The Master Teacher Blog

Schools perform a wide array of functions and depend on many people to accomplish them. Naturally, within this context, people develop relationships and alliances with others who may perform similar functions or share other connections. These affiliations often lead to sharing expertise, building a sense of belonging, and creating alliances.

Unfortunately, they also can lead to separation among groups. For example, some teachers may see their interests and priorities as different from administrators. Or some may perceive staff in other roles as competition. Other issues and perceptions can result in other types and levels of separation within the school.

Over time, these perceptions can solidify into an “us versus them” mentality. When this happens, communication can break down, collaboration may suffer, and identities separate. The separation often produces reduced levels of morale, increased resentment, and even burnout.

 Students, too, can suffer when adults adopt an “us versus them” mentality. Services may not be well coordinated, support may become disjointed, and learning opportunities may diminish. Of course, students are likely to sense the conflict and resentment among adults they depend on and feel torn and stressed as a result.

So, what can be done if we find that an “us versus them” mentality is developing or is already present? Fortunately, with commitment, patience, and persistence, “us versus them” thinking can be overcome. Here are six steps to get started. 

Focus on purpose, not position.

Everyone has a role to play in accomplishing the school’s mission. When the emphasis is on the goal of student success and everyone shares in the work, there are far more reasons to collaborate, partner, and support than to separate, silo, and single out. The mission of schools is multi-faceted.  Success depends on everyone’s contribution. Viewing some members or groups as “others” makes the work more difficult and less satisfying. When we realize that we are all in the work together and we need each other to fully succeed, working together becomes easier. Sharing student stories, highlighting the impact of shared efforts, and mining data for new ideas and opportunities can create energy, promote shared ownership, and mutual appreciation.

Insight: Shared purpose can create connections, energy, and mutual respect.

Invite input early and often.

Listening sessions and open discussions that are taken seriously matter, but only if what is said is considered and used to guide deliberations. Input that is invited too late in planning and decision making can fuel resentment rather than trust and support. Willingness to wrestle with difficult questions may feel risky at first, but over time, openness and dialogue can build high levels of trust and lead to better decisions.

Insight: Input matters only if it is timely taken and heeded.

Commit to decision making transparency.

Knowing the “why” behind decisions can go a long way toward creating understanding, even when not everyone agrees with the outcome. When the factors, processes, and criteria that drive decisions are shared throughout the process, much of the mystery and suspicion can be avoided. When everyone understands the objectives, constraints, and options considered, trust grows.

Insight: Transparency strengthens decision credibility.

Create cross functional teams.

Bringing varied experience and expertise to focus on problems and design new initiatives can prevent foreseeable problems, build ownership for decisions, and create longer lasting solutions. Similarly, forming teams of teachers and administrators to conduct instructional rounds followed by reflection and analysis can surface examples of excellence to build on and opportunities for improvement. Planning, celebrating, and solving problems together can dispel faulty assumptions, build mutual understanding, and lower mental walls that can get in the way.

Insight: Diverse perspectives and varied experience will open the door to new possibilities.

Engage in productive conflict.

Avoiding conflict and ignoring tension reinforces separation and undermines trust. Honesty, respect, and clarity do the opposite. Having norms and processes to deal with disagreement such as assuming positive intentions, remaining open and curious, and committing to focus on issues and ideas rather than people can help to keep conflict respectful and productive. People will not and should not always agree, but they should always feel heard and respected.

Insight: Engaging in conflict that leads to understanding is more important than finding agreement.

Make wins “we” celebrations.

“We” language can send a powerful message of collaboration and appreciation. It is not “my” staff or “my” team, it is “our” staff and “our” team. Recognizing shared achievement leads to shared identity. Think: “We solved this problem.” “We improved this process.” “And we are making a difference for students.” Success as a school always is a shared effort and accomplishment.

Insight: Shared credit builds shared identity.

Finding common ground and forming shared identities takes time. However, the benefits of everyone sharing in the mission, committing to listening, engaging in productive conflict, and building trust far outweigh the effort required.

