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by Frank Carrano | Jan 27, 2010 8:06 am

(1) Comment | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Citizen Contributions, Opinion, Schools

What are effective schools and how do we know when we see one?

We know that schools need to step up to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind. Higher expectations for all students, together with increasing emphasis on developing 21st century skills for the global workplace have placed schools in challenging situations. How does a school with all of its diverse elements begin to develop a systematic plan for improving opportunities for student learning and achievement? How does a school identify the elements within its structure that need to be changed and improved, and how does a school develop a plan for positive change?

There are some things we have learned through experience and some research on positive school change is beginning to emerge. Schools are complex systems and any changes within those systems need to be carefully orchestrated.

What have we learned about school improvement and effective schools? Researchers such as Marzano have developed certain standards for school effectiveness that suggest that some basic elements should be in place in order for schools to be successful. Let’s look at some of them. Effective schools…

* have a shared mission
* create a safe and nurturing environment for students
* have teachers who are well versed in the curriculum
* have teachers who are skilled instructional practitioners and understand child development
* have teachers who appreciate student diversity
* have principals who are instructional leaders
* convey a positive message for student achievement
* develop collaborative relationships with parents and the community
* provide teachers with opportunities for professional growth

In other words, an effective school is a place where students are in the center of the universe. Research suggests that effective schools are developed over time and require a total commitment from all of the important participants in the educational process: teachers, administrators, parents and students themselves.

I have been following with great interest the recent developments in New Haven. A major initiative has been undertaken to improve student performance throughout the district. From what I understand through newspaper reports, the entire school community has made a commitment to school improvement and through that, increased student achievement. What strikes me about the New Haven plan is the involvement of the entire school community, especially teachers, in the development of the plan. In the final analysis, teachers will have the primary responsibility for enhancing student learning and they need to be supported and engaged in the entire process. Everyone seems to be on board with this, including the teacher’s union, which gives this plan a unique advantage over previous attempts to institute change.

Some other characteristics of a quality school as defined by Give Kids Good Schools are the following:

* high expectations for every student
* high parent and community support
* rigorous curriculum and fair assessment
* sufficient resources to help all students achieve
* safe, healthy and supportive learning environment
* classrooms equipped for teaching and learning
* strong school leadership and qualified and effective teachers in every classroom

Lists such as these only serve to illuminate the fact that schools are the sum of all of the parts and that each part contributes to the success of the school. Effective instruction is at the core of school success for sure, but teachers need to be supported with an appropriate network of school level mechanisms to frame the teaching with appropriate environmental, physical, and philosophical elements.

Effective schools are not so elusive a goal when you think of the elements or characteristics as being interconnected and mutually supportive. We can plan for each school to develop these characteristics one step at a time. We can assess what exists in the school and then agree on the areas in need of improvement and then establish goals. Safe and secure schools should be the beginning goal because the school environment creates the stage for the other important improvements. The rest should come through a process for personal, organizational and systemic growth and change. Creating a child-centered school community will not be possible without the commitment of all of the critical components merging to support that goal. Teachers, parents, and administrators partnering for the sake of student growth and success bring the goal within reach. Having every person in the school assume responsibility for every child in the school will result in the cultural evolution that brings success. We all need to take responsibility for that change and focus on the process, piece by piece. Can we make it happen? I want to believe that we can because we now recognize that our future success as a nation and a society is dependent on our ability to use our schools to fulfill their appropriate mission; offering each child opportunities for reaching their maximum potential.

Frank Carrano is the chairman of the Branford board of education and a former president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers.

Comment

posted by: Claudia Herrera on January 27, 2010 1:22pm

Mr. Frank Carrano.

This morning I have a meeting with my son’s school teacher,in general I’m very please with the school’s principal leadership skills, the social worker and the other “nice lady” my son’ refer to the teacher coordinator. But it takes Only ONE teacher who can make the big difference between a Good or Bad experience of a child learning and explore actions.

Reading this article, give an other option to keep my child to be positive and focus to be him self and trying different approaches to do his best.

* have teachers who appreciate student diversity
* convey a positive message for student achievement

Thank you. Great, great article.

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