Page 7 - EdViewptsSpring2019-web

FACT: The DOE and the key educa- Fullan’s Right and Wrong ing a sense of being overwhelmed
with “things to do or address.”
tional organizations are supporting the Drivers
same vision for strengthening teaching, RIGHT: Starting with a coherent
leading, and learning in our schools. WRONG: Accountability: In the past vision encourages practitioners to
several years, New Jersey has seen consider the processes and structures
FACT: The vision represents a shift new standards and a new state-wide
in perspective related to curriculum assessment – potentially powerful that will support continuous growth
design and implementation. tools to move student learning forward. rather than encouraging the imple-
mentation of a myriad of seemingly
However, policies can’t emphasize new unrelated initiatives that foster a
FACT: The vision encourages job- standards and assessments as tools
embedded professional learning that for accountability without supporting sense of chaos and confusion.
directly impacts collective teacher schools in making meaningful changes
practice. to curriculum, instruction and assess-
ment. If we do so, we ignore the very
FACT: The foundation of the vision, process that could ensure the account-
the Connected Action Roadmap (CAR), ability for student learning we seek.
is NOT a program. It represents a pro-
cess for building the key components RIGHT: Capacity Building: We need
of effective schools. The process will to spend time building the capacity
look different in every school/district of educators to develop, implement,
depending on decisions made at the reflect on and revise the curriculum,
local level. instruction and assessments they are
using every day to ensure students
FACT: This vision has been utilized meet the new standards.
by a number of schools and districts An Overview of the CAR
who have been participating in a four- WRONG: Individual educator quality:
year pilot. Teacher and leader evaluation reform Framework
focused on labeling individual educa- The CAR framework represents a sys-
Why a Common Vision tors on a 4 point scale. Of course temic approach to building the capacity
and Why Now: evaluation is necessary, but is a label a of educators by developing PLC teams
that are focused on curriculum, instruc-
driver for change in teacher practice?
The Connected Action Roadmap is a tion and assessment. It puts the owner-
framework for school improvement that RIGHT: Teamwork: It makes sense ship for instructional decisions back
has been embraced by NJ educational that when a group of teachers can col- where it belongs – in the hands of the
organizations for several years. As laborate in effective PLCs and share educators who teach our students.
organizations that represent the educa- best practices related to curriculum, in- CAR uses an easy-to-remember and
tors in the field, we clearly saw the need struction and assessment on a regular easy-to-follow metaphor of a journey.
for a common language and a coherent basis, we not only impact the prac- Student learning as the destination,
vision related to the practice of educa- tice of one teacher, but enhance the a collaboratively developed, viable
tion. The NJDOE has also endorsed the instructional capacity of every teacher curriculum as the map, PLCs as the
vision and is taking concrete steps to on the team. vehicle, assessments as the guide-
make the vision a reality. Why now? posts, teacher/principal effectiveness
Over the past several years the actions WRONG: Technology drives peda- as the drivers, and climate and culture
of educators have been reform driven. gogy: Providing technology tools to as the terrain.
Reforms are not in and of themselves educators is fine but their use alone It is worth repeating: CAR is NOT
bad things. However, as Michael Fullan, does not ensure higher levels of stu- program. It is NOT an initiative. CAR is
points out in his article, “Choosing the dent achievement. NOT a step-by-step process that says
Wrong Drivers for Whole System Re- if you just do this you will see student
form,” some policy and strategy levers RIGHT: Standards and student learn- improvement. We have been sold that
should not be used as the first step in ing objectives drive deliberate choices bill of goods throughout our careers, and
creating system-wide improvements. Of in how educators use technology to it has resulted in an unproductive trend
course we should share accountability positively impact student learning. to outsource our professional practice.
and ensure we have effective teachers Available technology does not deter- CAR represents the structures and pro-
in every classroom and effective leaders mine learning goals; learning goals cesses needed to improve schools from
in every school. But let’s see how the determine the choice of technology. within. CAR is an opportunity for schools
approach to making this happen across WRONG: Fragmented strategies: to shift from a focus on compliance to a
the state could in fact lead to an em- “Reforms” are often rolled out for focus on practice and to set the founda-
phasis on poor lead drivers of change. tion for a strong system of curriculum,
implementation in isolation, thus creat-
instruction and assessment.

Educational Viewpoints -5- Spring 2019