Leadership is challenging and complex work. Easy answers and obvious solutions can be handled by almost anyone. However, when issues involve complexity, demand insight, and clear thinking, they are more likely to land in the laps of leaders. While we may have more experience than some, we do not have access to an endless supply of answers to difficult questions or solutions to every challenging problem.

Nevertheless, we can tap strategies and approaches that strengthen our thinking, help us to see options and alternatives that others may miss, and uncover solutions that otherwise might be overlooked. These leadership tools can help us to focus our thinking, flex our perspectives, and expand our search for promising options. Here are five experience-tested strategies to consider and apply when answers are not obvious and deeper thought and reflection are required.

Perspective taking.

The observation may seem obvious, but every complex situation, significant conflict, and negotiation has multiple sides and involves multiple perspectives. Unfortunately, we can become trapped in efforts to strengthen our position and improve our arguments rather than tapping the often more powerful and effective approach of understanding how the other party views the situation. More power and persuasion may make us feel better. Yet, grasping the perspective and understanding the emotional investment others bring to the circumstance can uncover options and areas of agreement that can lead to better and longer lasting solutions.

Slow looking.

Adapted from the art world, slow looking involves taking time to observe details that may not be immediately visible, stepping back to see a larger image, and shifting perspectives to observe from varying angles. We can use this approach when confronting complex situations, attempting to understand other’s intentions, and examining our reaction to what we are hearing or experiencing. When we slow down our thinking and focus on relationships, motivations, and interactions, we often can deepen our understanding and discover options and implications we might otherwise overlook.

Deep thinking.

Quick thinking has its place. However, finding answers to more difficult and complex problems requires time and focus. Discovering the best course of action is more likely to result from reflecting, examining, and questioning than seizing on the first option to surface. By setting aside time to delve beyond our immediate reactions, probe our initial emotions, and quiet our minds we can open ourselves to new insights, tap our creativity, expand our empathy, and discover novel ideas and uncover helpful options. While deep thinking requires some time commitment, it can be an effective time saver and solution generator if we practice it regularly. 

Structured reflection.

Replaying experiences and reviewing our thoughts and actions can support emotional release and generate self-justifications, but they are of little value unless they create greater clarity and lead to new insights and improved future actions. Fortunately, a simple reflection structure adapted from medical practice can provide a useful path that creates better understanding and leads to informed action. The process is driven by three questions. The first question is “What?” What happened? What did I think and feel? What else did I observe? The second question: “So what?” Probes for significance. What were the consequences? Why was the experience important? Is this something I need to correct or from which I need to learn? The final question is “What next?” This question invites action. What adjustments will we make in the future? Is there repair I need to make now? What learning will I apply when I have a similar experience in the future?

Brain breaks.

We know the value of having students take frequent breaks while engaging in challenging learning tasks. Even though active instruction or focused learning efforts cease, the brain continues to process, sequence, interpret, and store what students are learning. It happens that brain breaks are not just for young learners. When we attempt to take in large amounts of information, engage in complex problem solving, and sort through and seek the best options, taking brief breaks can give our brains time to absorb and organize information. A brief walk, stretch, or few moments of quiet time can make a significant difference in our mental processing and memory storage. Regular breaks can refresh our energy, but they can also improve our mental capacity.

Obviously, not every one of these thinking strategies apply to every problem or challenge we face. However, having access to an array of thinking approaches and strategies we can tap can give us useful options from which to choose. Also, these thinking tools are not just for leaders or confined to leadership challenges. They can be helpful when confronting almost any life circumstance that calls for more than preset processes and knee-jerk reactions.

This is a time when we often consider making resolutions for the coming year. These resolutions are aspirational, reflecting our hopes and intentions for the months ahead. Unfortunately, they are also often short-lived. Resolutions can require new skills, significant life changes, and relationship adjustments. They may even mean giving up things with which we are familiar and enjoy. Consequently, within the first month or two of the new year, most resolutions have gone by the wayside.

Nevertheless, there may be changes to make and goals to achieve in the coming year that are worth our time and effort. The key is to choose carefully, focus on what can help us make progress towards who we want to be, and be ready to follow through. Of course, it helps if our resolutions do not require significant new commitments of time, new skills, or abandonment of long practiced habits.

