Duty to Report: What Independent Schools Can Learn from the Penn State Case

As I watch the unfolding of the horrific story of the alleged sexual abuse of children by a Penn State football coach, I am reminded of the need for educational institutions to be deliberate about its policy for reporting child abuse or neglect.

Educators have a special professional status that brings with it a higher standard of the Duty to Report, which includes a duty to report when there is a reasonable suspicion of abuse or neglect of a minor child. In some jurisdictions, it is also required of educators to report drug or alcohol use by minor children. School staff should know with whom they should discuss concerns that arise from a student’s report of physical abuse, neglect or other inappropriate behavior or their observation of such. A student displaying physical injuries such as bruises, reports of inappropriate contact of a sexual nature with adults or other forms of concerns should be taken seriously and appropriate procedures for sharing such information should be clearly discussed with faculty and staff to make certain that proper reporting obligations are satisfied.

This discussion is not intended to provide legal advice but rather encourage SAIS schools to act in a proactive manner by developing appropriate policies to address this Duty to Report and set up systems and procedures for addressing these issues prior to their occurrence. It is essential that schools have a policy for the handling of situations that require reporting to the appropriate authorities or agencies. In the development of the policy it is strongly recommended that the school’s legal counsel be consulted when writing the document to make certain that the school addresses its legal obligations and thereby limit the risk of confronting a legal claim for failure to comply with the law.

Independent schools historically have preferred to handle discipline issues as a school-only issue. Particularly in boarding schools, where the school operates in a more isolated environment or community, the concern is that bringing in outside law enforcement would make the situation a public matter and bring to the school unwanted publicity. However, virtually all states have passed statutes related to the reporting of physical or sexual abuse, neglect, and certain drug use incidents for minor children. Being aware of the reporting requirements is essential and the lack of reporting to the appropriate authorities, when required, can put a school at great legal risk as well as bring public scrutiny over the moral responsibility of school officials to protect children.

At a minimum, a school policy should be developed to address the Duty to Report and should be consistent with the federal, state, and local laws governing the institution. It should clearly outline the school’s and the individual’s specific obligations as well as provide guidance for all school faculty and staff on the reporting process. Many states place the “liability” on the party who was personally made aware of or witnessed the abuse or neglect; others consider reporting to the institution sufficient. The policy should include instructions for notification of appropriate administrative individuals or counselors and the steps that should be taken to ensure legal compliance. The process should also include a method that keeps the reporting staff informed regarding the resolution of the reporting process.

Professional educators have a higher standard of reporting than does most other citizens. Since teachers can potentially be legally liable if not reporting child abuse, it is appropriate that school administration keep informed any teacher initiating a report. Although in most states, a teacher fulfills their reporting responsibility by making the report to school administration, a policy should outline the method in which the report should be made, the administration’s responsibility to keep the reporter informed. A school may also wish to consider any follow up systems they want to put in place such as sending a note to the authority who received the complaint confirming the report as well as calling the agency to obtain an update on the investigation.

Only time will tell if university staff at Penn State is found legally responsible for breeching a duty to report; however, a lesson can be learned from this situation. As this case unfolds in the media and the courts, independent schools should take the cue to review their own reporting policies before a need arises. A clear and comprehensive policy, along with regular training of school staff on their Duty to Report, is definitely in order for all schools. The consequences for mishandling such an unfortunate situation is potentially catastrophic for an independent school and, as those in State College, PA are learning, the damage can affect the entire community.

2011 President’s Address

My President’s Address from the 2011 SAIS Annual Conference, October 23-24 in Atlanta.

Preparing Students for a Twenty-first Century World with a Global Perspective

Conference Address

First Nashan Dialogue: Sino-Foreign Excellent Principals Forum

Shenzhen, China

June 17, 2011

My American colleagues and I are thrilled and honored to be with you today to have dialogue among educators who are committed to helping students achieve a global perspective.

Our delegation is made up of administrators from independent schools located in the southeastern part of the United States, schools that are members of the Southern Association of Independent Schools.

The Southern Association of Independent Schools is the largest association of its type in the United States; serving over 350 outstanding American schools.  The partnerships that are being established today between SAIS schools and Chinese educators will only serve to strengthen the schools that are collaborating and the students that have the opportunity for a greater understanding of the world that they will be charged with leading.

