Networks of Learning and Leading

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Networks of Learning and Leading

• NW3 Family of Schools
• Toronto District School Board
• Gen Ling Chang
• Superintendent of Education, Toronto DSB

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QUESTIONS

• Describe the network.
• How did the networks get started?
• What is the purpose of the networks?
• Who are the participants
• How is this network structured?  Is there a
  pre-determined facilitator?  When does the
  network meet?
• Who supports the network? (pedagogically and
  content-wise)
• What is keeping the network going?
• How do you know if the network is achieving its
  purpose?
• Is this network improving student achievement? 
  How do you know?
• Do you have any advice or cautions for
  individuals just beginning their network
  experience?

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How did the networks get started? What is
the purpose of the networks?

• Equity and Excellence of Outcomes are complex
  social change
• About 11,000 students of which 7,000 are
  elementary
• Believe in a service model of leadership
• FOS EQAO data in 2004 were
• Gr3 R 59 W 61 M 73
• Gr 6 R 65 W 59 M 67
• With 6/15 schools less than 49 and 1/15 at 24
  in Grade 3
• Examine who are our students? How have we been
  providing for them

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What is worth fighting for is not allow our
schools to be negative by default, but to make
them positive by design.

• Question How do I do it?
• Question How do I work to reach the students and
  work with Ps VPs and teachers to effect a social
  change to develop ingenuity and innovation in
  our classrooms and schools.
• Question How do I change the discourse?

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.. is about creating a new world not one
created by someone else, but a place created for
our students through our own actions. This is the
Moral Purpose with a powerful engine. Fullan
St. Germain

• POWERFUL IDEAS
• Role of Research theory and data
• Systems thinking and management
• Complex problems cannot be solved by linear or
  single factor solutions requires addressing
  multiple elements yet integrated
• Leading is best when it occurs in the context of
  learning and learning is best when it occurs in
  the context of leading
• The teaching-learning relationship is the most
  precious resource in our schools
• Knowledge and understanding emerges in a
  community of action, discourse and reflection
• The power of narratives and case studies

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Why Networks?

• Leading occurs while learning and learning
• occurs while leading
• Structure of learning inquire, investigate,
• discuss, construct and act
• Knowledge emerges in a community of activity,
• discourse, and reflection

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Networks as Engine of Change

• Level 1
• Networks are the infrastructure within which the
  elements of resources, protocols and leadership
  intersect to support the teaching-learning
  relationship. They allow for multiple points of
  entry and leverage, therefore organic.
• Level 2
• Community of networks is the support system
• within which teaching-learning flourishes.

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Successful leaders are able to be simultaneously
on the dance floor and the balcony

• Networks of learning and leading
• Key components
• Developing the context
• Preparing the networks
• Supporting the networks
• Facilitating the learning leading congress
• The bottom line is that teachers become
  school-based reformers only when they take on
  leadership for important parts of the school that
  lie beyond their classrooms Roland Barth

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What is worth fighting for is not allow our
schools to be negative by default, but to make
them positive by design. Fullan St. Germain

• Developing the Context
• understanding cultures by knowing staff in a
  personal way with a high tolerance for honesty
  and suspend judgement
• role of research (theory data)
• intentional design and consultation with critical
  friends
• use multiple points of entry and leverage

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The world of knowledge takes a crazy turn when
teachers themselves are taught to learn Bertolt
Brecht

• Preparing for the Community of Networks
• human resources
• learning theory curriculum of learning
• bringing about change
• ongoing review of design and constantly ask what
  might not work and why?
• Phase 1 5 schools 4 OFIP and 1 SoM
• Phase 2 5 triads 1 host with 2 member

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Active participation in the collective
development of other teachers is a critical
competency of modern teaching.

• Supporting the Networks Intersection of 4
• network models
• Teachers, literacy coach, principals, SAO and
  superintendent (SOE)
• Principals, literacy coach and SAO/SOE
• Literacy coaches and superintendents
• Principals, superintendent and SAO

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The function of ingenuity is not to give new
answers, but to pose new questions Hugh
Trevor-Roper

• Facilitating the Learning-Leading Congress
• Level 1 Evidence of Learning Better Ideas Next
  Actions what evidence of learning do we bring
  to the next session
• Level 2 What is the difference that makes the
  difference meta-cognition
• Level 3 Move from models of thinking to models
  for thinking i.e. push for generalizations
• e.g. Do we agree this strategy will always
  work? Why is this so? Could we prove it? When is
  it helpful? When not? Which pattern of strategies
  over time can be useful generalizable models as
  tools to think with e.g.TLCP?

