Consensus - "Fist to Five"

Building consensus can be a challenge. While often the preferred way to make decisions, consensus can be fleeting. It doesn't mean that everyone agrees wholeheartedly with the decision, but it does mean that everyone can support the decision. At a minimum, everyone should agree they can live with the decision.

One tool I've found to be useful is "Fist to Five." It can help you seek common ground and is a quick way to assess the support among every participants. Ask every participant to indicate their level of support from a closed fist (no support) to all five fingers (enthusiastic support). Most groups I work with agree that the discussion continues until everyone holds up at least three fingers. Here's the complete set of descriptors adapted from those prepared by Adventure Associates (2009)

Fist	“I need to talk more on the proposal and require changes to support it.”
1 Finger	“I still need to discuss some issues and I will suggest changes that should be made.”
2 Fingers	“I am moderately comfortable with the idea but would like to discuss some minor things.”
3 Fingers	“I’m not in total agreement but feel comfortable to let this idea pass without further discussion.”
4 Fingers	“I think it’s a good idea and will work for it.
5 Fingers	“It’s a great idea and I will be one of those working to implement it.”

I've used "Fist to Five" many times and it is always helpful to gauge the level of support for a decision. I'm convinced that we made a better decision when we worked to build a higher level of support. I'd enjoy hearing from you about how you work with groups to reach agreement. I'd also enjoy learning about your experience using the "Fist to Five" approach.

Trimester Schedules

In recent years many schools have implemented a trimester schedule as a way to provide greater flexibility in their schedule. Trimester schedules divide the school year into three parts with students taking fewer classes each trimester than in a traditional semester schedule. But, over the year, a trimester generally offers students more classes and an opportunity to enrich their educational experience. Trimester schedules also allow for earlier intervention and credit recovery options than other schedules. Trimesters often allow the first trimester to finish prior to winter break and often align with the schedule of nearby colleges, thus easing options for dual enrollment.

As with any scheduling model, trimesters don't solve every problem a school may face with their schedule. But it does provide an innovative way to look at the use of time.

There are lots of resources available on trimester schedules. One is a site devoted just to trimester schedules (www.trimesters.org). The other is a site from a high school that recently adopted the trimester model (www.a2skyline.org/skyline/home/trimesters). Finally, a Research Brief on the trimester schedule is available on the Education Partnerships, Inc. website and on my website (www.ronwilliamson.com).

I'd enjoy the opportunity to learn from you about your experience with trimester schedules and both the benefits and challenges you've encountered.

Challenging Economic Times

No school is immune from the need to plan for a future impacted by declining, or at the best, stable resources. Schools are caught between expectations for improved student performance and the reality that there are fewer human and financial resources to support the program. Almost universally the issue is one of how to be both efficient and more effective.

There are generally three responses. First, you can identify areas where you might reduce expenses by eliminating programs or reducing budgets. But in many schools these efficiencies have already been achieved. Second, you can consider alternative ways of doing things you're already doing. For example, some rural schools have shifted to a four-day week to reduced costs of transportation, food service, and office support. Some have begun to work together by combining programs, sharing teachers, or sharing central office resources. In Michigan one district contracted with a nearby district for a portion of the superintendent's time. Others consolidated human resources or business services. Third, you can prioritize what you are doing. This is often difficult, even when you use data, because it is often seen as valuing one program more than others. If you prioritize be sure to anchor your decisions in your school's vision and mission. Some schools have learned that reducing every program a little isn't very effective. It may be necessary to focus on fewer things and do them really well. Always be sure someone is advocating for the neediest students, those requiring the most support.

Some schools have begun to work together to share professional development. Others have worked with local business leaders to sponsor professional development. Or you might want to increase efforts to identify volunteers, such as senior citizens, to work with students.

Unfortunately many of the decisions involve reductions in the number of teachers and other staff. They invariably mean larger class size, fewer course offerings, and reduced opportunities for students. When appropriate decisions about how to respond to these reductions are almost always better when teachers, families and other stakeholders are included. And, of course, it is important to support remaining staff as they deal with the new reality of fewer colleagues.

These are challenging times for schools and their leaders. I'd enjoy hearing form you about how you and your community are dealing with your declining resources.

Schools that Break the Mold

I'm always looking for examples of how a principal and their staff works to improve the educational experience of their students. One of my favorite organizations is the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta. They sponsor both the High Schools that Work and Middle Schools that Work programs in every region of the nation. But they also provide incredible resources for educators on their website (www.sreb.org). They recently published their January newsletter, "Schools Break the Mold to Produce Graduates Ready for Success in College and Careers." The newsletter shares examples from schools that are small and large, located in rural areas and the inner city. Each is a powerful story about how adults working together can transform their schools. I hope you find them both informative and inspirational.