This is my third consecutive year to visit your great nation of China.  I must say that during these past three years I have fallen in love with your culture.  For over 4,000 years China has been a great civilization and every time I visit I am reminded of this history and the greatness of its people.

Who does not marvel at the Great Wall, an architectural feat built, rebuilt and maintained over a period of 2100 years?  My first opportunity to visit the wall was last summer and I can tell you that the pictures from that visit are the most often shared photos that I have taken.  I have read of the Forbidden City and the Terra Cotta Warriors.  A visit to both sites, along with a ride on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, is on my “bucket list.” A bucket list is what we Americans identify as things we want to see or do before we die; or what is commonly referred to as “kick the bucket.”

As China has built the world’s largest network of high-speed rail lines and constructed the world’s largest hydroelectric dam (Three Gorges Dam) it has provided a model for other nations to emulate as we attempt to be more efficient while preserving our natural resources.

And of course I would be remiss if I did not point out that the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games were, by virtually any measure, the finest of all time.  I clearly remember the way that my family and I were mesmerized by the unforgettable opening ceremony.  As an avid fan of the Olympic Games, I am certain that there will be few, if any, future games that will match the skill and grace with which the Chinese people welcomed the world to share in their celebration.

All great civilizations have understood that the education of youth is the surest path to sustaining and furthering its greatness.  Without a doubt China has placed great value on education.  Throughout history, the inventive and creative genius of the Chinese people have given the world such important inventions as paper, gun powder, the compass, and block printing.  The words of Confucius still inform the education of Chinese youth some 2 ½ millennia after his life.  No doubt China has remained great largely because of the education of its youth.

Additionally, education has been a cornerstone of the American civilization.  Although a civilization only a fraction as old as China, there has never been a time in American history that children were not encouraged to learn to read and write.  The successes that America has been fortunate to achieve over the past 250 years, from the mass production of the automobile to space travel, have all been accomplished by hard working educated persons.  Today the American higher education system stands as a shining star of America’s continued commitment to educational excellence.

Both of our nations can look to the education of our youth as a reason that we are today leading nations on earth.  Both nations owe our past successes to an educated citizenry and both nations stake our future sustainability on our commitment to schools.

In 2011 two of the world’s most economically and intellectually powerful nations, The Peoples Republic of China and the United States of America, have an opportunity to work together to ensure that Chinese and American students join forces to provide solutions for a world that has many challenges.

A civilization or society has always counted on the education of the young to ensure its sustainability.  I suggest that in the same way, the future sustainability of our world is largely dependent on the education of our youth; an education that recognizes and respects cultural differences while ensuring that the collaboration between students not be restricted by national boundaries.

As Chinese and American students study together they will better understand solutions to scientific and social problems that mutually threatens our existence;  as Chinese and American students work together they will provide an energy capable of guiding the world into a positive and sustainable future;  as Chinese and American students live together they will better understand how the joys, fears, and motivations of the other has been arrived at through traveling different paths that are no less significant than their own.

The English word empathy identifies an attitude of understanding that attempts to view another person’s perspective; to see the world through another person’s eyes.  An empathic world view will allow one to accept cultural differences as an alternative way of viewing the world rather than from an ethnocentrism that views only one acceptable cultural norm.

I suggest that educational partnerships, such as we are discussing in this conference, allows students to understand and appreciate the different cultural values and different modes of solving problems.  The more that students engage in cross-cultural interactions, the greater the chance that they will be culturally empathetic as adults.

Cultural empathy in turn creates a condition of what the Czech psychologist Max Wertheimer referred to as “Gestalt” or as I understand that is referred to in Chinese as Tuan jie jiu shi li liang Unity is strength; the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.  It is my opinion that this is essential for our twenty-first century world.

Most would agree that student success is largely dependent on subject area knowledge; students must learn mathematical formulas and scientific process.  This is the content knowledge that will be meaningful as scientists identify cures for human disease or engineers build devices that are yet unimagined.  This subject area knowledge is essential.

