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Leading for Learning: How to Transform Schools into Learning Organizations. PDF

354 Pages·2010·2.28 MB·English
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SCHLECHTY Leading for Learning Written by acclaimed school reform advocate Phillip C. Schlechty, Leading for Learning of- fers educators the framework, tools, and processes they need to transform their schools from bureaucracies into dynamic learning organizations. Schlechty explains how to move beyond some of the deeply ingrained and negative conceptions of schooling that guide so much of their practice. He shows educators how they can take advantage of new learning technologies by increasing their organization’s capacity to support continuous innovation. “Clearly not for the fainthearted, Schlechty’s engrossing appraisal of American education calls for a bold, truly fundamental transformation of how we run our public schools. Some books are thought-provoking; this one is action-provoking.” —W. JAMES POPHAM, professor emeritus, UCLA “Dr. Schlechty has once again written an insightful book that educational leaders can use as a road map in transforming our schools into learning organizations designed to serve twenty-fi rst century students.” —DR. RANDY BRIDGES, superintendent, Alamance-Burlington School System, NC “Because education is ultimately a community responsibility, Schlechty’s proposal to shift school systems from bureaucracies to learning organizations can open doors to citizens who are frustrated by the bureaucracy in their efforts to reclaim their role in education. This book is as much for them as it is for professional educators.” —DAVID MATHEWS, president, Kettering Foundation “Anyone in a school leadership position—from the board room to the classroom—should read this engaging and thought-provoking book. It’s a must- read for all immersed in or contemplating the transformation of public education.” —C LAUDIA MANSFIELD SUTTON, chief communications and marketing offi cer, American Association of School Administrators The Author PHILLIP C. SCHLECHTY is founder and CEO of the Schlechty Center for Leadership in School Reform. Schlechty is the author of Creating Great Schools, Working on the Work, Inventing Better Schools, Shaking Up the Schoolhouse, and Schools for the 21st Century. EDUCATION Cover design by Michael Cook US $29.00 | Canada $35.00 Cover image by Veer www.josseybass.com Leading for Learning ffirs.indd i 3/4/09 7:03:34 PM Leading for Learning ffirs.indd i 3/4/09 7:03:34 PM ffirs.indd i 3/4/09 7:03:34 PM Leading for Learning H O W T O T R A N S F O R M S C H O O L S I N T O L E A R N I N G O R G A N I Z A T I O N S Phillip C. Schlechty ffirs.indd i 3/4/09 7:03:34 PM Copyright © 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by Jossey-Bass A Wiley Imprint 989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741—www.josseybass.com No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permit- ted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646- 8600, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748- 6011, fax 201-748-6008, or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Readers should be aware that Internet Web sites offered as citations and/or sources for further information may have changed or disappeared between the time this was written and when it is read. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or com- pleteness of the contents of this book and specifi cally disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fi tness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profi t or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Jossey-Bass books and products are available through most bookstores. To contact Jossey-Bass directly call our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-956-7739, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3986, or fax 317-572-4002. Jossey-Bass also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Schlechty, Phillip C., 1937- Leading for learning: how to transform schools into learning organizations / Phillip C. Schlechty. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7879-9434-1 (pbk.) 1. School improvement programs—United States. 2. School management and organization—United States. 3. Educational change—United States. I. Title. LB2822.82.S337 2009 371.2’070973—dc22 2008051694 Printed in the United States of America first edition PB Printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ffirs.indd iv 3/4/09 7:03:35 PM C O N T E N T S Preface ix The Author xix PA R T O N E Making the Case for Transformation 1 O N E The Case for Transformation 3 Why Reformation Is Not Enough 4 The Need for Transformation 5 Why We Tinker: The Problem Defi ned 19 T W O Systems and Technological Change 23 Understanding Schools as Complex Social Organizations 25 The Nature of Systemic Change 26 Disruptive and Sustaining Innovations 27 Critical Social Systems 29 Why Reform Is So Diffi cult 31 Common Language, Power, and Separation 38 T H R E E Bureaucracies Versus Learning Organizations 39 Ideal Types: A Tool for Analysis 40 How Is Social Control Established? 50 What Is the School’s Function? 61 Images of School 68 v ftoc.indd v 3/4/09 7:04:55 PM F O U R Bureaucratic Images of Schools 69 About the Metaphors 70 A Basic Framework 71 The School as Factory 74 The School as Professional Service Delivery Organization 87 The School as Warehouse or Prison 99 Getting the Problem Right 110 F I V E A New Image of Schools 113 Learning Organization or Learning Community? 113 Transmitting the Knowledge Work Culture 123 The School as a Small Community or a Family 134 Critical Steps to Transformation 138 PA R T T W O Getting Our Bearings: The Sociopolitical Landscape 141 S I X The Bureaucratic Impulse 143 Historic Roots 143 From Community Institutions to Government Agencies 148 The Consequences of Bureaucratization 153 The Need for Grassroots Action 156 S E V E N Reassessing Standards 159 An Upstream Struggle 160 The Profi t Motive 161 Who Are the Customers? 164 The Meaning of Standards 169 The Trivialization of Standards 170 No Tests for Standards 172 The Effects of Standards 173 Different Constituencies, Differing Standards 180 vi Contents ftoc.indd vi 3/4/09 7:04:55 PM E I G H T R estoring Civic Capacity and Building Social Capital: Two Keys to School Transformation 187 Schooling and the Decline of Communities 188 The Need for Community Building 191 Politics, Economics, and the Moral Order of Communities 193 The Need for School Board Leadership 195 Public Education as a Moral Imperative 199 Building Social Capital 201 Can It Be Done? 204 A Concluding Comment 206 PA R T T H R E E Taking the First Steps: How Transformation Can Happen 207 N I N E Painting a New Image of Schools 209 The Uses of Metaphors and Mental Models 209 Lessons Learned About the Use of Metaphors 216 Selecting Metaphors to Aid in Transformation 218 A Suggested Exercise 219 Other Uses of Metaphors 219 A Concluding Comment 221 T E N Creating the Capacity to Support Innovation 223 Capacity Building: A Point of View 223 System Capacity Standards 224 Persistence of Effort 238 E L E V E N Standards as Sources of Direction 241 Reframing the Problem of Standards 242 Helping Communities Hold Schools Accountable 248 Organizational Performance Standards 253 Some Thoughts on State and Federal Policy 258 Contents vii ftoc.indd vi 3/4/09 7:04:55 PM Accountability and Equity 259 A Word of Caution 262 T W E LV E A Theory of Action 265 First Steps 265 Toward a Theory of Action 271 Subsequent Steps 275 A Theory, Not a Prescription 276 A Closing Comment 278 T H I R T E E N Engaging the Heart and Recapturing Our Heritage 281 Developing a Marketing Mentality 281 Some Additional Suggestions for Action 284 A Common Cause 287 A P P E N D I X A Organizational Properties and Systemic Qualities 289 A P P E N D I X B Images of School 307 Bibliography 313 Index 319 viii Contents ftoc.indd vi 3/4/09 7:04:56 PM

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