Helping teachers survive in society's alamo.

The Role of the Superintendent

Over the last several decades, the United States has been experiencing rapid, profound, and unsettling social change, the likes of which have not been seen since the Industrial Revolution. The dizzying speed of technological change is driving an economic transformation from a manufacturing society to an information-based one, and is redefining every aspect of our lives in the process. There has been a questioning and breakdown of the traditional roles of the family, workplace, and all social institutions. Work is being redefined through downsizing, rightsizing, and a focus on "knowledge work" - producing better goods and services through processing and applying information. Many senior citizens are no longer in favor of providing money to support the young. The notion of the United States as a melting pot is passe; ethnic pride is on the rise, and the majority population is predicted to become the minority by the end of the first quarter of the next century. In short, most of our old values and institutions are under fire and we are unsure about what will replace them.

Given this environment, it is no wonder that the same chaos we see in society is manifesting itself in public education. Although there is a very clear mandate from the public that schools need to change, no consensus exists about what kind of change is needed. While some argue for carving up public schools through vouchers, charter schools, and magnet programs so that they can educate their children in protected and homogeneous settings, others argue for a return to the past. Still others are expecting public schools to solve more and more of society's problems. Toward that end, most school districts have expanded their curricula to include training and/or courses in environmental education, character education, driver's education, technology, conflict resolution, sex education, career counseling, and discipline. While the curriculum is being expanded, the performance standards for all students in the three Rs are being dramatically raised. In some states, failure to meet these new academic standards results in scathing editorials for educators, or even termination. Of course, much of the responsibility for implementing these new initiatives falls on the shoulders of the classroom teacher.

In addition to the expanded curriculum, and the higher standards, classroom teachers also have seen their job description expand because of changes in the law and the breakdown of the family unit. Frequently, they are called upon to be exceptional children's specialists, nurses, family outreach specialists, social workers, baby sitters, and guidance counselors. Perhaps most troubling of all, teachers are expected to fulfill all these roles without an increase in time. It is difficult to find a school district where either the length of the school day or school year has been extended to meet these additional expectations and requirements.

These increasing, and often conflicting, demands on teachers can have serious consequences. Teachers can become demoralized and overwhelmed by the expanded expectations and the lack of public consensus, which makes success impossible to define, let alone achieve. The demands for change also can make teachers ineffective as they try to become all things to all people.

WHAT CAN SUPERINTENDENTS DO?

All of the political conflicts embodied in the drive for Texas independence came together at the pivotal Battle of the Alamo. In a similar way, our conflicting social forces are besieging the schoolhouse door. What is the role of leadership in dealing with, specifically, this pivotal battle for the soul and control of public education, and also, more generally, with the problem of what kind of society we want in the future?

During the Alamo crisis, there was no common vision for the future of Texas that could unite the soldiers inside and outside the walls of the Alamo. While we do not believe we can allow our teachers to barricade themselves behind the schoolhouse doors, simply opening them to society's competing demands invites chaos. Superintendents must find a way to make teachers a vital part of negotiating a shared vision for the future.

FOUR LEADERSHIP ROLES FOR SUPERINTENDENTS

As public education - a public institution that touches the lives of most children and families - becomes society's Alamo against chaotic societal change, there are four major leadership roles for superintendents that are paramount to teachers' survival.

Future Interpreters and Meaning Makers

The first of these roles is as a future interpreter and meaning maker. Just as reading teachers help students make meaning out of what they read, superintendents must be able to build an awareness of the future, and to make meaning of its implications for student learning to teachers and the entire community. How often are educators just going through the motions, instead of investing in their work? If their behavior appears perfunctory, it may be because they feel overwhelmed by the increasing demands and attacks on schools and their limited time. How often does the public attack a new initiative simply because its benefits to children are not understood?

It is the role of the superintendent to build a vision, in cooperation with all stakeholders in the community, that focuses on the fact that all students in school today will live the majority of their lives in the 21st century. The superintendent must help all adults in the community develop a future orientation and understand that the schools of the past are not sufficient to educate children to the higher levels necessary for them to be successful in the 21st century. Yet, it is imperative that schools prepare them for that future. As Neil Postman (1995) said, "The purpose of public education is not to serve the public, but to create the public" (p. 18).

