Abstract:

TLN DIALOGUE:  A NEW MENTAL MODEL OF SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL "Our old mental model -- the common school as the cultural unifier, the first step up to a better life for anyone willing to work hard -- is probably dead," says Nancy in this important TLN conversation. "I love that model, and don't want to give it up, but I think it's been replaced by an image of the failing school, with its marginally qualified staff, uncaring parents, outdated instructional techniques and low test scores." What educators must convey to policymakers and the public is "a new mental model of the successful school, the professional teacher, the well-educated child -- one that everyone can embrace." Cathy adds that teacher leaders who question current school reform policies must offer functional alternatives. "Too often we are seen as 'whiners and complainers' who...are comfortable and too lazy to rise to the challenges and high standards policymakers set for us. Until we prove that we do not mind high standards and challenges, but want ones that we, as experienced professionals, know will benefit our students, I do not think we will be taken seriously as decisionmakers."

Teacher Leaders Network. (2005). Teacher leaders network conversatons: We need a new mental model of the successful school. Retrieved from the Teacher Leaders Network 15 Apr 2008. Link: http://www.teacherleaders.org/old_site/Conversations/mentalmodels.html 

Full Text:

We Need a New Mental Model
of the Successful School

Reflecting on new roles for teachers as public advocates for effective teaching and learning practices, Marsha wrote:

"My perspective is that the political arena is our new frontier. I believe we'd be best served to think of [school reform] more as a giant science experiment where we formulate strategies for figuring out what we think and believe is best for kids, learn how to best explain that, figure out who the target audience of influence should be and then try to impact that audience."

Susan G. replied that "Marsha is so on target here. And if we use her science experiment mentality it helps us move away from 'thoughts' and other value statements that get in the way of our ability to work through problems."

Marsha also commented that "When you push people too soon, they just stop trying to change. Change is hard and if you try and move people too fast, they'll shut down and all is lost. Being patient is hard work but ever so important. "

Susan G. replied: "And I think patience is particularly difficult for teachers because while we can intellectually accept that change takes time, on a personal level we see children who need change NOW! Balancing long term change with the urgency of helping the kids in our classroom today is where we have to develop real fortitude. The heart will have to compromise with the mind if we are going to have a real voice."

Marsha commented: "I wouldn't advocate extremes of anything unless you're absolutely given no other choice. You may have to lose a skirmish in order to win a battle. Would seeing these next few years in this light be useful to any of the rest of you? Yes I do see the daily interactions being very messy, difficult, frustrating and sad. But I don't think they have to stay that way forever."

Susan G. added: "And if we hide behind being too noble to deal with the dirty messy underside, we, in effect, walk away and say, 'If I have to compromise what I see as right for me and my students today, then I refuse to engage.' And if we refuse to engage in the messy business of compromise and long term change, then we need to acknowledge that how we feel about it matters more than what we do about it."

Susan G. continued: "Marsha has emphasized the importance of being pragmatists and realists as well as idealists and theorists, and that is what we have to be if we are ever going to get a spot at the [policymaking] table. As long as we limit ourselves to telling compelling stories without offering functional alternatives, we will be manipulated as window dressing and figureheads, but not decisionmakers.

Then Cathy wrote: "One of the most important things here is to offer functional alternatives. Too often we are seen as 'whiners and complainers' who like the status quo because we are comfortable and too lazy to rise to the challenges and high standards policymakers set for us. Until we prove that we do not mind high standards and challenges, but want ones that we, as experienced professionals, know will benefit our students, I do not think we will be taken seriously as decisionmakers."

Cathy continued: "Along this line, I am so dismayed by the idea of adding [new NCLB] testing in high school that I don't know what to do. More money for testing companies and more time away from instruction in order to administer tests that reveal...what? How a student does at a particular moment in time?"

Then Ellen wondered: "I ran across an interesting quote today by Dr. Wayne Dyer: 'Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.' Is it possible that reform is stalled and difficult because we continue to look at things in the same way? We (society) use the same mental models and frameworks, never considering anything that isn't in that model.

"Consider this: most people look at schools and education in this country from a deficit model; what if we changed the way we looked at schools to a positive model? What might happen? Would results change?"