However, in the Western world we believe that there is another aspect to the preparation of our youth.  American scholars and education leaders are engaged in an ongoing discussion of the “skills” that will be necessary for our students to realize success in the 21^st Century.  What these scholars and independent school leaders suggest is that the next layer of educating young people is assisting them in the development of the ‘skills’ necessary to apply their subject knowledge in meaningful ways.  They argue that it is when knowledge is applied with the proper skill set that optimum effect occurs.

Tony Wagner, from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, suggests there are seven skills that are necessary for students to survive in college, careers, and as citizens.  These seven skills were consistently identified in a study in which he interviewed over 600 CEOs asking them the question, “Which qualities will our graduates need in the 21^st Century for success in college, careers, and citizenship.”

I do not suggest that his methodology is indisputable nor do I suggest that these ‘student qualities’ are all applicable and transferable across cultures.  What I do suggest, however, is that it is important for us to consider the ‘skills’ that will be necessary for our youth to be successful in sustaining our future.   I also suggest that it is important that our education processes incorporate skill development into the curriculum so that the subject knowledge and skill development grow together in a synergistic way.

The necessary skills for 21^st Century success identified by Wagner’s research are:

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving;
• Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by Influence;
• Agility and Adaptability;
• Initiative and Entrepreneurship;
• Effective Oral and Written Communication;
• Accessing and Analyzing Information;
• Curiosity and Imagination.

Others have also contributed research to the topic of 21^st Century skills, not the least of which is Daniel Goleman in his work on Emotional and Social Intelligence.  Goleman, yet another Harvard scholar, has explored the theoretical construct of Emotional Intelligence as a furthering of the theories of multiple intelligences and the notion that there is more than one area in which a person needs to achieve proficiency.  In running the risk of providing an overly simplistic explanation of Emotional Intelligence, let me say that it is best understood by the degree to which one can negotiate their environment and those who co-exist within their environment.

Another Harvard professor, Howard Gardner, poses an additional perspective in his book Five Minds of the Future.  Gardner’s research is also a part of the multiple intelligence construct from which many of our futuristic thinkers work.  Gardner postulates the notion that there are five minds that must be cultivated for success in the twenty-first century.  His list includes:

• The disciplined mind
• The synthesizing mind
• The creating mind
• The respectful mind
• The ethical mind

Gardner believes that the cultivation of the five minds is, not only essential, but possible in our education system; a belief that I believe we educators must consider when developing our curriculum and school programs.

We believe that when students are allowed to develop appropriate skills and cultivate appropriate minds, as they acquire subject knowledge, it will prepare them better to solve problems and negotiate the future that lies before them.

Not only should our schools focus on this skill development in students, I believe that the development of these important skills is enhanced when students communicate and collaborate across geographic boundaries.  A new perspective is gained when students apply their knowledge and skills across cultures.  This important process should result in a better understanding of issues from a global perspective; an understanding that is essential to a 21^st century world.

Technological advances have provided teachers and students tools that assist our education process.  In 2011 it is more possible than ever to network, collaborate, share knowledge, and retrieve information.  I believe that technology is only a tool to be used in assisting the educational process.  However, in spite of being only a tool, it does make the world appear smaller.

Today, school children in Atlanta Georgia can work more closely with students in Shenzhen China than could school children in neighboring villages a mere 50 years past.  With this in mind and with the ability to interact in ‘real time’ across the globe, I hope all that are here can agree with me that an education process in the 21st century can be so much more effective with a global perspective.

In closing let me suggest that history is a marvelous teacher yet a burdensome master.  As educators we can learn from our past successes and failures, so that we might maintain that which is valuable and discard that which is not.  However, we should not allow the way we have conducted school in the past to burden our efforts as we pursue a twenty-first century model of education.  No longer can education of students be narrowly focused on math, science, and language.  We must develop in our students the skills necessary to succeed in the future and the ability to apply those skills with a global perspective.

This dialogue today is a beginning of an important effort; the work of the Foundations such as the Ameson Foundation is central to this effort; the willingness of my Chinese and American colleagues in this room is a testament to the effort.

I am deeply honored to be with all of you distinguished educational leaders.  For the work you do in preparing our youth, I commend and thank you.  You are involved in the most noble enterprise on earth; the future of our world is counting on your success.