Capacity Builder

The mission of public schools - to educate all children to higher standards - is a daunting task, much more difficult than only educating some children. In order to reach these higher expectations for all students, schools must customize instruction to meet the needs of a diverse student population. For example, school personnel must learn to disaggregate school and classroom data and to evaluate the effectiveness of their practices. They must learn to use a variety of assessment tools to monitor student progress. Continuous adult learning - developing new skills as well as evaluating and improving old ones - is critical to one's ability to create schools for the 21st century.

Continuous improvement of this magnitude cannot be accomplished by teachers' individual efforts in isolation from each other and from the larger organization. Today's superintendent must be able to marshal expertise at all levels of the organization to support and sustain continuous improvement in classroom instruction. Today's superintendent also must be able to find the money to support a long-term, comprehensive approach to establishing adult learning as a valued norm within the school district.

In short, the superintendent's role in promoting continuous improvement is to systematically invest in increasing the capacity of school district personnel to engage in, evaluate, and improve instructional practices, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that all students are successful in reaching higher standards.

Collaboration Builder

A third role for superintendents is collaboration builder. Public education is not the only entity in a community responsible for improving the lives of citizens. The vast challenges faced by public schools require that the superintendent build collegial collaborative relationships with other community agencies.

Collaborations outside the district. Collaborations outside the district involve partnerships between school and community agencies, such as establishing a wellness center at a high school that is staffed by state health department employees. School-agency collaborations ensure greater follow-through of services for children and families, and they increase the likelihood that students will be able to learn. Most communities do not have the necessary structure to allow agencies and schools to network naturally. Therefore, superintendents must pursue these collaborations aggressively.

Collaborations within the district. Superintendents also should build collaborations within the district. Lortie (1975) described teaching as a lonely, "cellular" experience. While most teachers may have been able to function independently 20 years ago, today's teachers can no longer work alone if they are to survive. Complex social issues, escalating demands, expanding curricula, and shrinking resources require that teachers work collaboratively. Ultimately, collaboration is critical for district-wide vitality. However, collaboration empowers teachers only if they are included in important school and district business.

Therefore, superintendents need to call upon teachers' knowledge and experience. Teachers need to be able to share their expertise. Also, they must have a structure that guides and protects them as they offer ideas. One way they can do this is with vertical teams. A vertical team's membership consists of staff from each unit of the organization - central office, school administration, and classroom teachers. Such a team can improve decision-making because it causes the different needs and perspectives of the district to come together. A vertical team could set the district priorities for staff development or technology, and then allocate funds accordingly.

Shared decision-making. In our district, shared decision-making has been very effective in bringing all constituents together. Shared decision-making creates the proper school culture necessary for teaming, as well as for the training and financial support needed for success. Shared decision-making creates a culture within schools that is also inviting to parents and families, helping them feel comfortable in offering their unique skills to various district or school agendas. School-home collaboration helps parents to witness firsthand the thoughtfulness with which teachers approach their work. It also helps parents understand the complexities of public education, including the daunting tasks of meeting the needs of all children. An effective superintendent takes time to meet with parents and help them interpret the district's mission and activities.

When all constituents 1) understand the district's vision, 2) see that their contributions are valued, and 3) are part of an ongoing, open dialogue focused upon what is best for students, they will be committed to long-term district improvement. Superintendents must take the time to cultivate such commitment. They can do this by creating "schools of voice." Unlike "schools of choice" that are based on differences among people, "schools of voice" build communities that recognize the strength that diversity brings to the decision-making process (Peel & McCary, 1997).

Organization Builder

Finally, a school district must be an organization. For teachers to survive within the Alamo, superintendents must be organization builders. As teachers and others make collaborative, research-based decisions, the superintendent must ensure that these decisions are systematized and made part of the organization's routine. Deming (1986) wrote about the importance of "constancy of focus" to organization building. Constancy of operation, based upon a focus and shared beliefs, is equally important to organization building.

