I don’t want to change the world…just one little school.
Here’s the scenario. You have a fifth grader and a first grader. You live in a small town. One K-6 elementary school. Two principals. One superintendent. One board of education. You want to change the way things are going in the school, not just one class. Things such as the amount of homework, integrating technology and more progressive methods of teaching. You can’t have a five year plan. By that time you youngest will be out of school. You are doing this as a parent, not a teacher.
Do you aim your energy at the kid’s teacher each year, the principal, the superintendent, or the board of education?
Do I even bother with the elementary school or aim higher–middle school, or high school?
I think next year might be the year I get off my butt and actually open my mouth and I am trying to figure out where to start.
13 responses so far ↓
It is so difficult to change an established system . I have been trying for the past 8 years in over 1000 schools and have come to the conclusion that the level at which you pitch your effort is not always the critical factor. The best results I had was when I identifie a person (or if I was fortunate more than one) who was receptive the the changes that I proposed (in my case it is always the adoption and integration of ICT into the curriculum delivery process). You need a champion from within … change cannot be enforced from the outside. So if you have an ally … in some cases one is fortunate that it is the principal; but sometimes a teacher or two can play the same role; at other times a governing board member may be the champion; in the very rare occasion it may be an official in the education bureaucracy.
My suggestion would be to identify the person that would best support your area of change … lobby, try to let the ripple spread from there. Get all your facts/evidicence that the change you are proposing is the the benefit of the school ready, and present these on every possible occasion.
If there is not one person to support you, you have little chance of success.
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I would say work with both the elementary school (the teacher) and the board (for the middle school). I can’t imagine having that much administration for a k-5 school. That is unheard of around here. If you work with the teacher you have a shot at helping your youngest. You’ll have to do that for the next few years, but the teachers will help. For your eldest, try the Board first. I am sure there is much to be done there as well.
Good luck. Let us know how things go.
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You ask some great questions. I have a 13 year old and a 10 year old. My son attends the school where I did my student teaching 5 years ago. A great school, but could definitely be better. I struggle with being the “squeaky wheel,” because I am a strong advocate for my kids. Which is precisely why I don’t teach in the district where I live. It would be difficult to be a parent and an employee. Think in terms of changing things for your kids, not long term changes; they can be overwhelming. Hopefully as things change teacher by teacher, the culture will change as well.
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I don’t think there is one answer to this very difficult question. It will depend on many factors; and you may need to try several strategies. Coming in as someone who would like to help improve the classroom/school/district, not pointing fingers or accusing bad practice, will be important.
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I think having a longer term plan will help not only your children as they move through the system, but the other children as well. I wouldn’t start with the teacher – I’d start the discussion with a few Board members and go from there.
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Change in a small place may be easier than a large district. Are you kids teachers open to assistance from you? To have an immediate impact upon your kids, you need to start with the teachers involved. Offer some free after school program to help teachers who are interested in learning. That of course would need to be approved by the building principal. Offer with kindness, not a condemnation of the school and the tech plan. Get on any committee that the district offers to improve learning, curriculum or long range planning. That would help with their upper grade learning. Offer yourself as an advocate, not as an adversary. Be creative with a small project like voiceThread or similar type of activity and offer to help the teacher manage how to do it. Each school board approaches these things differently – you knows yours the best. Show up at meetings and scope it out before speaking up.
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Great questions and comments. If I were in your place,I think I’d work on the principals of each school. They can have the greatest say on what goes on day to day. The teachers may resent it coming froma parent, and less so if it comes from their boss. But depends on the teacher.
To go to the Board may take too much time to trickle down,and too much red tape to get meaningful change.
Of course, avoid anything personal at all costs, but I gather from the way you write that you are sensitive tho that already.
Good luck. This can’t be an easy row to hoe.
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My first instinct was to start with the principal. However, as I’ve thought about this I’ve come to the conclusion that where to start will really depend on the personalities involved. That’s not helpful, sorry.
I know you are frustrated by this situation, and rightly so. I would say though, that change of any significance is typically slow. It’s difficult to change entrenched institutional practices. Good luck!
Don’t forget that everything you and your wife are doing for your children is of more import and value than what they get in school (I know that’s shocking from a teacher!).
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@ Paul
How about starting your own school? It’s a different approach but given how many people are fed up with what goes on in traditional schools and your talents as an educator I bet you could make it work.
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That is so cool how you want to try to fix the school. I know that feeling were you really want to say something that might change the world or ever school but you just can’t, either your scared or you just don’t know how to word it.
GOOD LUCK MR. B!!!!!!!
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I live in the small town next to your small town. My father-in-law lives in your town. So, I’ve got some sense of where you’re coming from.
My gut feeling, based on my own experience next door is to start with the Board of Education. Go to the meetings. The Superintendent should be there, and fairly often the principals are likely to be there.
After the meeting, go up and chat with the chair of the Board of Ed and the Superintendent. I’ve found that parents who show up at board meetings are rare and board members and members of the administration listen to them.
If you really want to get their attention, start blogging about the BoE meeting. No one ever seems to write about BoE meetings.
Send an email to the Superintendent and the Chair of the BoE pointing them to your blog and asking for comments.
I seem to remember a teacher once writing about how students change when their work is posted online. It works pretty well with Superintendents and board members as well, and it can be a very good way of practicing what you preach.
Aldon
(On a quest to get parents blogging board meetings around the State of Connecticut and beyond)
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you may not of changed this school yet but you have changed kids life….especially mine.
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i think that you should aim higher because if you just start doing this then it will take a long time before they start doing whatever you want to do. so in instead of doing it to elementary school do it to the school that the y are going to like a middle school so when they get there its going to be ready and if it takes you a little time to convince the school then you will have the time until your children get there .=]
-herky-
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