Common Planning: A Linchpin Practice in Transforming ...

[Pages:28]

CommonPlanning:ALinchpinPracticein

TransformingSecondarySchools

NettieLegters DiaAdams

PatriceWilliams

AcademyforEducationalDevelopment

ThispaperwaspreparedfortheU.S.DepartmentofEducation(ED),Officeof ElementaryandSecondaryEducation,SmallerLearningCommunitiesProgramunder ContractNumberED-07-CO-0106withEDJAssociates,Inc.inHerndon,VA.Theviews expressedinthispublicationdonotnecessarilyrepresentthepositionsorpoliciesofED, nordoreferencestotradenames,commercialproducts,services,ororganizationsimply endorsementbytheU.ernment.

TABLEOFCONTENTS

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 WhatIsCommonPlanningandWhyIsItImportant? ........................................................................ 1 WhatHighSchoolReformStructuresandPracticesDoesCommonPlanningSupport? ................. 3 ElementsofEffectiveCommonPlanning........................................................................................... 11 ImplementingandSustainingCommonPlanning:ChallengesandthePathForward ................... 14

Scheduling ....................................................................................................................................... 14 CollectiveBargainingAgreements................................................................................................. 16 EnsuringProductiveMeetingPractice .......................................................................................... 16 MeasuringImplementationandImpact ....................................................................................... 17 Conclusion............................................................................................................................................ 18 References ........................................................................................................................................... 19

Introduction

Acentrallessonfromsecondaryschoolreformeffortstodateisthatstructuralreforms suchassmalllearningcommunities(SLCs),interdisciplinaryteams,andevenflexible schedulingdonotautomaticallyorinstantlytransformsecondaryschoolsintohigh performinglearningorganizations.Realizingthepotentialofthesereformsrequiresthat theybeactivatedbygroupsofadultswiththewill,skill,andtimetotranslatethese opportunitystructuresintopersonalized,responsive,andeffectivelearningexperiences forstudents.Inthewordsofoneschoolreformleader,"smallschoolsarethelaunch pad,nottherocketship."Asthesecondaryschoolreformmovementmatures,thereis growingunderstandingthatitisnowtimetobuildtherocketshipandtodevelopthe renewableenergysourcesneededtoachievethemoonshotofourgeneration-- graduatingallyoungpeoplefromhighschoolpreparedforsuccessincollege,career, andciviclife.

CommonPlanning(CP)isareformthatisemergingasanessentialcomponentofthe rocketship,andafuelsourceaswell.Whilerecognizingthatnoonereformholdsthe keytoimprovingschools,wearguethatCommonPlanningisalinchpinpracticein transformingsecondaryschools--anunderutilizedyetcriticalsocialtechnology necessarytocreatinglearningenvironmentsthatproactivelyidentifyandaddressthe diverseandchangingneedsofadolescentlearners.Thefollowingsectionselaboratethe promiseandchallengesofCommonPlanningandofferrecommendationsforstronger, morewidespreadimplementationandrigorousstudy.

WhatIsCommonPlanningandWhyIsIt Important?

BrooklynGenerationSchoolopenedin2007aspartofarestructuringoftheformer SouthShoreHighSchoolinBrooklyn,NewYork.Itcurrentlyservesabout230minority andlow-incomestudentsingrades9to11andexpectstogrowtomorethan700 studentsasitaddsa12thgradeandmiddlegradesoverthenextseveralyears.The schoolrecentlydrewnationalattentionforitsunorthodoxschedule.AtBrooklyn Generation,teachersinstructonlythreeclassesaday,get2hoursofCommonPlanning withcolleagueseachafternoon,andhaveahighlyreducedstudentload--asfewas14 studentsperclass.TheschedulewascreatedwithsupportfromtheUnitedFederation ofTeachers,thelocalAmericanFederationofTeachersaffiliate,enablingteachersto retaintheirbenefitsasunionmembersanddistrictemployees(Sawchuk,2010). AdistinguishingfeatureofBrooklynGeneration,andotherbreak-the-moldhighschools, istheinstitutionallyexpectedandsanctionedpracticeofadultsmeetingtogetherona frequentandregularbasistoreviewandcraftplanstoimprovetheacademic

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engagementandachievementofthestudentstheyserve.ThispracticeofCommon Planningrepresentsamajordeparturefromtraditionalhighschoolroutinewhere teacherstypicallyareassignedindividualtimeduringtheschooldaytopreparefortheir classesandmeetwiththeirpeersonlyinfrequentlyinsubject-areadepartmentor schoolwidefacultymeetings.Althoughresearchcontinuallydecriesteacherisolation andlinkscollaborationamongadultsinschoolswithhigherlevelsofteacher commitment,satisfaction,efficacy,andimprovedstudentoutcomes,CPhasremaineda marginalpracticefoundonlyinleadingedge"innovation"highschools. CommonPlanningnowisreceivingincreasedattentioninlightofitspotentialto advancethreesocialprocessesviewedascentraltocreatingeffectivelearning environmentsforadolescents: 1 . P e r s o n a l i z a t i o n : Apersonalizedlearningenvironmentischaracterizedbystrong, positiverelationshipsbetweenadultsandstudents.Adultsunderstandandare responsivetotheneedsofindividualstudents,andstudentsexperiencetangiblecaring andsupportfromadultswhoknowthemwellandassumeresponsibilityfortheir advancement.Highschoolshavealwayshadadultswhoextendthemselvestostudents, actingbeyondthedictatesoftheirrolesasadministratorsorclassroomteachersto reachoutto,advocatefor,andprovideextrasupporttostrugglingstudents.Studies indicatethattheserelationshipscanmakethedifferencebetweenwhetherstudents succeedorfail,andfurtherindicatethatasenseofcollectiveresponsibilityforstudent achievementamongschoolstaffasaleadingfeatureofhighschoolsthatproducehigher andmoreequitableachievementoutcomesforstudents(Johnson,2007;Rhodesetal., 2000).However,fewhighschoolsareintentionallyorganizedandresourcedtoensure thattheserelationshipsandextendedrolesareestablishedandenactedasamatterof monPlanningprovidestime,opportunity,andexpectationthatteachers willplacestudentneedsandprogressatthecenteroftheirworkandassumecollective responsibilityforstudentlearning. Forexample,CPenablesgroupsofteacherswhoteachthesamestudentstoidentify veryearlyintheschoolyearthosewhoarefallingbehind.TheycanthenusetheirCP timetomeetwiththestudent(andfamilymembers)todiscussstrengths,identify challengeareas,anddevelopanactionplancoupledwithappropriatesupportstohelp thestudentgetbackontrack.Thiscourseofactionbuildsrelationshipsand communicatestostudentsinnouncertaintermsthattheirsuccessisworththetime andattentionofeveryadultwhointeractswiththeminschooleveryday. 2 . I n s t r u c t i o n a l C o o r d i n a t i o n / I n t e g r a t i o n : WithoutCP,adultsworkinginsmaller learningcommunitiesandteacherteamswillhavedifficultytransformingthe fragmentednatureofstudents'highschoolexperiences.Staffinreforminghighschools typicallyengageinsummerretreatsandmonthlymeetingsdesignedtoenable administratorsandteacherstodevelopsharednormsforbehaviorandacademic performance,gradingrubrics,andeveninterdisciplinarycurricula.Morefrequent

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