Priority Action Matrix - Welsh

I was surprised by the effectiveness of this technique as a driver for change.

I certainly will be using again.

Beare and vision statements Reading 16

I really enjoyed this article in particular how vision statements when suitably arrived at can form the basis for objectives and action plans.

I think that is very clever. And makes sense too.

More TQM and Dheeraj Mehrotra

I am really impressed with

and her article which can be viewed here.

http://www.isixsigma.com/library/content/c020626a.asp

This has enabled me to get a handle on TQM

Finally!

TQM

I am totally confused by the terms.

Total Quality Management and Quality Management and Quality Learning.

I have decided to treat them to mean the same thing and will try for consistency to only use 'Quality Management'

Dr Todd and Action Research

Hello.

I can recommend any readings by Todd on Action Research aka student directed learning or teacher directed learning.

I think telling students 'go research something' lacks direction, meaning and purpose.
A waste of time.

Students, I think, require a scaffold, direction for their learning.

This provides a greater opportunity for students to be engaged in higher order thinking.

There is nothing wrong with finding all the facts about the solar system. Thats fine. But it is NOT research. It is fact finding, brain storming.

Students being involved in active research are engaged in higher order thinking.

There is a difference.

http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~rtodd/home.htm

Chapter 1 Moral Purpose and Fullan

I think this is the most important think I have learned in ETL504.

It has provided me with focus and direction.

Asking 'What is important?' is a great question.

Procrastinating....who me?

I admit it..I am a major league procrastinator! I can think of a million menial chores to attend to in order to put off the (academic) task at hand. Be it a leaky tap, blown light bulb, a spot of weeding or even cleaning the car - all seem like important tasks that must be done immediately ....and then I'll commence my readings ,etc.
Which all leads me to explain why my blog posting has been so abysmal. So, here's an overview of my progress up to this point.
1) Found a copy of the Fullan text " Leading In A Culture Of Change" on the interact site. Settled on a price ($40). Found the address in inner-city Sydney. When I went to pay for the text the seller said "No worries mate, make it $20". Sweet!
2) Got placed in my group and made contact...we're a gang of 3. Got a really good group dynamic happening...meaning that I'm trying to keep up with their good ideas!
3) Arranged to Skype and low and behold..it actually worked!
4) Subsequent Skyping was not so successful......didn't help that I got the time wrong and that the connection kept dropping out. Nevertheless, we arranged to contact each other again tomorrow night.
Got to admit that it's been slightly overwhelming..and up to the point where I got to speak with the others in my group, I felt like I was making little or no progress.
O.K. On to my readings now..I promise!

My Knowledge of: communication, organisational theory, and strategic planning.

1. Communication
Staff in schools are involved in meetings of various types. Meetings involving whole the whole staff, faculty meetings, learning team meetings and of course impromptu and informal meetings where staff share ideas. I have seen Email used too by staff in sharing ideas and experiences and also in letting staff know of upcoming events and the implementation of policy and practice.
2. Organisational Theory
Meeting led by a facilitator in which groups members 'own' the recommendations or initiatives I have seen work but the effectiveness varies usually with the motivation, it seems, of the group members.
3. Strategic Planning
Vision and Mission statements I have seen plenty of noise, yet I have not witnessed any perceivable 'culture change' from creating such documents. Additionally I have seen 'surveys' of staff and parents being interpreted to a particular preferred outcome creating discourse in the school community.

heheh, Perhaps I have a great starting point as I have much to learn about how Leaders can effect change in schools. I only hope that as a TL I am not marginalised and can make a positive contribution to all my clients students, staff and the greater school community.