If this situation sounds familiar, you have good news. There are meaningful resolutions you can make that do not come with significant new time commitments but pay big dividends. They do not require new skills or new habits that would be difficult to sustain. Equally important, these resolutions offer significant and sustained benefits when practiced regularly. Consider these five options that you can start today and enjoy their benefits now and throughout the new year.

Resolution #1: I will be curious.

Curiosity is an attitude as much as a behavior. Being curious positions us to pay attention, ask questions, and explore what may be new or unique. Remaining curious can be a powerful way to help us to better understand and evaluate new ideas we encounter. Curiosity can help us build relationships with others. Curiosity can even be an effective strategy for resolving conflicts we encounter.  It can also be the door to continuous learning and growth.

Resolution #2: I will assume positive intentions.

When something unfortunate happens, we observe negative behavior, or are confused by what someone says, we have a choice to make. We might assume that someone intended to create a problem, behave badly, or their words were intended to hurt. Alternatively, we can assume that there may be more to the situation than we know and there is a legitimate reason for what someone said or did. The choice may matter more than we realize. When we assume negative intentions, we search for responsibility and blame. The result too often is unproductive, negative, and hurtful. When we learn the full story, we may even find ourselves apologizing for what we assumed. Assuming positive intentions, on the other hand, allows us to explore and gain understanding before deciding what to think and how to respond. Assuming positive intentions builds trust and promotes understanding—two helpful connections for the coming year.

Resolution #3: I will notice and celebrate small wins.

Small wins happen around us more often than we might realize—unless we are paying attention. In the aftermath of a resolved problem, a settled conflict, or completed task, we might quickly turn to the next issue or challenge and move on. Yet, small wins can be the fuel that keeps our energy flowing and our spirits high. Further, when we notice and celebrate small wins, they can grow and become much larger wins. Small wins can be momentum builders and confidence reinforcers. They are worth noticing and celebrating.

Resolution #4: I will be grateful.

Much like noticing and celebrating small wins, paying attention to what we should be grateful for and appreciating people who are important to us can be a powerful counterweight to what might otherwise drag us down. Incorporating gratitude into daily or weekly journaling, reflecting as we begin or end the day, or purposefully sharing gratitude in our conversations can make a surprisingly positive difference in our attitude and how we experience life. Reflecting on what is good in our lives and being thankful for people who support and love us does not have to be time consuming, but it can be life renewing.

Resolution #5: I will practice work-life balance.

There is almost always more work that could be done. We might do more planning. We might rework or tweak a project, or maybe just worry about a colleague or student. The list could go on. Finding work-life balance can become more of an art than science. But placing reasonable boundaries around work hours, setting priorities, taking regular breaks, and protecting time for family, recreation, and other personal activities can be the key to sustaining our energy, remaining motivated, and maintaining our sanity.

While these resolutions do not ask us to change major elements of our lives, they yield the greatest results when practiced regularly. With just a few weeks of practice, they can shift how we engage with others, shape our attitudes, and improve how we experience life.

Metaphors can be powerful tools for communicating and creating understanding. Part of their charm and utility is that they can help us to see limitations and imagine alternatives, a safe and inviting way to articulate the case for change and suggest possible options. With this context in mind, let's consider the metaphor of a typewriter to help us see how the design of our educational system might be holding us back from what we need. It might also help us to rethink the design in useful ways.

Consider that the typewriter was an amazing innovation in its time. The work of the traditional typesetter immediately became available to anyone with access to the machine. Professional printing was no longer the purview of a few highly skilled individuals. Similarly, the emergence of our public education system created access to learning opportunities that previously have been confined to the wealthy and privileged. However, while access remains important, access alone is not adequate to prepare students for their futures.

Rethink opportunity: How can we assure that every student has access to rich learning opportunities and support and is challenged to move their learning to ever higher levels and deeper understanding?

