Syllabus


 * Session 1. || **Creating Conditions for Change**.

** Competencies: ** Course participants will be able to: · Analyze their own capacity for change · Analyze their organizational capacity for change · Make strategic decisions about effective use of time and resources · Use WIKI spaces to post journal reflections and build course portfolio of resources

** Essential Question: ** How can we use knowledge of the change process to engage educators in a pragmatic approach to improve teaching and learning?

**Readings:** Part 1. Chapters 1-9. __Leading Change in Your School,__ Reeves (2009).

**Assessments**:
 * Completion of the organizational analysis activity that must include at least three alterations to the existing procedures or initiatives to improve use of time or effectiveness of the organizational operation.
 * Journal reflections on the analysis process
 * Completion of the Pre-Test

· Course participants will analyze their organizational capacity for change by actively identifying all current procedures and initiatives within the school · Course participants will determine which of those procedures and/or initiatives can be eliminated or handled more strategically and efficiently · Course participants will post their analysis and a journal reflection of the process on the Leading Change WIKI being used by all course participants as a means for sharing ideas and resources. · Read Chapters 4 and 9 of __Leading Change in Your School__ to prepare for the next Session – Planning Change.
 * Job-embedded assignments: **

Session 1. In-class: 3 1/2 hours Outside Work: 4 hours ||
 * Session 2. || **Planning Change**

Course participants will be able to: · Analyze four leverage points that have the greatest influence on student achievement. · Evaluate three alternate techniques to implement when interviewing teacher and/or administrator candidates. · Synthesize their district or school’s strategic plan or School Improvement Plan.
 * Competencies **

**Essential Question:** How can we use the knowledge of the change process to engage educators in a pragmatic approach to improve teaching and learning?

Read two articles, “Model Teachers” and “Transforming Teacher Leadership” · Jigsaw activity. · Conduct text-based discussion on the two articles. · Reflection journal entry.

Review interviewing techniques shared in Chapter 7 and noted in the article, “Hiring the Best Middle School Teachers with Behavior-Based Interviewing”. · Compare and contrast the interviewing techniques presented by the two resources. · Evaluate the viability of incorporating at least one of these techniques into the interviewing procedures used in the districts represented in the course. Readings: Chapter 6 through 9. __Leading Change in Your School__, Reeves (2009).

Completion of the following: Journal reflections Analysis of one “White Paper” One page summary of School Improvement Plan or district Strategic Plan
 * Assessments: **

· Course participants will read one of the White Papers posted at [|www.leadandlearn.com] and analyze for “lessons learned” that can be applied to his/her school or district. · Course participants will develop a one-page summary of his/her school’s School Improvement Plan or district’s strategic plan using the format presented in __Leading Change in Your School__. · Read Chapters 10 and 11.
 * Job-embedded Assignments: **

Session 2. In-class: 3 1/2 hours. Outside Work: 4 hours. || The greatest impediment to meaningful cultural change is the gap between what leaders say they value and what they actually do. ---Reeves, 2007.
 * Session 3. || **Introduction to Implementing Change**

**Competencies:** Course participants will be able to: · Assess current school organizational values and determine congruency with actual practice. · Create mechanisms for cultivating purposeful peer interaction (collaboration) · Explain barriers to learning new skills (implementation dip) · Understand the process of the change.

**Essential Questions:** In what ways can the knowledge of practical steps for implementation of change help systems of education avoid failure? 1. What does implementing change look like locally in terms of moral purpose, relationship building, understanding the change process, ownership, and coherent alignment? 2. How does the focused purpose become embedded in our daily work? 3. How can we use the change process to develop capacity for growth for everyone?

Chapter 10, Reeves, __Leading Change in your School.__ Reeves, “Leading to Change: Closing the Implementation Gap”, __Educational Leadership,__ March 2007. Fullan, “Leading in a Culture of Change”.
 * Readings: **

Journal reflections. Planned use of evidence and documentation to adjust implementation (embedded formative assessment) – performance-based assignment
 * Assessments: **

· Administrators will design a plan for using formative assessment (short term wins) to improve teaching and learning performance that will be incorporated in the local context. · Read Chapters 14-16 and the Epilogue in preparation for Session 4: Sustaining Change.
 * Job-embedded assignment: **

Chapter 11 - 13, Reeves, __Leading for Change in your School.__
 * Readings: **

Session 3. In-class: 3 ½ hours Outside Work: 4 hours, minimum ||
 * Session 4. || **Sustaining Change**

** Competencies: ** Participants will be able to: · Define key terms · Identify examples of the key concepts as applied to their school or district · Design an effective accountability/assessment system · Design a schedule that defines sacred time · Identify a system that enforces standards of professional responsibility · Design a system that builds emotional confidence for students and staff.

**Essential Questions:** In what ways can the knowledge of practical steps for implementation of change help systems of education avoid failure? 1. In what ways can leaders engage all stakeholders in sustaining change? 2. What are the components of an effective accountability/assessment system?

Readings: Sustaining Change. Reeves, D.B. __Leading Change in Your School: How to Conquer Myths, Build Commitment, and Get Results__. (2009) ASCD, Alexandria, VA.

A post test will be administered. Each participant posting will be scored using a rubric The total portfolio will be scored using the scores from each session assignment which will be posted on the wiki
 * Assessments: **

· The participants will post their assignments on their page of the Leading Change Wiki. · The participants will read Part 4: 123 - 162 Sustaining Change and identify a key point or main idea, a question or concern, and something that cannot be emphasized enough. ||
 * Job-embedded Assignments: **