| Unlocking the 11 Components - Support for Change Agents |
CSR funds help schools develop programs to improve every facet of their educational operation. As evidenced by the descriptions of the previous seven components, schools’ comprehensive programs often involve changes in instruction, high-quality professional development, and enhanced involvement of parents and the community. To be successful, such programs will involve teachers, administrators and staff. Teachers may be asked to rethink their teaching styles, modify their practices, be involved in decision making, and to take on new and greater responsibilities. Administrators’ responsibilities may shift, or be reassigned. Staff members will likely experience the stress and frustration that typically accompany change. Without providing support for these key players in the reform process, a schoolwide improvement effort is likely to come to a halt. It is because of their critical role in reform that the new CSR program devotes one of the eleven components in the framework to supporting personnel.
The legislation, however, says little about how the support described this component should be conveyed. The guidance says “A CSR program provides support for teachers, principals, administrators, and other school staff by creating shared leadership and a broad base of responsibility for reform efforts. The program encourages teamwork and the celebration of accomplishments.” According to the guidance, schools and districts may wish to supply this support via coordinated delivery systems for quality professional development. Other support might be provided by independent contractors who are on site to guide teachers, administrators and staff through change. In regard to teachers, some states have policies in place to provide new teachers with mentors, or to reorganize school days to allow teachers time to work collaboratively and to develop their own band of support within the school. Team building activities and shared decision making may be ways schools and districts can provide support to all staff while also strengthening the reform effort. In effect, schools may choose to implement a variety of strategies, based on a sound needs assessment, to provide assistance in areas where staff members need support.
Resources
The selection of references that follows offer advice that may help educators as they work to address this component:
Berends, M., Bodilly, S. & Kirby, S. (2003). New American Schools:
District and school leadership for whole-school reform. In Murphy, J. &
Datnow, A. (Eds.). Leadership lessons from comprehensive school reform (pp.109-131). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Fullan, M. G. (1991). The new meaning of educational change (2nd ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.
Leithwood, K. (2002). Organizational conditions to support teaching and learning. In W.D. Hawley and D.L. Rollie (Eds.), The keys to effective schools: Educational reform as continuous improvement (pp.97-100). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Teddlie, C. & Reynolds, D. (Eds.). (2000). The international handbook of school effectiveness research. London: Farmer.
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