Infrastructure Supporting Professionalism

Effective leadership is connected to an infrastructure that supports professionalism by the leader’s habit of consistently providing a set of organizational supports for their staff. Instructors need to know that they are supported. One of the areas of support needed is school-wide programs that outline research-based practices. Teachers are supported when leaders provide the time and resources for training and collaboration to help strengthen each teacher’s practice (Evetts, 2011) Leaders should also promote uniformity in instructional practices. Panel members in Laureate (2013) advised that school leadership find out what teachers need in order to be successful. Using a system of communication and a policy of requesting needed resources, materials, and training will help to have continuous renewal of professional capital. High quality interaction among school personnel depends on deliberate planning by highly professional leaders that are able to promote professionalism. Hargreaves & Fullan (2012). In my professional setting, the principal disseminates information on county professional development (PD) sessions that are geared toward the elements of focus on specific areas on the Professional Growth Plans (PGP). He also plans on-site PD sessions and Professional Learning Community (PLC) sessions to fill any needs for growth. It is especially helpful to teachers when a professional school culture is established through continuous dialogue communication of expectations. Fullan (2010) provided elements of success in promoting professionalism and among them were collaboration to share expertise. He expressed the idea that success breeds success. It takes a leader who values professionalism in the organization to follow through with specific actions that promote a culture of mutual support.

Fullan, M. (2010). Capacity building. Retrieved from http://www.michaelfullan.ca/media/ 13435862150.html

Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Laureate Education (Producer) (2013). Professionalism [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Evetts, J. (2011). A new professionalism? Challenges and opportunities. Current Sociology, 59(4), 406–422.

Evidence of Administrator Professionalism

One of the most important attributes of professionalism is the ability to affect change in the school culture. A leader that can focus on the goal and lead the professional climate is an effective professional. An effective leader should be able to influence staff members, students, and the community to join the collective effort for the benefit of educating all students. Hargreaves and Fullan (2012) suggested that leaders take deliberate action to develop trust and relationships within the school community. Taking steps to unify stakeholders strengthens the chances of making lasting improvements that lead to student achievement. School leaders can cause school improvement by gaining consensus in the use of effective strategies such as guarding students’ learning time, providing individualized instruction, monitoring student achievement, and using collaborative team problem-solving model (Crocket, Billingsley & Boscardin). This is important because a school leader cannot perform the leadership duties without a shared vision throughout the school and staff support. I recognize professionalism in others through attitudes about the school’s mission and purpose. The way that staff members view the administration’s actions toward the goal plays an important role in the school’s success. Collective efforts are needed to cause positive change. The culture of any organization can strengthen the chances of reaching its goals or cause negative effects that hinder progress. The case of a teacher who has a difficult time buying into a new principal’s research-based strategies for improving student chances of success is an example. If a school leader is able to foster a culture of collaboration and mutual effort by promoting positive attitudes and empowering staff members, there is a better likelihood that leadership efforts will be successful.

Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Crockett, J. B., Billingsley, B. S., & Boscardin, M. L. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of leadership and administration for special education. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.

Collaboration and Data Management

School leaders can implement a system of periodic student data review for the purpose of making system changes if necessary based on performance trends to accommodate student needs (Fullan, 2010). The data reviews should be followed by observations of teacher practices to link the student outcomes with instructional procedures. This strategy promotes the sustenance, of a nurturing, advocacy-based school culture that promotes student learning and teacher growth (Fullan, 2007). Following these actions within a structured system, collaborative meetings should be held to discuss any changes or additional strategies that may be needed. Teachers can collaborate in pairs or across grade levels to support each other by sharing strategies that work in specific instructional areas. One benefit of this strategy is the opportunity that teachers receive to collaborate. Collaboration is a powerful tool for providing a variety of sources for resources, information, and assistance. A challenge that may be experienced within the process of collaborative planning is coordinating time for teachers to meet, observe other teachers, or mentor one another.

Fullan, M. (2010). Positive Pressure. In Second International Handbook of Educational Change. Toronto, ON, Canada: Springer Science+Business Media.

Fullan, M. (2007). Professional learning of educators. In The new meaning of educational change. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

The Positive and Negative Outcomes of Program Evaluation

One positive outcome of a program evaluation is that it acts as a preventative measure for stakeholders. Muraskin (1993) listed common reasons for conducting a program review. The author Program implementers and overseers can learn if there are pitfalls to avoid and how to avoid them based on the results of a program evaluation. For example, if there are resource allocation considerations or program costs that could be streamlined to minimize waste, the evaluation may reveal the areas of concern and recommendations may be made for more efficient management.

A negative outcome of program evaluation may be staff anxiety that result from feeling threatened by the results. Program managers may feel that their individual performance is being scrutinized and the program may be discontinued if it is found to be inefficient. A literacy coach who is implementing a reading program may have a negative experience when program evaluators begin to probe into the program to learn about its strengths and weaknesses. He may feel that any ineffective aspects may be linked to his actions. Mertens and Wilson (2012) expressed the importance of adhering to specific guiding principles during evaluations. Among these principles were the security, dignity, and self-worth of the stakeholders. Given this consideration, program managers may feel comfortable enough to participate willingly.

