Positive Deviants:

I am relieved today that there appears to be an agreement reached in the ongoing Teachers’ Strike in this province.  Potentially, we could be back to normal early next week.  What this means is that now there is an increased sense of urgency for me and my fellow principals and vice-principals as we await the teachers, staff, and students.  We have a lot to get ready, and a short time to do it.

Amidst the rush this week, I will still be thinking about the need to improve what we are doing at our school.  We are not meeting the needs of a significant portion of our students, for one reason or another, and that must change. 

It is the need for change that drives my thinking today, and has me reflecting on some things that Seth Godin writes about in “Tribes.”  Godin’s description of, what he calls “positive deviants” has fueled my hope for the coming school year. 

Godin says, “As a general rule, managers don’t like deviants.  By definition, deviance from established standards is a failure for a manager . . . So, most of the time managers work hard to stamp out deviance (and the deviants who create it)” (p.112). 

However, deviance is really all about change.  Deviants are those who push the boundaries and try new things.  They are the innovators, and the ones who think differently, pushing themselves and others to explore new ideas, concepts and practice.

The interesting piece that Godin adds, and the part that causes me to be hopeful is, “it turns out that employees who are committed to change and engaged in making things happen are happier and more productive” (p.113).

We need more leaders, more deviants – more agents of change

Godin says that process is simple:  “find the leaders (the heretics who are doing things differently and making change), and then amplify their work, give them a platform and help them find followers – and things get better” (p. 113).

As we embark on the new school year, I am offering another commitment.  I will identify the leaders, the heretics in our building who are taking the leap and embracing new things and stretching themselves in order to improve the learning for our students.  We will look for positive evidence of the impact on student learning, and help to amplify the work by getting others on board. 

In our school, we have the programs; we have the resources; and we have a strong, dedicated staff of teachers and learning support people who care about students.  What we need is some “out of the box” thinking by some positive deviants who will lead the change needed to improve the learning for all of our students.  I know we have it within us.

What’s Important?

I tossed around a bunch of different ideas about what to write in this week’s blog.  While the focus is supposed to be on “180 days of Learning at Dawson Creek Secondary,” there are a lot of things going on right now that don’t really have much to do with learning.  And, as my principal colleagues and I work away at getting ready for the eventual return of teachers and students, the teachers’ strike continues with no end currently in site.  The lack of hustle and bustle in the building has meant that I have more uninterrupted time and therefore I am able to spend a little more time reflecting. 

What got me thinking tonight were two things: a recent conversation with a colleague who is quite ill, and a picture shared on Facebook of a courageous little girl attending her first day of kindergarten wearing a bandana to cover her bare head.  My thoughts are with both of them tonight as they continue to battle against overwhelming odds.  Their situations have prompted me to reflect less on learning and more on the power of positive relationships. 

Like us, our students are seeking connections with people who care about them.  In our recent reading of Hattie’s “Visible Learning for Teachers,” we were introduced to Mind Frames.  Mind frame 7 states that educators believe it is their role to develop positive relationships in classrooms and staffrooms.  Hattie’s research indicates that teacher student relationships have an effect size of .72, which is quite significant. 

What this all reinforces is that relationships matter.  In the end what is most important to students, parents, teachers and principals too, is the positive relationships they develop with each other.  The positive relationships foster a sense of belonging and connectivity, improved self-concept and confidence. 

At this very difficult time for everyone, despite our positions and despite politics, it is the positive relationships we have with each other that will help us through and leave a lasting positive impact.       

My Hattie’s off to you

SD #59 Principals and senior admin staff recently had the opportunity to take part in a full day workshop in Grande Prairie, AB with Dr. John Hattie, and hear in–depth about his research on “Visible Learning.”  The day was informative and enlightening, in the sense that it pulled the veil back on some things that have remained hidden from our view.

Hattie’s research is based on studying meta-analyses in numerous fields of education, looking specifically at impact on learning.  He presents eight “mind frames” or ways if thinking that should drive every decision about schools and learning.  He suggests that if teachers and leaders develop the eight mind frames, they will increase the likelihood of having significant positive impacts on their students. 

What resonated the most for me was Hattie’s reference to the role of principals.  Here is what Hattie said:

I want principals to start by thinking differently about what their role is. And the first things I would take away from them are those tasks that are not directly related to student learning in the schools. In my view as I have said earlier, their role is to be the lead adult learner in the school community, a person who is concerned about the impact that all the other adults are having on student learning in that community.

We often get bogged down in the day-to-day grind and do not get into classrooms nearly enough, despite our best intentions.  I am going to publicly state here that for me, this is about to change.  I whole-heartedly agree with Hattie, where he states,

My argument about what they should do comes back to the first mind frame which is “teachers/leaders believe that their fundamental task is to evaluate the effect of their teaching on students’ learning and achievement.”

I will be asking the key questions that drive things from a leadership point of view,

“What evidence 
do you have that you are making an impact?”
and “How do you evaluate that evidence?”

I am anxiously waiting for the current labour dispute to be over so that we can get back to what really matters.  Our students deserve the best that we can give.