The typewriter provided precision in type and uniformity in presentation. Our education system, too, was designed to create uniformity and precision in teaching and learning. Schools were charged with preparing students for a predictable future and a stable economy that, for most graduates, required a relatively narrow set of minimal skills. Yet, today’s world demands creativity, innovation, and flexibility; skills difficult to foster in a standardized and compliance-based design.

Rethink opportunity: How might we design more opportunities for flexibility, variety, and diversity in learning experiences?

Typewriters were designed for use in isolation. A single person developed a single product following a set approach. Similarly, our schools were designed for learning to occur in a predetermined sequence, largely disconnected from application and devoid of collaboration. Meanwhile, today’s workplace values networks, shared creativity, and instant communication.

Rethink opportunity: How can we create learning environments that encourage collaboration, celebrate connections, and nurture learning networks?

Typewriters were not tolerant of mistakes or changes. Even minor errors in keystrokes required retyping or covering with “whiteout.” Changes to content typically meant starting over. The design of our educational system does not accommodate mistakes very well. Instruction is intended to keep moving forward. Mistakes are treated as interruptions and malfunctions rather than naturally occurring aspects of learning. Terms such as “remediation” imply having to fix learners rather than accepting and addressing errors and mistakes as important components of learning.

Rethink opportunity: How can we create opportunities for mistakes and errors to be celebrated as part of learning processes and utilized to accelerate understanding and deepen insights?

Typewriters immediately increased the productivity of office workers. Tasks that previously took excessive time and care became far less time intensive. However, we would not expect workers to meet workplace expectations today while relying on a typewriter to generate the volume and variety of products we take for granted. Yet, educators are expected to follow and rely on a system design that has changed relatively little since its creation in the late 1800’s. There should be little wonder about why schools often do not produce the results expected and needed in today’s world.

Rethink opportunity: How can we harness today’s technology tools to support greater productivity without adding excessive pressure and workloads?

Typewriters offer feelings of nostalgia for many people. The sounds of clicking keys and the bell of a return carriage can conjure familiar memories and reminders of simpler, less complicated times. The structures and schedules and the compliance and fact-focused curriculum of traditional schools can feel familiar, predictable, and even reassuring. However, the world for which today’s schools are challenged to prepare students will demand flexibility, collaboration, curiosity, imagination, and innovation; features traditional schooling was not designed to foster.

Rethink opportunity: How can schools evolve to encourage more curiosity, greater collaboration, expanded creativity, and richer imagination? 

The invention of the typewriter represented a major step forward in printing and the design of our education system opened the door to major advances in learning. However, much like the typewriter of yesteryear, our thinking and approaches to learning need to evolve and respond to new opportunities and the demands our students will face in life and work.

American Education Week is a time set aside to recognize and celebrate the commitment and contributions of the educators who teach and nurture our youth. These are the people who prepare the citizens and workers who will contribute to our economy, preserve our society, and lead our nation in the coming decades. For these reasons and innumerable others, educators are worth celebrating.

Yet, it seems fair to say that most educators today do not feel as though they are seen as celebrated heroes. Hardly a day passes without media reports on how students and schools are underperforming. Educators are singled out for not correcting societal ills that originate in contexts beyond their control, often in families, communities, and even in broader society. Educators are expected to counter calculated strategies to students who are addicted to social media, compete with powerful and rapidly changing technologies, and respond to conflicting visions of how schools should operate and what schools and education should accomplish. Meanwhile, educators are asked to perform with inadequate resources and support, engage students who are distracted and disinterested, and prepare students for a future that is uncertain and constantly evolving.

While this picture may sound discouraging, it ignores the amazing tasks educators perform, the unwavering resilience they demonstrate, and powerful and lasting influence they have on the students they teach. If we silence the noise and consider the work of educators at an individual level—where the work of learning, growing, and developing happens—we can see a different picture. Despite the lack of clarity, inconsistent expectations, and inadequate support, educators are doing crucial work on behalf of our society, and this work should be celebrated, not just criticized.  