Mertens, D. M., & Wilson, A. T. (2012). Program evaluation theory and practice: A comprehensive guide. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Muraskin, L. (1993). Understanding evaluation: The way to better prevention(ED/OESE92-41). Retrieved from U.S. Department of Education website: http://www2.ed.gov/PDFDocs/handbook.pdf

Continuous Improvement and Sustainability

Program sustainability, as defined by Shediac-Rizkallah and Bone (1998) is the capacity of the program to effectively provide the intended services over a long period of time. Continuous improvement strategies are needed to gain program sustainability. Administrators must include pre-implementation strategies that clarify the plan of action, implementation training with support, and capacity building for post-support maintenance in order to ensure sustainability. During the pre-implementation phase of the program, specific factors are to be taken into consideration. For example, Han and Weiss (2005) pointed out that administrators’ attitudes about the program play a role in teacher motivation. The implementation phase requires continuous support in various forms. Coffey and Horner (2012) suggested that administrators provide relevant resources, prepare staff for new expectations, and provide a collaborative environment where feedback is customary. The final and ongoing phase to promote sustainability includes steps to ensure that teachers have internalized the mission and are intrinsically motivated to maintain the program procedures with the ability to adjust as needed. As Fullan (2010) expressed, “individual capacity thrives if it is integrated with strategies and experiences that foster collective capacity.” After a period of supported training, the staff involved in the implementation and maintenance of the program should have gained the capacity to become a factor in its successful sustenance. Therefore, neither continuous improvement nor sustainability can exist without the other.

In my particular setting, new intervention programs are implemented in phases beginning with the dissemination of information that includes a time frame. Mourtos (2006) advised that distribution of the workload over time and among as many staff as possible will make the program sustainable. The implementation process that I have experienced involved the assignment of program managers from the district. These individuals sent out detailed instructions and requested feedback about the process and to request suggestions. Training was provided in the form of professional development sessions with follow-up activities. Finally, implementation was expected to follow the process precisely. Progress is monitored through surveys, visits, and feedback from the school administration. This process was effective; however, another element might be included to ensure sustainability. The Kentucky Department of Education (2013) provided a set of effective practices which included using results of assessments to learn about the effectiveness of the program to guide continuous improvement.

Shediac-Rizkallah, M., & Bone, L. (1998). Planning for the sustainability of community-based health programs: Conceptual frameforks and future directions for research, practice and polity. Health Education Research, 13(1), 87-108. Retrieved from http://her.oxfordoxfordjournals.org

Han, S., & Weiss, B. (2005). Sustainability for teacher implementation of school-based mental health programs. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33(6), 665-679. doi:10.1007/s10802-005-7646-2

The Kentucky Department of Education (2013, November 14). Kentucky Department of Education : Best Practices and Sustainability. Retrieved December 15, 2013, from http://education.ky.gov/school/bpsust/Pages/default.aspx

Coffey, J., & Horner, R. (2912). The sustainability of school-wide. Council for Exceptional Children, 78(4), 407-422. Retrieved from http://www.cec.sped.org/

Mourtos, N. (2006). A sustainable, systematic process for continuous improvement.Global Journal of Engneering, 10(2). Retrieved from http: //www.engr.sjsu.edu/~nikos/pdf/GJEE-06-2.pdf

Fullan, M. (2010). All systems go: The change imperative for whole system reform. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Components of Sustainability

The elements of sustainability that were evident in Jenny and Kristi’s settings were the inclusion of leadership at various levels, technical assistance, and staff buy-in. Coffey and Horner (2012) expressed the importance of giving leadership responsibilities to personnel at various levels. According to the author, other professionals should be included in the ranks to be able to continue the processes if the administration should change.  Technical assistance support such as that provided to Kristi’s teachers is another element that is highly recommended for sustainability. Hargraves and Fullan (2012) expressed the importance of building professional capital throughout the school. The staff “buy-in” evident in Jenny’s setting by the determination shown as teachers worked long hours to meet their professional goals. “Buy-in” is a critical element that is necessary for implementing and sustaining change (Crocket, Billingsley & Boscardin 2012). These elements along with others outlined by Coffey will ensure long-term existence of the school’s school-wide programs. For example, Kristi’s district included leadership at various levels and ongoing trainings. Having these features as part of the implementation and maintenance process ensured that positive outcomes as evident in the reading, math and writing data.

Coffey, J., & Horner, R. (2012). The sustainability of schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports. Council for Exceptional Children, 78(4), 407-422. Retrieved from http://libraryguides.waldenu.edu/educ8767

Crockett, J. B., Billingsley, B. S., & Boscardin, M. L. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of leadership and administration for special education. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis.

Fullan, M. (2010). All systems go: The change imperative for whole system reform. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin.

Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Continuous Improvement and Organizational Culture

The relationship between continuous improvement and organizational culture begins with the way that the people within the organization interact and collaborate. Strong interpersonal communication for the purpose of collaboratively managing systems promotes continuous improvement. Fullan (2010) asserted that whole-system reform will take place only if a majority of people are working on it together. The author further reported several elements of successful reform. Some of these elements are vigilance about distractors, building individual capacity, sharing data, and high standards. They each require a positive school climate to be carried out successfully. When an organization is able to change the school culture to support reform efforts, there is a greater chance of success (Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, n.d.)

School leaders need to take into consideration consequences of the culture that they foster. For example, Schildkamp, Lai, and Earl suggested that a school culture of inquiry is required to support the vision of systems change into a data-driven school culture. Staff should be trained in the collection and management of data which in turn produces positive change in the instructional program. Personal dispositions about using data will impact the progress into a data-driven culture.

Fullan, M. (2010). All systems go: The change imperative for whole system reform. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin.

Schildkamp, Lai, & Earl, (2013). Data-based Decision Making in Education: Challenges and Opportunities. New York: Springer.

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (n.d.). Creating a context for change. Retrieved November 19, 2013, from http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues22.html