Asking The Right Questions: Tips On Collecting Constituent Data

As I complete the twenty-first Financial Sustainability for Independent Schools Forum, I am reflecting on some of the most common dilemmas faced as school professionals attempt to sustain schools for the future. A major component of long-term sustainability is that of really understanding the opinions of a school’s constituents. Our understanding of our constituents is only as good as the questions we ask them, though. When asking for the opinions of the groups we serve, it’s important to construct a reliable survey that provides valid data for the purpose sustaining the school.

One of the more challenging issues for independent schools is capturing reliable and valid data to help construct what we call the “value narrative.” The value narrative is the story that communicates the school’s value to current and prospective families and is essential to ensure that a school is able to sustain enrollments, which ultimately allows for the long-term sustainability for the school. Although most schools attempt to collect constituent opinion data, the process of ensuring that the data is meaningful is not always a simple process.

As the development or selection of a survey is undertaken, it might be helpful to review a lesson from a graduate research course. The concepts of reliability and validity are very important if we expect to obtain meaningful data. The first reminder is that it is possible to have a reliable survey without it being a valid survey; however, it is impossible to have a valid survey that is not reliable.  The highest level of validity is set by its reliability.  Never can validity of an item or survey exceed that of its reliability.

Reliability addresses the notion of whether or not a measurement instrument (survey) is measuring consistently. Does a survey item consistently measure, in question form, the construct intended to be addressed by the survey developer? The issue of validity, on the other hand is whether a measurement is appropriate for the use for which it is intended. For example, a perfectly reliable measure of assessing peoples’ attitudes toward global warming would not be a valid instrument to make decisions regarding teacher compensation. The instrument must be reliable and then must be used in a valid manner if it is to be useful for decision making or planning. A survey can be a reliable instrument but the next question is whether the data obtained is useful for decision making.

Constituent opinion data is most often collected by schools through surveys of students, parents, faculty, and alumni. Although surveys are convenient and somewhat easy to administer, care should be given to make certain that the data collected is useful. Too often, questions are constructed assuming that everyone will interpret the question as asking exactly the same concept—a crucial mistake in collecting reliable data.

For example, a survey may ask the question “Is XYZ School a safe environment?” In this question, can we assume that everyone answering the question interprets “safe” in exactly the same way? It’s highly unlikely that this is will be the case. The concept of safety can involve many different forms, such as physical safety from outside predators, physical safety from the school facilities, physical safety from other students, emotional safety from other student bullying, or even spiritual safety. It is unlikely that one question asking if the school is safe will elicit a consistent meaning from those responding.

A simple, yet helpful technique to assess whether or not respondents are interpreting the survey question the same way, is to conduct a simple “face validity” exercise. The survey developer should individually interview at least 10 different people, similar to those who will be surveyed, and ask them to explain what each question appears to be asking. If the responses are consistent across all of those interviewed, as well as with the survey developers intent, it is likely that the item has “face validity” and it appears that the question is actually understood to be asking what is intended to be asked. On the other hand, if those interviewed give inconsistent interpretations of the question or they are inconsistent with the developer’s intention, the question should be scrapped or reworked.

Another common mistake in survey item development is asking a compound question. This occurs when a survey presents a question that touches on multiple issues or concepts but allows only for a single answer. For example, a question that states, “Do teachers express a caring and helpful attitude?” is asking two different questions. Do teachers express a caring attitude is one question and do teachers express a helpful attitude is another question. Although not always a perfect indicator, one clue that multiple questions may be contained in an item is the presence of the conjunction and, or a comma separating thoughts. For a question to be reliable, it must only address one issue or assess one attitude. If a question contains multiple concepts, it is impossible to interpret the data accurately because it will not be clear to which portion of the question they responded or how the respondent aggregated the overall concept.

The two previous issues affect the reliability of a survey. If the respondents do not interpret the concepts of the survey questions consistently or if the items are compound questions, the data generated will prove to be useless. Any actual correlation with respondent’s attitudes will be a mere coincidence.