Consider that every day educators engage in the work of:

• Building human capital. Educators spend their days nurturing new skills, building confidence, and instilling hope. They inspire students to see more possibilities in themselves than they can imagine. Educators are shaping young minds and spirits into confident learners and capable citizens.
• Creating safe harbors of caring. Students often face incredible life challenges and suffer from deep emotional wounds. Educators administer kindness, care, and attention for students who desperately need support, and create spaces where students can risk, fail, grow, and try again.
• Protecting opportunities for all. Educators often are the only advocates that students can consistently depend on. Educators are champions for students who otherwise may be ignored. They ensure students receive the support they need to succeed regardless of background and experience.
• Creating future possibilities. The foundation of learning that educators build today will be the support that opens doors to every profession, career, and service today’s students will pursue and that every community depends on.
• Nurturing tolerance and civility. Teaching students to listen, respect, and consider the perspectives of others, resolve conflicts through peaceful dialogue and understanding, and accept others who may not share the same culture and life experiences are crucial tasks for educators and are building blocks for a healthy, safe, and sustainable society.
• Sustaining democracy. Educators are among the few professions that are charged with and work diligently to instill respect for and understanding of the importance of our democracy. Teaching critical thinking, nurturing reasoning, and building an understanding of the structures and functions of our government are crucial to the success and sustainability of our society.
• Providing positive role models. Educators are daily models for students to observe, learn from, and emulate. For many students, they may be the only positive, consistent role models they have. The perseverance, integrity, curiosity, confidence, courage, and commitment of educators can be the inspiration students need to see what is possible and instill the hope that is necessary to make it reality.

Obviously, challenges remain and we always need to do better. However, educators should be considered heroes, not villains. They should be honored, encouraged, supported, and given credit for the crucial work they do.

We might think of resilience as the ability to tolerate and survive adversity. Finding our way through difficult times is important. However, framing resilience as just getting by can lead us to ignore important dimensions and opportunities often found in adverse and challenging circumstances whether we are a teacher, administrator, or other member of the school team.

Resilience does not have to be a means to get past or get through difficult experiences. It can be the strategy we use to transform how we see our circumstances, discover opportunities within adversity, and a means to resurface with even more confidence and competence as a person and as a professional.

Rather than seeing resilience as solely the capacity to respond, we might think of it as a strategy for reframing our thinking and choosing our response. In fact, we might think of resilience as powered by four factors over which we have control, attitude, gratitude, fortitude, and aptitude. Let’s unpack these four factors and examine how they can shift our thinking and empower us to come back stronger after negative experiences, challenging circumstances, or adverse conditions.

Our attitude empowers our resilience. Attitude is a choice. It is the mindset we bring to life’s challenges. Our attitude is our interpretation of what we face and the story we tell ourselves about what is real and what is possible. When we choose a positive, “can do” attitude we do not deny difficulty. Instead, we open the possibility for growth and opportunity. Our attitude can be the difference between what we see as a dead end and what we perceive as a temporary detour. Our attitude can reframe the setbacks we experience as problems to solve and lessons to learn rather than personal or professional failures.

Our gratitude grounds our resilience. Gratitude helps us to appreciate what we have even when we may not have or be experiencing what we want. Gratitude helps us to remain balanced when not everything is going our way. Gratitude supports and preserves our relationships despite pressure and strain. When we are grateful, we can find silver linings in the face of difficulty without being naïve or dismissing the difficulties we confront. Gratitude helps us to maintain hope and prepares us to bounce back as circumstances change.

Our fortitude drives our resilience. Fortitude is the grit to act despite difficulty. Fortitude is the willpower to persist despite pressure, barriers, and setbacks. Fortitude keeps us going when our motivation dips and our energy ebbs. Fortitude can be as simple as deciding to keep walking and working despite the detours and distractions we face. Fortitude is focusing on next steps and doable actions that will move us forward, even if it is a small amount.

Our aptitude defines and draws on the skills we need to build our resilience. Resilience is not just an emotional response. Resilience involves gaining an objective understanding. Resilience is solving problems and finding answers. Resilience is leveraging our strengths, being smart in the effort and strategies we deploy, and accessing the resources available to us. Resilience is made up of skills we can learn and hone. Difficult times can be rich opportunities for learning, skill-building, and practice. Our aptitude for resilience is built on knowing ourselves, building our confidence, and honing our competence.