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FOS Model of Networks 2007 2008 REVISED as of
Nov 2007 Using EQAO 4- years trend data (2004 -
2007), the following is our network of support
OFIP Team 1 OFIP Team 2 OFIP Team 3 OFIP Team 4 SoM
Glen Park (6) Baycrest (4) Wilmington (3) CH Best (4) Allenby (2)
Armour Heights (4) Ancaster (4) Summit Heights (3) Dublin Heights (5) JRR (2)
Rockford (18) North Prep/APS (4) Flemington (9) Ledbury (5) J Wanless (2)
Faywood (4)
Glenview (1)
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NW3 Professional Learning Leading Teams (PLLT)
OFIP Teams PLLT 1 PLLT 2 PLLT 3 PLLT 4
Wilmington/Summit/Flemington Glen Park (RR/OFIP) Allenby Fisherville (VP) Fisherville (P)
Glen Park/Armour/Rockford Rockford (EYLP/ECE) John Ross Robertson Glenview (VP) Glenview (P)
Baycrest/Ancaster/N. Prep Armour Heights J. Wanless (EYNP/ECE) CH Best (OFIP) Lawrence Park
Best/Dublin/Faywood/Ledbury Baycrest (RR/OFIP) Wilmington (RR/OFIP) Dublin Heights Northview Heights
SoM Team North Prep/APS Flemington (RR) Faywood S.S. Fleming
JRR/Allenby/John Wanless Ancaster (EYNP) Summit Heights Ledbury (EYNP) W.L. Mackenzie
Yorkdale
6 Ps 2 VPs 6 Ps 5 VPs 5 Ps 6 VPS 7 Ps 9 VPs
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REVISED SCHEDULE OF PLLT MEETINGS 2007- 2008
MONTH/DATE PLLT 1 MONTH/DATE PLLT 2 MONTH/DATE PLLT 3 PLLT 4
TIME 1000 1200 TIME 100 300 TIME 1000 1200 400 530
Tues. Oct. 09/07 Glen Park Thu. Oct. 11/07 Allenby Wed. Oct. 10/07 Fisherville Fisherville
Thu. Nov. 08/07 LNS LNS Wed. Nov. 07/07 LNS Lawrence Park
Tues. Dec. 04/07 Armour Heights Thu. Dec. 06/07 J. Wanless Wed. Dec. 05/07 CH Best Northview
Wed. Jan. 16/08 LNS LNS Wed. Jan. 16/08 LNS SS Fleming
Tues. Feb. 12/08 North Prep Thu. Feb.14/08 Flemington Wed. Feb.13/08 Faywood Mackenzie
Tues. Apr. 08/08 LNS LNS Wed. Apr.09/08 LNS Yorkdale
Tues. May 06/08 Rockford Thu. May 08/08 Wilmington Wed. May 07/08 Ledbury Fisherville

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How do you know if the network is achieving its
purpose? Is this network improving student
achievement?  How do you know?

• Changes in discourse of teachers and leaders
• Knowledge creation especially at the
  meta-cognitive level
• Evidence of learning leading staff and
  students
• Culture of collective action what do we want to
  do next and adaptive solutions
• Impact on student thinking, sense of belonging
  and voice, in particular in their work
• Students achievement results e.g. EQAO

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How do you know if the network is achieving its
purpose? Is this network improving student
achievement?  How do you know?

• I became Superintendent of Education of NW3 in
  2004.
• Our 2004 EQAO results are
• Gr3 R 59 W 61 M 73
• Gr 6 R 65 W 59 M 67
• OSSLT 73 Gr. 9 Math 75
• Our 2007 EQAO results are
• Gr3 R 70 W 71 M 77
• Gr 6 R 79 W 71 M 74
• OSSLT 83 Gr. 9 Math 75
• Our collective work made a difference to students
  achievement. The growth is striking!

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Do you have any advice or cautions for
individuals just beginning their network
experience?

• To quote T.S. Eliot
• We shall not cease from exploration
• And the end of all our exploring
• Will be to arrive where we started
• And know the place for the first time
• So, there is no recipe or bandwagon . But
• What makes life fun and work meaningful is the
• act of re-creation.