An important question. At this point, we challenge superintendents to ask themselves this question: How would you prove your district is an organization, not just a place where individual contractors come to work? Peters and Waterman (1982) wrote that successful organizations in the 21st century would have to have both "loose and tight" properties. "Loose" means that all employees must be free to make decisions at the point where goods are produced or services delivered. "Tight" means that all employees make their decisions based upon an organizational set of beliefs and / or values to which all are committed. Therefore, as superintendents begin to collect documentation to prove that their districts are organizations, they need to look for board policies that set forth a vision statement for the district, as well as belief statements about such things as assessment, teaching and learning, decision-making, and relationships among all stakeholders, and standards concerning what the district believes that all students should know and be able to do.

Also helpful would be policies or documents that outline standards of professional practice for teachers and administrators. For example, it certainly would be nice to have a standard grading policy for all teachers. It is certainly not easy trying to explain to parents how Johnny made As in language arts and math, but scored so low on a standardized test that he has to go to summer school. A single district procedure for documenting student progress buffers teachers from the above dilemma by clearly establishing the basis for grading. The procedure then can be clearly communicated to all.

Organization building is culture building. Another way to think about building an organization is in the sense of building a professional culture. Teaching, as a profession, lacks the institutionalization of a research base, as well as the shared standards of practice based on that research base. If you doubt this assertion, then ask yourself, What is educational malpractice? Our profession lacks the clear standards of practice based on research and collegial review that characterize other professions, such as medicine or engineering. Has your school or school district developed standards of practice for teachers and administrators that are based on research, data, and on what is best for students, instead of being based on folklore? Folklore is the individual experiences of teachers without the reflection and scrutiny of collegial review or a research base.

The school district as a team. Another important aspect of the superintendent's role as organization builder is the importance of building understanding among all employees that the school district must become an organizational team, comprising three equally important and interdependent units. These units are: the school district - the unit of direction; the school - the unit of change; and the classroom - the unit of impact. The classroom is the place where the services of the organization are delivered. The school - as the unit of change - is the smallest unit within our organization that has the personnel and monetary resources to initiate and sustain change for any length of time. As the unit of direction, the district is responsible for collaboration with personnel at the other units, setting the direction for the district, and ensuring both constancy of purpose and constancy of operation.

All too often, in many districts, employees have defined these units as levels of the organization and find themselves struggling against one another for power. The Alamo will never be saved and teachers will never be free to focus on the task of teaching to higher standards if an inordinate amount of their time is spent in power struggles against their administrative colleagues and vice versa.

As we have initiated change in our district, we have tried to make certain that people who work in each of these units understand that one role is not more important than another. We have emphasized that people who work in these different units have different jobs to perform, and that if they are not working on a single vision and from a common set of beliefs, then the likelihood of success is very minimal.

THE ALAMO TODAY

When one visits the Alamo today, it is quickly apparent that one is not visiting a mission outpost, but rather a sacred shrine dedicated to the soldiers who gave their lives attempting to stop the invading Mexican Army. Their bravery and ultimate commitment to the cause of Texas freedom is celebrated and honored on every square inch of the site.

If today's leaders want to ensure that today's schools don't become tomorrow's shrines celebrating the soldiers (teachers) who sacrificed to maintain a society that cares for itself, then they cannot afford to sacrifice teachers to a greater cause. This time, we must ensure that reinforcements arrive in time if we are to win the battle. Today's leaders must marshal community support and replenish today's soldiers - our teachers. The superintendent's multiple roles as future interpreter and meaning maker, capacity builder, collaboration builder, and organization builder are key to gaining this broader base of support for public education.

References

Deming, W. E. (1986). Out of the crisis. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Lortie, D. C. (1975). Schoolteacher: A sociological study. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Peel, J., & McCary, C. E. (1997). Visioning the little red schoolhouse for the 21st century. Phi Delta Kappan, 78, 698-705.

Peters, T. J., & Waterman, R. H. (1982). In search of excellence: Lessons from America's best-run companies. New York: Warner Books.

Postman, N. (1995). The end of education. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Joe Peel is Superintendent and Mack McCary is Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Schools, Elizabeth City, North Carolina.