1 Session 3 Targeting the key players

2 The School Principal Cultivate professional working relationship Seek regular meetings Be supportive and respectful of school principal’s decisions but press for curriculum reform Provide regular and detailed feedback to the principal about initiatives and progress Be prepared to share concerns and problems you are experiencing with the principal

3 Middle administrators Enlist their support Carry out their duties and try to maintain a balance of power Ensure sound communication with them Try to ensure mutual understanding

4 Teachers You need to find opportunities to get teachers to talk about curriculum issues which are important to them: Are they happy about certain kinds of teaching they do with their students? Why? What else would they like to do?

5 Teachers continued… What specific problems do they have with the curriculum reforms? Are they issues about -understanding -technical skills -personal confidence -time available -pressures from parents Consider using a diagnostic instrument such as the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) and Stages of Concern to get details from teachers

6 CBAM CBAM assumes that there is a specific curriculum or innovation available and potentially useful to teachers at a school The CBAM instruments provide data to help teachers successfully implement a new curriculum. That is, they assist individuals rather than organisations There is also the assumption that a change agent will be needed to facilitate this change

7 Stages of Concern about an innovation (SoC) 6Refocusing 5Collaboration 4Consequence 3Management 2Personal 1Informational 0Awareness

8 Stages of Concern about an innovation 0.Awareness – little concern about involvement with the innovation is indicated 1.Informational – a general awareness of the innovation and interested in learning more detail about it 2.Personal – individual is uncertain about the demands of the innovation, his or her adequacy to meet those demands, and his or her role in the innovation 3.Management – attention is focused on the processes and tasks of using the innovation and the best use of information and resources

9 Stages of Concern about an innovation continued… 4.Consequence – attention focuses on impact of the innovation on students within teacher’s immediate sphere of influence 5.Collaboration – the focus is on coordination and cooperation with others regarding use of the innovation 6.Refocusing – the focus is on exploration of more universal benefits from the innovation, including the possibility of major changes or replacement with a more powerful alternative

10 Stages of Concern Stages of Concern (SoC) focus on teachers’ feelings as they become involved in implementation

11 Open-ended Stages of Concern response sheet WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE……………………………… WHAT ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT? (Do not say what you think others are concerned about, but only what concerns you NOW). Please write in complete sentences, and please be forthright, candid. 1. ________________________________________ ________________________________________

12 Open-ended Stages of Concern response sheet continued… 2._________________________________________ _________________________________________ 3._________________________________________ _________________________________________ Please place an asterisk by the statement that concerns you most.

13 Sample open-ended Stage of Concern paragraph I have wanted to be a teacher ever since I was a child. This is my aspiration and I take this very seriously. I blame myself if I don’t do things well. I feel I have a kind of professional spirit inside… There were times I got frustrated and just wanted to give up… Other teachers said that you don’t need to be their private tutor. But I think as a teacher, I have to teach them. Then you’re really frustrated. The situation is even worse when this happens in your own class. I just wonder if I’m too inadequate to handle them. I feel like giving up and just working for the salary.

14 Sample open-ended Stage of Concern paragraph continued… Another sample I think my principles of teaching pupils are basically similar to those of my Principal. My standard is that pupils should have good academic results, good conduct, and love drawing and playing music. I’ll nourish their interests in all these so that they will not feel empty during their leisure time. But to me, nourishing is not the same as expecting them to come first in everything