Transformation is such a lofty word that implies a huge overhaul of something. With the odd name of the team I’m on right now, “Transformational/Instructional Coaches”, we’ve received plenty of jabs and jokes. I’m still hoping someone does give us shirts with Transformer toys on them, as threatened…I’m not too proud to wear it!
I continue to make sense of the role as it evolves, and it honestly has evolved. I expected more emphasis on the Instructional Coaching role, where we would be learning in classrooms with teachers, improving the quality of instruction together and supporting collaboration. I’ve come to realize where we are as a district is in a much more transformational phase. To be sure, there is instructional coaching going on, just not as much as I expected to have time pursuing. Transformation is happening, but as much as we’re all experiencing change of how we work, we’re also codifying, creating consistency, looking horizontally and vertically at our district as a system delivering educational support. A lot of that is what I’ve coined “transformalizing” great existing practices into collaborative mores. Through these activities, we identify weaker areas in practice, curriculum, and process. Tending to these takes time and energy in transformational coach mode, which is necessary before instructional coaching can begin in earnest. The ultimate goal is for a transformation phase to establish a foundation strong and fertile enough to support an instructional improvement focus. We’re not that far from it.
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Initially, I didn’t like the name “coach” in itself. If you followed some of my October posts regarding “What is a Coach?”, you’ll see that I’ve come to terms with the name. A metaphor that really helped me understand and be okay with the evolution of this role is that of a stagecoach, the original root for coach. That kind of coach is simply a vehicle for getting people from one place to another, together. So if we’re working toward improving systems in an isolated conference room, or helping to improve instruction in an overcrowded classroom, transformation is happening, instructional improvement is happening, coaching is happening and people are moving, together, down the road of understanding from where we were.
Honestly, I’m working on transforming myself. I’m working to transform myself into a more patient teacher/leader. I’m trying to be more patient with an educational system that is sluggish to respond to the 21st century demands of a global society.
I’m trying to be more understanding as I work within a educational system that faces the demands of a new economy, an economy which has had profound impact on the way we do business. An economy that has transformed the way families live and operate and raise children. I’m working to have more patience with the politics of the federal govenment, the state govenment, the local school district and my teacher union, all of whom are more responsive to constituant pressures than to the real needs of children. I’m trying really, really hard to transform myself into an individual who just accepts the fact that we teach on an agrarian calendar in non-agrarian society despite all of the data and research that demonstrates the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness of such a model.
I am also working to transform myself into accepting the fact that perhaps the greatest impact I can have in my lifetime is to transform a life of a few “children of the world” who hang out with me in Room 128. If I can ignite a passion for learning, a love of reading, some self-confidence, I can perhaps help mold little people into kind and responsible learners and thinkers, who may be up to the task of transforming the educational system in ways that I view to be so essential.
As I work to transform myself, I attempt to stay more focused on my calling and less distracted by those things which I cannot change. I’m trying to life a quiet life of serenity, but ah, the transformational process is long and difficult. And therein lies the real truth of a transformational process!!!!
Earlier this week, I had a conversation with someone regarding many of these same frustrations. End game is that, though we don’t agree with or like many of them, these are the rules of the game we’re in. Our task is to update the rules, to get the stupid out.
Maya Angelou said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain”
Inch by inch, we are changing these rules together, you and I…and others. Your passion is what enables you to feel so frustrated and that’s okay. Keep that fire and thank you for sharing it! Fire is contagious in the rule-changing game!