A Year End Process for Staff Synthesis of Learning
Even if we have ongoing qualitative evidence of success we could be examining, it can often be hard to organize, captured across a variety of formats, and not systematically embedded in our data reflection and analysis practices. Silos can hold genius we’re missing. We also may still emphasize only the qualitative “successes” instead of also including the “lessons learned” as wins in and of themselves.
“Winning” in the Broadest Sense: Lessons for Leaders
An asset-based orientation - focusing on successes - fuels the team’s momentum and mindset rather than depleting it. To be clear, we are not trying to gaslight you into a toxically positive view of celebrating wins in schools. Seeing weaknesses in implementation and impact creates urgency for change, and seeing success creates the belief that we can. Educators need both.
More Respect, Less Stress, Better Solutions - When Listening to Teachers is a Way of Working in a School System
If educators are asked to haphazardly contribute ideas and insights apart from school improvement processes - say, only during a single PD workshop facilitated by a consultant! - it can feel disingenuous and be ineffective in shaping smart solutions. When harnessing the collective knowledge and creativity of the team is a central way of working, schools develop better solutions and also reduce teacher stress and improve teacher respect.