Consistent policy and curriculum review, responsive actions to school culture and embedding meaningful and lasting practices are, of course, always at the forefront of school leadership. In a busy, dynamic school environment time can be one of the most critical barriers to implementing changes effectively. One of the most effective models I have experienced in order to facilitate change in policy or practice was that of introducing Focus groups as part of leading the Primary School team. Once key areas to focus upon had been selected from the school’s strategic plan this approach was most effective because:
– teachers selected an area of interest from these identified focus areas, therefore allowing them to develop and invest time into something they were particularly passionate about or interested in.
– all community members were involved, class teachers, specialists, assistants and support staff.
– meetings were flexible – the group decided when to meet each week and how to facilitate this.
– each focus group set their own shared goals.
– a simple, clear structure for the focus groups was developed with teachers.
– regular reporting back time was scheduled into the 8 – 10 week period with a final date given for groups presentations.
– emphasis for focus groups was placed upon gathering, reviewing data and presenting proposals for change or solutions to problems.
– discussion and collaboration became more embedded practice in professional culture.
– teachers benefitted from working in smaller groups, giving individuals greater opportunity to share their own personal ideas and discuss at length with colleagues.
– final decisions could be made in the various ‘focus’ areas by the whole team. This followed the group presentations and feedback, ensuring decisions were shared with the whole team.
Using time productively and effectively made everyone feel like we were progressing forward and sharing the workload in doing so. Just as we would do in a classroom, breaking tasks down, differentiating, giving ownership and allowing individuals the space and time to select areas of interest and take control is always going to be the most powerful approach for everyone!
Jenny O'Fee 