Tuesday, September 18, 2012

CEDO 565 Week 5: The Change Process



The past two weeks during class we played a simulation game that revolved around the Change for Improvement Process in a K-12 setting. First off, playing the simulation online was a very good experience and gave a good example of what can be done with an online class. Second, the simulation was actually fun to play as well as being very insightful and informational about the change process. The frustrations were real. The successes gave us the feeling of "Finally! Results!" Having the end of game wrap up example sheet that outlines the process without playing the game wouldn't have been as enlightening. Looking at it now after playing the game I understand much better about how the change process can occur successfully. Substituting a High School English Department Chair with Vice President of Marketing you can adapt the process to business or other institutions.

Some rights reserved By JWILLOME

I've not been involved in a change for improvement process before. My present workplace is a very small private school and does not have many of the ingredients of the average K-12 public school system or even larger private school institutions. Many of the traditional elements of organization and of change just don't apply to where I am now. Never mind a thousand other contexts, conditions and variables, there are elements of the change process that I could use at my school, difficult as it may be.

Throughout most of this program, with the course of study and work we have done, I've been able to adapt it if necessary to fit my present situation. This leadership course however has been very frustrating to me because so many of the items covered and discussed do not apply in one context or another at my school. Frustrating also because the topics we are talking about are the things most needed at my school but the reality of setting them in place lies on Jupiter somewhere.

If and when I secure a position somewhere else, I feel I am better prepared to take a position of leadership for change. 

1 comment:

  1. I agree this class helped me feel more confident if I was ever in a leadership position. The book also was very enlightening, but I also know that realistically not all of the ideas can be applied in our small district as well. It is hard in smaller districts for leaders to get involved in the classrooms because they wear so many other hats. For example, we don't have an assistant principal or a curriculum director. All of those duties fall on the principal's shoulders along with every thing else so he doesn't spend as much time in the classroom as we would like. Overall, it is a balancing act and the most important issue (parents usually) have to be dealt with first.

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