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Communities of Practice: Leveraging Strengths Via E-Circles. 26 Sept 2014.
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Communities of Practice:Leveraging StrengthsVia E-Circles 26 Sept 2014
Awareness of one’s own intuitive thinking usually grows out of the practice in articulating it to others…Donald Alan Schon - researcherinfluential thinker in developing the theory and practice of reflective professional learning
Summary of events leading to this model • Jan 2014 – Faculty Council PD on re-visioning the leadership framework at LSL. Inspiring Education Council (Ed Council) is born. • Feb – March 2014 – PLCs and level meetings focus on the ‘what’ of Ministerial Order. DSLC reading inspires formalizing of E-circle layout and dynamics. • April – May Staff PD sessions examine the E-circle model as a potential new model. Case scenarios used to highlight potential of the model. Green light to move forward. • May-June – Community partners (PAC) briefed on plan to ‘roll out’ new model in 2014-15. • Aug 28-29 Staff process work and real application to two topics: Staff Commitments and School Supervision Schedule • Sept 25 / 26 LSL to present how model is working thus far.
What do we already know? • Traditional business model is hierarchical • Communication is geared top down • Decisions often made in isolation • No feeling of ownership • Often a ‘we’ and ‘they’ culture • Sit and get style meetings not always productive • Very little synergy is generated • Creativity often stifled
Community of Practice (COP) Grades 7-12 Whole School Opportunity for growth
Community of Practice Creates Synergy
Inspiring Education “An organization rich with many interpretations develops a wiser sense of what is going on and what needs to be done. Such organizations become more intelligent.” Margaret Wheatley
How do we get there? What needs to be done?
Inspiring Education Engaged Thinker knows how to think critically and creatively and make discoveries through inquiry, reflection, exploration, experimentation and trial and error… Ethical Citizen understands that it is not all about them, has learned about and is appreciative of the effort and sacrifice that built this province and country and sees beyond self-interests to the needs of the community… Entrepreneurial Spirit is motivated, resourceful, self-reliant and tenacious; continuously sets goals and works with perseverance and discipline to achieve them; through hard work, earns achievements and the respect of others; strives for excellence and personal, family and community success…
Moving Forward… “Education Council” has evolved into an action oriented system which proactively seeks means to expand, enhance and energize the educational experience for all partners and stakeholders of our learning community.
Moving Forward… All staff are situated in one of three E-Circles and have authentic ownership in local decision making processes.
Each E-circle will examine, understand and communicate the function and role of their respective aspect of Inspiring Education with the whole community. Yes we can!
Means to embrace the “E-circle” will be articulated from a whole-school perspective and seek to leverage ways to move the whole school forward. It may mean that certain circles take on specific or specialized projects.
E-circles will examine an issue / challenge from the perspective of Inspiring Education and other lived practice / wisdom. • E-circles will ‘cross-pollinate’ in Venn overlap areas which we call “Action Platforms” • E-circles make recommendations, suggest courses of action, put plans into effect and provide energy into making things happen!
Action Platform Action Platform Action Platform
Inspiring Education The viability and resiliency of a self-organizing system comes from its great capacity to adapt as needed, to create structures that fit the moment…It is not locked into any one structure; it is capable of organizing into whatever form it determines best suits the present situation. Margaret Wheatley
Inspiring Education We need to imagine ourselves as beacon towers of information, standing tall in the integrity of what we say, pulsing out congruent messages everywhere. We need all of us there, stating, clarifying, reflecting, modeling, filling all of space with the messages we care about. If we do that, a powerful field develops – and with it, the wondrous capacity to organize into coherent, capable form. Margaret Wheatley
Staff Feedback “Today's meeting re: E - circle (commitment/supervision schedule) provoked excellent conversation amongst the teachers and initiated empowering the teachers to own problems and issues we are facing. I found the meeting the most productive meeting in recent years.” (SH Math)
Staff Feedback “It was nice to see the whole staff working to solve a problem. I think it will benefit the “whole” school philosophy that we want everyone to have.” (JH Science)
Desired Outcome We will create synergy through meaningful collaboration and communication
Desired Outcome We will create opportunities to build leadership capacity and increase distributive leadership across the whole community.
Desired Outcome We will better engage students, parents, community partners in E-circle process work and deliberations.
Desired Outcome We will work smarter, not harder!
Working Toward Mastery Achieve Mastery Get Experienced Application of E-Circle model Get Familiar This is a work in progress Time Spent