The second portion of the data collection equation is ensuring that the data collected is valid for the purpose which it is intended to address. One of the more common debates of validity is made regarding standardized test scores as a predictor of college success. There is little debate that the SAT is a highly reliable instrument that indeed measures what it intends to measure. It is a completely different issue, however, of whether or not the SAT scores are valid for predicting college success. Based on multiple studies, as well as my personal research on this matter, I would suggest that SAT scores do account for a small portion of the variance in predicting college success. However, the variance accounted for tends to be quite small and raises the question of validity; are the results of the SAT appropriately used as a predictor of college success?

For constituent surveys constructed by independent schools, the researcher or surveyor should make sure that the questions being asked are appropriate for informing the school’s plan and decision process. We must ask the right questions if we expect to get data that will inform our programs. A survey item that solicits a constituent’s opinion on an issue for which they are not informed is not valid. You might ask your constituents to reflect on an overall impression of teacher attitude, however, you would never expect to receive valid input from the broader constituent group on teacher quality.

Constituent surveys serve an important purpose in independent schools, and as such, it’s imperative that they be constructed and administered appropriately. Constituent surveys will assist in gaining some important perspective, yet they will only provide data as useful as the survey design is strong.

The Sacred Enterprise of School

Schools are the most sacred and important enterprise on earth.  The consequences for both the failure and success of schools are felt throughout society, both presently and long-term.  No other enterprise has such high stakes.  The business of school is far bigger, more important, and inherently profound compared to all other business.  For these reasons, no other enterprise can provide a model for the successful operation of schools.

In recent years, educational leaders have addressed the topic of ‘twenty-first century schools’ and how schools can be better prepared for the future.  Many argue that school leaders should apply principles of success from other areas and that the use of business models (i.e. Microsoft, Google) is perfectly appropriate.  In the process of proposing solutions for schools, many have offered models of successful organizations that only remotely relate to the business of school.  Indeed schools engage in fiscal practices that require balancing a budget and, for independent schools, many marketing parallels also exist.  These similarities aside, the nature and import of every other business fails to equal the unique and distinct nature and societal importance of schools; therefore, schools should not be compared to or expect to learn significantly from any other business.  Thus, to use mostly irrelevant models of success as guides is to reduce the sacred nature of school.

Every generation has activity that should be applauded for its astounding success.  Today one of the 21st century standouts is Google.  In the 20^th century, the progressive and insightful leader was Ford Motor Company.  In the 19^th century, perhaps it was the General Store in every little town.  The one consistent enterprise during this, and previous times, is the business of school.  Yes, schools must apply success principles as they educate students and prepare them for the life that they will encounter.  However, given the complexity and uniqueness of schools they can rarely benefit from applying to their operations the successful business model of the era.  Schools have little to learn from General Electric.  Schools more appropriately learn from other schools that have mastered the business of school.

There are two primary dangers of the “deification” of current business superstars and the attempts to show application to schools.  First, the potential irrelevant or counterproductive application of business concepts and models could actually cause harm to the school.  If schools focus on short-term and simplistic metrics, as those used to determine success in business models, it would drastically oversimplify the business of school.  We must never measure school success only by a handful of quantifiable criteria and our primary governing focus must be long-term.

Secondly, representing businesses as ideal models for schools reinforces the attitude that educators are not as intelligent or ingenious as those who operate in the business world.  The application of irrelevant and different focused models to the business of school will no doubt confuse, de-motivate, and stymie the creativity of outstanding educators who are very capable of sustaining schools throughout the 21^st century.  If the profession of teaching is to be elevated in societal stature, we should be looking to outstanding school programs rather than a steady stream of business models to emulate.  We should look to the creative genius of educators to develop strategies and apply success principles to schools to ensure optimal success.  We should look to educators to develop criteria for defining success in schools.  If deification must occur, let us do so of outstanding teachers and schools.