Lesson Study: Improving Instruction One Lesson at a Time

Originally used by Japanese teachers, lesson study emphasizes working in small groups to plan, teach, observe, and critique a lesson. Lesson study involves groups of teachers in a collaborative process designed to systematically examine their practice with the goal of becoming more effective. Teachers College at Columbia University has many resources about the lesson study process (www.tc.columbia.edu/lessonstudy/lesson-study.html) and they've developed a lesson study protocol that describes how the process might work.

• Participants should be volunteers but the invitation to participate should be inclusive.
• While working on a study lesson, teachers work together to develop a detailed plan for the lesson.
• One member of the group teaches the lesson in a real classroom while other members of the group observe the lesson.
• The group comes together to discuss their observations about the lesson and student learning.
• The group works together to revise the lesson.
• Another teacher teaches the revised lesson while group members observe.
• The group reconvenes to discuss the observed lesson.
• The revision process may continue as long as the group believes it is necessary.
• Teachers talk about what the study lesson taught them and how they can apply the learning to their own classroom. They may prepare a report to be shared with others.

Lesson study is a valuable tool to engage teachers in examining their own work and developing plans for improvement. It is anchored in a collaborative culture where teachers are comfortable working together and talking about complex issues.

I'd enjoy hearing from you about your experience with lesson study or other professional development activities.

Book Study: A Tool for Professional Conversation

A good way to engage teaches and other staff in their own professional growth is to organize a book study group. At some schools, every teacher may be asked to read the same book and work in small groups to discuss the book and its implications for practice. In others, teachers may choose from among several books and join colleagues who selected the same book for their discussion.

Here are some things I've learned about organizing book study groups.

• Membership should be voluntary, but inclusive.
• Decide a meeting schedule, meeting place, length of book to be read, and what will happen after the book is red. It is recommended that meetings last no more than one hour and be held at a consistent time and place.
• Select a responsible facilitator to keep the group on task and to help manage the meetings.
• Select a book with a clear objective in mind. For example, select a book that aligns with your school improvement plan.
• Conversation is important in a book study. Members of the group share insights, ask questions about the text, and learn from others. It is important to talk about how the ideas can be directly applied in the classroom and how to overcome any potential obstacles.
• Journaling is a useful way for members to think about their reading and reflect on how it might be used.

Additional information about conducting a book study is available at www.eyeoneducation.com/BookStudyGroupFAQ/BookStudyFAQ.asp.

I would enjoy hearing from you about ways you engage teachers in their professional growth and promote conversations about improving your school. I look forward to hearing from you.

Both Eligible and Ready for College

The December 2010 issue of Principal Leadership had a thoughtful article by Dr. David Conley from the University of Oregon Center for Educational Policy Research on helping students become both eligible for college admission and prepared for success in entry-level college courses.

Dr. Conley's work emphasizes readiness in four critical areas: "development of key cognitive strategies, mastery of key content knowledge, proficiency with a set of academic behaviors, and sufficient college knowledge about what post-secondary education requires."

For example, he suggests that students must know how to think about and apply content knowledge, how to identify a problem, how to collect information and evaluate the resources they used, how to interpret, analyze and evaluate the information and then communicate their work by organizing it and constructing a logical means of presenting the work

He suggests that most high schools do a good job of encouraging college attendance, and helping students navigate both the admission and financial aid process. In addition, many schools provide students with a set of courses that deal with content knowledge. What most schools lack is a recognition that college success also requires a set of intellectual dispositions and skills for success in college courses.

After studying 38 high schools, seven key principles were identified. They include:

1. Create and maintain a college going culture in your school - Signal to students that the school prepares them for postsecondary success.
2. Create a core academic program aligned with and leading to college readiness by the end of the 12th grade - Define a core academic program that, for all students, that leads to college readiness.
3. Teach self-management skills and expect students to use them in high school - Help students learn to manage their own learning, to set and manage completion of goals, and to manage taking notes and completing long-term, complex assignments.
4. Make college real by preparing students for the complexity of applying to college and making the transition -Work with students and families as early as middle school and no later than the 9th grade to understand the importance of planning, taking the appropriate courses, and timelines for both admission and financial aid.
5. Create assignments and grading policies that align more closely with college expectations - Because the college experience requires students to work more independently and to manage assignments and homework without receiving a daily or weekly grade, schools should provide this experience during high school. Develop assignments that use college type experiences and expectations.
6. Make the senior year meaningful and challenging - Assure that the senior year is both academically enriching and challenging. Every student should experience a college like experience such as senior seminar, senior project or AP course.
7. Build partnerships with postsecondary institutions and programs - Work to build a relationship with postsecondary programs and institutions. Find ways for faculty to work together and to align their expectations and instruction.

Assuring that every student is prepared for postsecondary education is a critical activity in K-12 schools. I'd like to know how you respond to Dr. Conley's seven recommendations and what you and your teachers are doing to assure that each of your students is prepared for post-secondary education.

Additional information about Dr. Conley's work is available at www.collegecareerready.org. Principal Leadership is a publication of the National Association of Secondary School Principals and is available online to members (www.principals.org).