire items without commenting.
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One
side of the interview line would then rotate, and they would
ask the next person the questions and record them.
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Participants
were divided into five groups, and recorded the responses
they had gotten to a specified Cultural Belief questiojn.
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Cultural
Beliefs Questionnaire:
A.
What are some ways you believe unhealthy school cultures
contribute to "at risk" students?
B.
What factors cause well-intentioned educators to make excuses
for low-performing students?
C.
In what ways does distributed leadership contribute to the
performance (student achievement) of schools?
D.
Give 4-6 examples of "structures for organizational
action" that you think influence a school's culture.
E.
What are fhe 4-5 most important things the leadership of
a school can do to develop "academic press"?
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Duplicate
responses were also included.
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Then
a person from each group reported on the responses to their
question. (Here, responses to Cultural Belief question A is
reported.)
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Responses
to question B took two pages to report - isn't that interesting?
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Question
D report included many specific idea.
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Next,
school teams (here an elementary team) brainstormed how they
might challenge the status quo in their building.
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Roosevelt
Middle School team discusses where they stand as a school
in reaching all students.
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Then
the school teams (Churchill High School here) record their
ideas.
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In
the "Critical Friends" activity, one school team
listens & makes notes while the other school team presents
& discusses change ideas.
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Then
the presenting team gets up while the listening team sits
down and gives uninterrupted feedback to the first group in
the form of: praise, questions, polish (suggestions &
ideas for consideration).
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The
workshop leader reviews the "tools" people have
learned in the workshop, and encourages them to try some of
them out with their staff to begin the dialogue.
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On
January 12, 2005, from 4-8 pm, and January 13, 2005, all day, leadership
teams from 4J elementary, middle, and high schools participated in
the "Creating a High Performance Learning Community" training
workshop put on by the 
Eugene School District 4J
