Throughout the course of the week  the central theme coming through for me is the vital importance of creating a sense of belonging, of valuing everyone and of being truly inclusive in our education systems. Yesterday Jeff Howard talked about the vicious circle of underdevelopment in American education where children are often viewed as having a ‘fixed’ intelligence and where educators and parents have low expectations of certain groups ability to achieve. He stated it is important to develop all in our schools because “developed people are free to find meaning to find quality lives and to leave a legacy of wisdom and humanity”. To him this quite simply means we must create proficient pupils and develop a strong character in all. If people have a strong character we realise that our behaviour matters, we understand the principle of proper conduct and we choose to apply these in our lives at all times, not just when we are being watched. To do this we must work with families and communities and understand that as members of society we have our part to play in teaching young people to behave and learn instead of thinking we can’t do anything about it. We are all responsible and can’t just blame society.

This message and the themes running through this summer school were brought sharply into focus for me last night when we visited the Holocaust memorial in Boston. The memorial consists of 6 number of high towers etched with millions of numbers representing the numbers tattooed on those killed in concentration camps. This was a very powerful, deeply moving experience for me. I had such overwhelming feeling of disbelief that man could do this to man, and equally disturbing is the thought that inhumanities are still occurring all over the world.

It was an extremely humbling experience and for me really drove home the message that if we do not actively foster a sense of belonging, of valuing people and of being truly inclusive we could create the circumstances which allow atrocities like the holocaust to take place and destroy the lives of individuals and whole sections of society.

 ‘Hurt people hurt people’ – Jeff Howard 

For me my challenge is to ensure that I do what I can do to stop this happening and to ensure that generations of children in our schools do not lose out. And that they receive the appropriate education which enables them to actively and constructively participate in our society.

We all do things we don’t really want to do but if you know where you are going and have others supporting you, you can get there!

It’s often said that the UK and the USA are separated by common language.

And so it was today when someone said to me I see your wearing a “fanny pack”!!!!!

I relaxed a bit when I realised that she was referring to by “bum bag” – which for the Americans, would be a bag for tramps!

It has also become more obvious to all of us that our accents are sometimes impenetrable for our American cousins - not least in respect of Jennifer with her strong Shetland dialect - which the Americans obviously love - even if they can’t understand what she’s saying.

Lee Teitel

“The biggest challenge facing schools leaders is the burden of presumed competence” Roland Barth

“People do not resist change they resist the losses associated with change”

“Why are we doing what we are doing?” “sharpening the saw” – saw is blunted by continual use - coming to Harvard or attending good CPD sharpens that saw again.

Technical challenges – things we know how to do already – band aid approach – not necessarily easy but the necessary skill set is available – What is the problem you are trying to solve?

Adaptive challenge – trying to develop new solutions – involve conflict, choices or values – the characteristics of an adaptive solution would be that they create conflict losses choices or values – the problems keep coming back if you throw technical challenges at them. ( I teach chemistry not kids – this is a major adaptive change for the teacher)

If you try to change classroom practice by presenting teachers with attainment data that is technical change – temporary ‘band aid’ approach.

Need to talk more to find common solutions.

Is it always relevant to acknowledge our confusion?

Judgement needs to come into play

Confessing you don’t know can enhance your stature

It’s important to know what you don’t know

How are we developing our school leaders

People interpret the expression of confusion differently from men and women - women have to be right first time!

Need to find new solutions to old problems

What networks that support my practice as a leader?

What does it mean to be in a network that shares practice?

Good leadership is to important to leave to chance – bringing to scale high quality learning and teaching

Characteristics of school leadership practice networks:

• Belief that there is a leadership practice – perhaps not just one

• Have structured times and norms of honest and critical feedback

• Theory and practice are intertwined

• Use of protocols and norms to change default cultures

(Click the image for a full-size version.)

Here’s the team at Glasgow Airport sporting our Team Scotland baseballcaps.

Is America ready?

From the left: Dennise Sommerville, Jennifer Wadley, Arlene Wilson, Fiona McPhail, Eileen Brown, Don Ledingham

We are here at Cosla discussing our forthcoming visit.

Great to meet you all on Thursday. Looking forward to May. Thanks Don for setting up the blog - great idea. Meanwhile has anyone found out more about this timed out application?

Thanks

Arlene

From the 12th - 20th July 2007 six educational leaders will participate in the Harvard University Graduate School.  The program (US spelling) is entitled Leadership: an Evolving Vision. The Scottish Executive are funding the placements and we hope to record our experiences on this Learning Log.