22nd Jan 2014 22:12
So we are asked to consider scenarios where there is misalignment and I have below given two very brief examples. Consider the suggestions put forward for how to address this misalignment. Would you do the same? Are there steps you would add, miss out?
Scenario: strategy and personnel: you want the school staff to develop their abilities in the use of digital technology effectively and quickly however, there is no framework within which the staff can develop and assess their rate of development against. Added to this, there is no personnel with the know-how to effectively put in place a system which will allow this process to take place.
Scenario: shared values and style: you know that there is a specific group of students in your school who are consistently and continuously under-achieving and you need to find alternative strategies to help them make rapid progress across subject areas. However, the priority of the senior leadership team and the ethos thereof is one that does not promote activities to promote the holistic development of this specific group. SLT members fail to act and acknowledge the gravity of the issue and so therefore there is no action taken to address this. There is a misalignment with recognition of the need to enhance progress with a specific group which would enhance whole school results, and a focus on other groups.
Implications for other factors:
a – staff do not develop, development of the teaching and progression of these skills with students limited. Limits on staff capacity to deal effectively with the digital world would lead to infringing on student opportunities to capitalise on this resource. School develops at a slower rate and staff just carry on as they have always done, remain in a time warp.
b – the issue perpetuates itself year on year, the specific group are seen by staff and students with low expectations and the expectation of not achieving much, becomes intrinsic in language used and actions taken with this specific group, colleagues do not place emphasis on this group as not deemed to be important or significant enough to make a ‘real’ difference.
Possible things to put in place:
- PD for an identified colleague who has the will and gravitas to make the process work.
- Support for driving the initiative whole school, could be a senior leader.
- Incorporation of this aspect as objective for whole school as part of the appraisal system.
- Include this aspect in the school improvement plan after SLT discussion
- Use a PD day to launch the focus on the specific group and clarify the rationale.
- Make it clear about the importance of this group
- Seek student and parent voice about what their vision is for their children
- Consult with heads of other schools.
- Focus on this as part of appraisal scheme, build into all analyses and objectives and include in SIP