The principles applied for success in any endeavor are as old as the human race.  Although a shift may occur across time in the relative importance of these principles, and how they are applied, they remain quite consistent.  Whether it is a Neanderthal hunting party or a NASA team exploring space, the probability of successful operations can be accomplished by the applications of certain principles.  Examples of success principles valuable throughout history include:

• Having a clearly defined objective
• Understanding and adapting to the environment
• Having knowledge of and appropriately applying tools available to accomplish the objective
• Creatively evolving and adapting as the conditions change or are unresponsive
• Achieving motivation of the group
• Capturing the Gestalt power of the group

 

Companies that apply success principles have an opportunity to succeed.  Schools that apply success principles also will be positioned to succeed.  Absolutely, school leaders should be aware of success principles utilized by different organizations in different times in history.  The problem arises when the application of these principles in schools are done so with reverence and copyright attribution (i.e. Google’s Principles of Innovation) to companies that are historical “flashes in the pan” relative to the history of schools.

Most businesses have a very simple metric for success — value per share, profit, and numbers of consumers — all of which are quantifiable.  There is no easily quantifiable measure of school success.  Educators have difficulty defining success in a way that satisfies those from without.  School success tends to be more obscure and long-term and even when we know how to define it, we often fall short of being able to quantify our successes.  

Additionally, one of the problems with quantifying school success is the delay in seeing results.  If teachers and schools are successful, many of the results are only evident years after the student leaves school.  The complexity of school will never accommodate a business model where evaluations of success are immediate (or nearly so) and highly quantifiable.

The sacred enterprise of school will have greater impact and significantly outlast any other enterprise in our society.  Stakes are much higher for schools than for businesses.  Google builds tools for use by society.  If Google fails, so what?  Schools build societies.  If schools fail, then what?  It is a terrible mistake to exalt the genius of entrepreneurs, who approach their business based on a much simpler metric of profit, as models for schools of the future.  Doing so minimizes educators who necessarily approach their sacred profession with more noble intentions.

Starting with Why

It is common for the independent school head to speak of WHAT the school is and HOW the school accomplishes this WHAT.  We speak of the profile of our school’s graduate and all of the WHATs he or she develops in our care.  Additionally, independent school marketing materials are replete with pictures and anecdotes touting WHAT are the exceptional qualities of the school and WHAT the students will gain through their experience at our school.  Occasionally the marketing materials will reflect HOW the school accomplishes the WHAT.  We speak of WHAT students learn by WHEN.  We speak of WHAT we expect of students in our stead and WHAT parents can do to support their journey.  We speak of faculty to student ratios, small class sizes, and the percentage of faculty with post-graduate degrees. All WHATs.  We occasionally speak of the HOWs of our pedagogy or the HOWs of our learning environments.  Using just WHATs and some HOWs, we speak of the components of our schools, as if we are giving the recipe, the list of ingredients and instructions for a good education. What seems to be missing in conversations and materials of independent schools is emphasis on the WHY.

Simon Sinek argues in his 2009 book, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, that it is more important to start with WHY we do what we do than it is to begin with WHAT we do.  Not a book about education, Sinek’s book offers good insights for independent school leaders and those promoting the school’s mission.

Inspired by the Golden Circle in mathematics, Sinek says inspiring, which he suggests is the leader’s primary role, starts with understanding deeply and articulating passionately the WHY in everything we do.

Rather than the normal progression of explaining WHAT we do, HOW we do it, then WHY we do it (an outside in approach), Sinek suggests a model of working from the inside out.  Start with the WHY followed by the HOW and then the WHAT.  The WHY is the activating belief, basic assumptions, purpose, clear mission, vision.  The WHY is why you bother. WHY you do the WHAT.  The HOW is the differentiated value proposition, the proprietary process:   HOW you do the WHAT.  The WHAT is the tangibles, the outcomes, experiences, and services you offer.

The WHY is a school’s mission; the WHY is a school’s beliefs.  Instead of a focus on WHAT our programs look like and HOW we implement them, the WHY speaks to the reason a school exists, WHY we are dedicated to making all of the WHATs and HOWs add up to fulfilling, in an excellent and exceptional way, the WHY.

The WHY of independent schools is that we exist because we believe that the education process is best designed and delivered when unencumbered by the bureaucratic regulations of publicly funded schools.  Our WHY we exist includes our belief that an academic curriculum must incorporate ethical and moral development.  Our WHY we exist includes our belief that no child should ‘fall through the cracks’ and all children should be known and loved.  The WHY of faith based independent schools includes the strongly held belief that the education and development of children should encompass spiritual education.  The WHY of international independent schools includes a strongly held belief that students should be exposed to a comprehensive global understanding and experiences.