Then Nancy wrote:

"I want to go back to the idea of telling compelling stories. I still believe that the general public knows very little about teaching and learning — because they are relying on their own mental models of school. I am convinced we need new and compelling stories about learning in this post-industrial age, this diversity age, an age of instant communication and bewildering, even dangerous "information" — and not just dazzling techno-glitz.

"Jaime Escalante was a compelling story; Deborah Meier's work is nothing but incredible, hopeful, true stories. As professionals, we can and should offer functional alternatives to problems, but I'm talking about something else: a sea change in thinking about what education means in this country.

"Our old mental model — the common school as the cultural unifier, the first step up to a better life for anyone willing to work hard — is probably dead. I love that model, and don't want to give it up, but I think it's been replaced by an image of the failing school, with its marginally qualified staff, uncaring parents, outdated instructional techniques and low test scores.

"There are people in this country who see that last image as truth — and some of them will use that picture as an opportunity to push their own agendas. I think Ellen's right — our reform efforts are stalled because we're stuck in our old mental models, and they don't align with the public image (nurtured by television, and ominous international comparison statistics) of a crumbling system.

"And it won't help to cheerfully 'get out the good news about schools.' We need a new mental model of the successful school, the professional teacher, the well-educated child — one that everyone can embrace. Compelling stories."

Susan G. offered these additional comments:

"This reminds me of a marriage-long discussion my husband and I have. We call it the 'chicken inspector' mindset. You see, the chicken inspector has been trained to look for something that isn't right, so that's his focus and that what he finds — the things that are wrong. The more things he finds wrong, the better he feels he is doing his job. The Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) provision of No Child Left Behind is a perfect example of chicken inspecting — the focus is on locating failure to meet the standard, not on the cases that meet, exceed or set new standards. Ellen's quote goes to the heart of that problem. It's how we look at things.

"Nancy argues the case of compelling stories, and I would agree that they are essential for refocusing how people look at issues. But once we get the public's attention, we must move quickly to alternative answers that those compelling stories support."

Susan B. joined the conversation with these comments about a strategy called Appreciative Inquiry:

"Ellen and Susan G. wrote about the 'deficit model' we've all been conditioned to accept, that is, looking for things that are negative so we can fix them. I loved Susan G.'s chicken inspector analogy. As a teacher or administrator, do I want to be a chicken inspector, or a gemologist? Do we want to be in the role of someone who is selecting the worst to destroy it, or someone who is seeking promising material to polish and improve it?

"Ellen proposed that we consider this: most people look at schools and education in this country from a deficit model; what if we changed the way we looked at schools to a positive model? What might happen? Would results change? Improve?

"In a graduate class I took (Educational Leadership - Change), we were briefly introduced to Appreciative Inquiry, which involves looking for what's good/positive and then figuring out how to get more of it. By getting more of the good, the not-so-good recedes accordingly. The model has been successful in the business world and in schools.

"Appreciative Inquiry appeals to me because it seems to mirror and formalize a process I've put together in my muddled way through the years as a means to 'turn around' unsuccessful 'shut down' kids. In a nutshell, I look for whatever good thing I can find in them, however small, acknowledge it and make it public, then figure out what it takes to produce more of it — expanding the 'good parts' of the kid. The not-so-good stuff withers without direct attention. It would be very exciting to me to see first-hand how Appreciative Inquiry is being implemented as a school-wide school improvement project.

"I'd like to further generalize Susan G.'s timely reminder that 'once we get the public's attention, we must move quickly to alternative answers that those compelling stories support.' I think as we develop our voices as teacher leaders, we must always be ready to refocus the increasing amount of public attention we receive toward the answers/issues we find compelling. This has not been a comfortable step for me, but I've been going there anyway."

Carol, a teacher in residence in a university teacher education program, shared a story about Appreciative Inquiry in action.

"We are using the principles of Appreciative Inquiry with our new teacher support program for the graduates of our university. It fits so well with 'talking differently' about the issues we confront in the classroom.

"It seems to adjust attitudes to consider what can be better that is good. Could we all benefit from this perspective? Is this how we quit whining and begin changing?"

Susan G. replied: "I loved the concept of 'appreciative inquiry' as soon as I read the term. I googled Appreciative Inquiry and found all sorts of great stuff. It's my next reading project for the next few days!"

Here are two web resources about Appreciative Inquiry:

http://appreciativeinquiry.cwru.edu/

http://www.appreciative-inquiry.org/

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