Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division by Anthony Muhammad, c2009, Solution Tree

There are 2 goals to this book, with the ultimate aim to reach all students and to narrow the achievement gap:

* understand how school cultures operate from a political and sociological perspective

* how to shift school culture to create an atmosphere where change is tolerated and embraced

In his ethnographic study of 34 schools, Anthony Muhammad categorized 4 groups of teachers, which conveys the complexity of school change, due to differences in beliefs and expectations. Each group cares about students.

(1)Believers

-believe all students can learn, high expectations for student behaviour and achievement, connects with students, patient, flexible – e.g., differentiate instruction and assessment

-constant battle with Fundamentalists – but often do not stand up to beliefs with fundamentalists – passive rather than vocal

-like to join school improvement plan committee, curriculum initiatives

(2)Tweeners

-new to the school culture

-want to find school stability and how they fit into the school

-enthusiastic, willing to experiment, believed all students can learn but not sure how, want to please administrators

-Fundamentalists will communicate with Tweeners when they are vulnerable to sell their political views – can move Tweeners into camp of Fundamentalists

-provide PD and support for tweeners so they align with Believers

(3)Survivors

-small group of “burned out” teachers (2% in study) – trying to make it day-by-day – concerned with own mental and emotional well-being – no political agenda

-need to remove these teachers e.g., transfer to another school, terminate

(4)Fundamentalists

-maintain status quo of traditional schooling – opposed to change – most aggressive and vocal – conflict with school leaders – will debate, argue opposing views – will defame through intimidation, disrupt or interrupt or delay change process, distract through passive aggression – rolling eyes, not paying attention e.g., marking

-displeased with classroom walkthroughs, data, instructional and assessment practices – i.e., PD – believe students should sink or swim, little empathy to students unsuccessful

-work well in informal organization to “recruit” members – e.g., tweeners – in staff room, parking lot, conversations, hallways – ignore Believers – Fundamentalists will say they are speaking on behalf of the staff

- must challenge Fundamentalists head-on to move school forward

- Why do people resist change? What conditions motivate people to change? How can leaders create conditions to motivate acceptance of change? (p. 84-85)

-Level 1 Fundamentalists: need to know logical rationale for change – cannot assume they know rationale – e.g., data, empirical research of strategy or technique – can be easily converted

-Level 2 Fundamentalists: resist change since do not trust judgement or skills of leader – emotional need – leader must establish competence and character (e.g., do not make promises can’t keep, support people, take responsibility, humility, stay up to date with skills, trust, ethics, patience, maturity) may be past experiences with administrators

-Level 3 Fundamentalists: resist change since unsure if changes will cause more stress and not convinced change is for the better – give change implementation in increments and thoroughly prepare to take teachers through journey – use PLCs, learning through job-embedded; driven by data, research, context, collaboration

-Level 4 Fundamentalists: deeply ingrained for status quo as it defines them – school leader must closely monitor and force compliance to new direction; document teacher performance for improvement; place where least damage

Need school-wide focus on student learning and achievement – develop relationships with teachers – use PLCs for culture of collaboration

Look at school data and answer:

Who are our students; what strengths do they bring to the school? What needs do they bring to the school? How can we collectively enhance their lives?