Building on Sinek’s argument that we should start with WHY, school communications, messaging, and interactions of all kinds should articulate clearly the WHY.  People buy the WHY, not the WHAT.  If the focus remains on the WHAT, families are less able to understand the value of our school for their family.  Families will have to compare our school to other schools based purely on WHAT the school does because we have not provided them the WHY as a differentiator.  Independent schools provide greater differentiation from alternative school options using WHY.  When we start with WHY, believers are created and loyalty is engendered.

For school leaders, starting with WHY inspires those we lead.  It allows us to make better hiring decisions when we are able to attract faculty and staff who believe in the WHY of the school.  It allows us to differentiate our school for those from whom we solicit donations.  We must inform our community of the HOW and the WHAT, however, starting with WHY brings stakeholders into clearer focus on the mission at hand, creating a passionate partnership built upon the mutually embraced WHY.

Admissions, marketing materials, and face-to face interactions should all begin with WHY.  Starting with WHY enhances our efforts to effectively identify appropriate fits for new students and their families, creating greater loyalty from matriculating families than would be the case from a WHAT decision.

According to Sinek, “It all starts with clarity.  You have to know WHY you do WHAT you do.  People do not buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it.  So it follows that if you don’t know WHY you do WHAT you do, how will anyone else?”

What will it take for our WHY to become commonplace and in the forefront of all of our interactions, marketing materials, public conversations, speeches, faculty discussions, and classroom correspondence?  It will take some individual and collective shifts in our habitual ways of thinking and talking about our school.  But the effect, I believe, of starting more commonly with WHY will be that our WHY will spread from our campuses to the carpool lines, coffee groups, playground conversations, and dinner party discussions.  Our WHY will trump the very usual WHAT messages of other schools, and families and students will be more attracted to us because they also believe in our WHY.  Knowing our WHY, families and students can not only buy, but they can buy in as full, loyal, trusting partners because we deliberately choose to start with WHY.

Simon Sinek – TED Talk

Riding the Wave of Change

Riding the crest of the “schools of the future” wave may be dangerous for many independent schools. The crest of the wave is its highest peak and its longevity is unstable, as a wave crests just before it breaks, picking up both speed, momentum, and certainty towards shore. That the future is coming is inaccurate. “The future is already here;” as William Gibson, science fiction author, writes, “It is just not very unevenly distributed.” The “schools of the future” wave will break and reach us all, and as is often the case, those just behind the wave will be spared the frustration, anxiety, and failures of being on the “cutting edge.” The wave’s edge is a place for those who know the risks and are adroit in managing them. We shall be glad for them, as their experience can inform ours.

While educators must remain current in their field, contemplative, and plan adeptly for the changes occurring in the world and in the field of education, school leaders should not stress about their 21st century future. Too often school leaders are anxious that they may not have the latest and greatest technology or instructional methods. Excess energy and resources should not be squandered trying to be the “first to adopt” every idea presented by those who spend their time thinking futuristically. In fact, it may not be wise for schools to react to changes by immediately adopting the latest teaching techniques and technology. Schools must move into the future in a very strategic and thoughtful manner, focused on data not just hype, and not fearing the stigma of “being behind.” The learning from the successes and failures of those that do adopt early, those riding the edge, should fuel our thoughts and strategic discussions, not pressure school administrators into premature changes.

Independent schools are amazingly adaptive and are able to respond quickly when time warrants. Educators must be ready to change and adapt when sufficient research confirms the need for change and when resources are budgeted to get everyone onboard. Although your boat will have people both aft and fore, it is important that the institution’s commitment is unwavering before setting sail.

Few of us need more evidence that, indeed, the world has become flat, the global nature of education requires a new way of thinking, and technology is a part of our student’s DNA.  Careful consideration and strategic leadership must guide adaptation for schools as they prepare students for the future. Our schools must address the realities of the future, and they must do so intentionally and with clear purpose. The waves will ebb and flow, but the winds of change are strong and constant, creating tensions and stress. Our charge, as school leaders, is to not be clucked (surfer term for being afraid of waves) and to strategically find our path to dive in with purpose, confidence, and vision.