Contributed Commentary on
Volume 4 Number 8: Stone Developmentalism: An Obscure but Pervasive Restriction on Educational Improvement


1 May 1996

Larry Phillips

ljp@GPU.SRV.UALBERTA.CA

I think the discussion of Stone's paper misses some important considerations. I don't think resistance to change has anything to do with "isms". It has to do with people and what asking them to change means to them. The following is an excerpt from a reflective essay I wrote after shadowing several principals. It is a bit long. For those who want the essence in 25 words or less.
Change requires:
  • a perceived need
  • an effective alternative
  • the resources to implement it
Effecting Change in Schools: School are About People:
My last two school visits were to schools where change was causing or had caused conflict. The visits brought home the notion that schools are about people and that bringing about change in schools is bringing about change in people. I was also reminded that the people we want to change may resent being told they can do better. Then there is the part that really hurts, perhaps what is being done is best for the school and shouldn't be changed. The corollary is there are times the students don't and shouldn't come first.
There are times when it is important for the school and hence the students to give teachers time to change even when you are sure the needs of students currently in the classes aren't being met. Today's student is disadvantaged to benefit tomorrows. In one school, changes in instructional methods had been put on hold. Change had been imposed on the teachers and been resisted. During this respite, the students are in a structured environment. This may or may not be what the students need, but it is what the teachers need, immersion in a comfortable, familiar environment to gather the confidence to face change.
The other school had a teacher who was experiencing difficulty. The principal was working with the teacher to overcome these problems. In the meantime the students don't have a teacher with a full range of competencies. If teachers are going to acknowledge their weaknesses and provide an opportunity to overcome them, they must be confident that they will be treated fairly. In many cases this involves remaining in the classroom, while acquiring new skills. Demonstrated fairness is needed to make substantial changes to how teachers work together and instructional approaches. A significant change will involve giving up an approach that has been mastered and is familiar and learning a new skill. There needs to be assurance that time will be given to learn the skill and help will be provided so the teacher can gain a new competency to replace the one abandoned. If teachers aren't confident of their abilities or are unsure of expectations they may resist change even when it doesn't directly affect them.
Because of the high personal cost and risk, change isn't adopted lightly. To have a teacher change instructional approaches, three conditions must be met. First the teacher has to believe the change is necessary. Second the teacher has to be confident enough to attempt the change and third, the teacher has to believe the new approach will be effective.
To establish a desire for change in instructional methods teachers must recognize a need for change. Most teachers care about their students and use teaching methods they feel are best for them. Suggesting that student needs are not being met is a comment on the teacher's competency. If the class isn't performing well the teacher will probably be seeking help, but if the class is doing reasonably well establishing the value of change will be more difficult. This can be done in two ways, both of which rely on the professional ethics of the teacher. If there is an identifiable group of students who aren't doing well, the teacher can be asked to develop a strategy to meet those students' needs. The other approach is to examine the curriculum and compare the requirements to student learning. Deficiencies are reason to ask for changes in approach. Allowing the teacher to try to meet these needs using existing techniques establishes the need for a different approach in the teacher's mind. If the student needs can be met with current approaches, you have to ask yourself why change is needed.
Confidence to attempt change comes from respect, self respect and the respect of others. The approach to establishing a need for change respects the teachers skills and integrity. The change isn't being suggested because of lack of competence, the change is being made because expectations have been changed. Involving the teacher in defining the need and suggesting an approach to meet the need recognizes and respects the teacher's competence.
If the teacher has identified the approach as a better way to meet student needs, technical effectiveness has been established. To believe that the approach is practical the teacher needs to know that professional development opportunities are available to gain the required competencies. The teacher will also need assurance that curricular and other resources will be available to enable success. Finally the teacher will want to know that parents and the community will support the change.
Which brings up a sticky point. The teacher isn't alone in the classroom and the school isn't alone in the community. We looked at gaining the support of the teacher first, because it is a necessary condition for change. If the teacher doesn't support the change it won't happen. The parents need to understand the change and why it is being made. They will need to know that their child's learning will not be harmed and that learning can be demonstrated. Parental support gives the teacher confidence, a third party thinks the approach is reasonable. The parents can also protect the program from outside interference, since the principal can point to the parents and say they won't support altering the program. The group that never gets asked is the students. They should be involved because they have to live with the changes. In some schools students are made aware of the curricular expectations, but I have never seen a situation were students are asked how they would like to be taught. I suspect it is because deep down we know we won't like the answer.

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Need can be demonstrated in a number of ways. Principals can use professional development create a desire for change. Professional development provides an opportunity to see and explore other ways of doing things. These are important for the changes that don't directly affect student performance, but are just better ways of working together. Request from the community and survey results can lead to an examination of practice. Assessment results can be used to show a need for reorganizing the school a s well as changing instructional practice. This is particularly true if the assessment is broadened to cover all of the curricular requirements.