Every year
for the past 25 years, we’ve scoured the country to identify our nation’s most rapidly
improving schools. Every year, we bring them together at our Model Schools Conference, a
platform for these schools to showcase and share their innovative practices.
And every
year I’m asked, “What makes these schools
work?”
The answer is
surprisingly simple – although not simple to implement.
Creating a Culture that is Focused
on the Future
Above all, these
schools focus on getting their students ready for the world after school!
They are not
as worried about the next test, the next grade or the next level of education
as most schools are. Rather, they try to envision what society and the
workplace will look like in three to five years. They then build their programs back up from
that point. They analyze how technology, information systems and the global
economy will change what employers expect graduates to know and do.
Our Changing World
These schools
understand that technology has vaporized many entry-level and middle-class
jobs. They know global competition is dramatically increasing because
businesses can move work to workers anywhere in the world.
They know
their students live in a digital world, which has transformed how students
communicate and socialize. They understand that social media will replace today’s
newspapers, television networks and radios.
Creating a Culture
The successes
of these model schools are not based on any single initiative. Rather they take
a systematic approach: They start by creating a culture that supports
change at all levels – specifically, organizational leadership, instructional
leadership and teaching.
What is your
vision for students? What are your core values? What are your goals? How will
you achieve them? What do you believe about student learning and achievement?
You’ve heard
me say this again and again: Culture
trumps strategy. Until you can articulate a vision, you will be spinning
your wheels. Until you create a positive culture for change, any strategy you
employ ultimately will fail.
That’s where
you start.
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