Shah Urvi Schlechty Presentation Blog Version

8/8/2019 Shah Urvi Schlechty Presentation Blog Version

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Phillip SchlechtyTeacher | Leader | Reformer

U Shah | Oct 2010


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Table of Contents1. Brief Biography

2. Schlechty as a Theorist

3. Overview of Theories

4. Sources

5. Powerful Schlechty QuotesU Shah | Oct 2010


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Brief Biography

Author of books on school reform

Founder and CEO of Schlechty Center forLeadership in School Reform

Taught in public schools, colleges and universities

PD programs for educators

Mainstream: online blog and facebook profileU Shah | Oct 2010


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Schlechty as a Theorist

Leadership in the 90s still active

Classified as 21 st Century Schools theorist

Educational Change Agent

School reform Transformational & Participatory

Works with superintendents, school boards,principals and district leaders

U Shah | Oct 2010


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Overview of Theories

5 Assumptions about school reform1) Improvement in performance of schools2) Quality of work must improve

3) Students are volunteers4) Change capacity

5) District level reform

Leadership Imperatives

1) Power of vision2) Capacity to respond quickly

3) Ability to rally support for change

4) Creation of change systems5) Focus on results

U Shah | Oct 2010


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5 Assumptions about SchoolReform

U Shah | Oct 2010


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1) Improvement in Performance

Urgent need for improvementin performance

Theory of Change Goal of school is to nurture

focus on commitment tostudents

5 Assumptions about School ReformU Shah | Oct 2010


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2) + 3) Quality of Work/Students asVolunteers

Theory of Engagement Create tasks that engage student

Teacher s goal: student performance Knowledge work

Teachers as Inventors Focus shifts to improve student experience Staff development is collaborative and ongoing 10 critical qualities of student work



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4) Change Capacity

Leadership deve. linked with system deve.

Leaders of leaders Few simple beliefs Beliefs meant to direct action

Systems are flawed not people Structural and cultural forces already in place



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5) District Level Reform

Capacity for Reform (Transformational Leadership)1) Clear focus

2) Focus must be maintained3) Use results in critical capacity

Leaders must: Read Reflect Become action oriented



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Leadership Imperatives

U Shah | Oct 2010


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1) Power of Vision

1) Create compelling vision2) Developing, refining and modeling vision

Participatory leadershipDiscussion of results

results-oriented leadership

Leadership ImperativesU Shah | Oct 2010


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2) Capacity to Respond Quickly

People, knowledge, time and spaceConventions

Invention is needed not prescription



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3) Ability to Rally Support for Change

Flexible structure to encourage restructuringMarketing change (not salesperson)

Foster success Collegial support



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4) Creation of Change Systems

Whole system changeInventing change systems

5 functions to be fulfilled:1) Conceptualization function2) Developmental function3) Implementation function4) Service function5) Support function



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5) Focus on Results

Self regulation and self controlEvaluation and assessment

Leaders must

a) Define qualities of excellence in performance

b) Discipline results by which they lead byreference to the sought after results



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Sources

Books Schools for the 21 st Century Creating Great Schools

Internet Schlechty s blog Schlechty Center Interview Professional Learning

U Shah | Oct 2010


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Powerful Schlechty Quotes

The idea of distributingstudents into classroomscomprised of thirty or soyoungsters and a single teacheris an accident of history ratherthan a calculated decision.

The concept of the normalcurve and the notion that mostpeople are average are ideas thathave a devastating effect inschool. They condemn tomediocrity all but the few. Whatone needs to understand is thatnothing short of excellenceshould be expected of anyone.

People are the chief resourcesin the education enterprise.

Perhaps the most important understanding hereis that students are volunteers, whether we wantthem to be or not. Their attendance can becommanded, but their attention must be earned.Their compliance can be insisted on, but theircommitment is under their own control.

"Values and visionrather thanprograms andrules will drivethe system."

We need educators whoare comfortable inworking on the cuttingedge of ignorance as wellas those who work on thecutting edge of knowledge. We must

envision educationsystems unlike any thathave existed before andbusy ourselves with thetask of creating them.

"Educators mustprepare themselvesto totally reinventthe Americansystem of education."

U Shah | Oct 2010

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Shah Urvi Schlechty Presentation Blog Version