We can choose to see hope and possibility in the circumstances we face. We can continue to appreciate what we have even when what we want may be difficult to achieve. We can choose to act and persist even when circumstances challenge us. And we can use the adversity we face to define the skills we need, build the capacity to succeed, and emerge stronger, wiser, and ready to lead.

We know that the choices our students make about who they’re friends with matter. Students who spend most of their time with peers who value learning, achieving, and succeeding do better in school. For example, students who join athletic teams, participate in the arts, and join other purpose-driven groups tend to misbehave less and succeed more in academics. Similarly, students who spend most of their time with others who expect to graduate also graduate at higher rates themselves. Likewise, students whose friends plan to go on to higher education have a higher rate of participation in formal education after high school.

However, the influence of social networks is not confined to young people. It turns out that the people we spend time with as adults—our friends, colleagues, and associates—also tend to have a significant impact on our sense of well-being, our productivity, our level of motivation, and even our character. For example, a recent study found that workers who are surrounded with high performers experienced an increase of 15% in their productivity. Attitudes and behaviors such as curiosity, innovation, and motivation have a “spillover effect.”

Surrounding ourselves and spending significant time with positive people, high achievers, and action-oriented individuals can also have a significant impact on our attitude. We tend to feel better more often when the people around us are optimistic, take action to make things better, and show resilience in the face of challenges.

Of course, we cannot always choose those with whom we work and occasionally must spend time. Nevertheless, we can choose to minimize social and unstructured time with negative, pessimistic, and otherwise toxic people. When we must spend time with such people, we can consciously resist being dragged down, depressed, or otherwise influenced by them. Just being aware of the potential to be influenced can provide significant immunization from their impact.

Each of us has networks of people around us. We may have social networks formed by commonalities like the same workplace or field, or we may have networks based on our faith or religion to feed and renew our faith and spirituality. We may even be part of other networks that meet a need, feed an interest, or serve another purpose for us. Each of these associations plays a role in our lives and can have an influence on our happiness, satisfaction, sense of belonging, and self-worth.

There is yet another type of network to consider if we are not already part of one. This network is comprised of people we admire, people who are high achievers in an area of interest or aspiration and who can serve as models to emulate. Our commitment to and participation in this network can play a determinative role in our career success or in other areas of importance to us. When choosing or building this kind of network, there are several factors to prioritize so we can embrace its “spillover effect.” Here are factors to consider in our search:

• Look for thought leaders who provide access to valuable ideas, perspectives, and insights.
• Look for models of mindsets and patterns of behavior that lead to success.
• Pay attention to curious mindsets, innovative approaches, and novel thinking.
• Search for people who are energized by exploring and embracing ideas.
• Seek out skilled, interested listeners who invite your ideas and will provide thoughtful feedback.
• Find people who inspire and challenge your thinking.
• Embrace opportunities to share your knowledge and expertise.

It may be challenging to find or form a network that includes all these features. Just know that the more exposure to and engagement you have with sources of possibility, the greater impact it will have on your thinking, aspirations, performance, and overall satisfaction.

References:

Housman, M., & Minor, D. (June 2016). Workplace design: The good, the bad, and the productive. Harvard Business School. https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/16-147_c672567d-9ba2-45c1-9d72-ea7fa58252ab.pdf

Corsello, J., & Minor, D. (2017, February 14). Want to be more productive? Sit next to someone who is. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2017/02/want-to-be-more-productive-sit-next-to-someone-who-is

Grades play a crucial role in today’s educational world and students’ educational experience. The general perception is that grades are intended to report students’ academic performance, but many people include in grade calculations information such as participation, extra credit, and other behaviors that are not direct contributors to or reflective of learning. Most people are familiar with the traditional A-F grading system, but even cursory examination reveals multiple shortcomings in its application and ability to communicate the whole picture.

Most experts advise that we need a better way to communicate the nature, amount, and quality of student learning. We need a reporting system that tells those who depend on it the story of what they want and need to know. However, there remains considerable confusion and debate regarding what story grades should tell.

It makes little sense to try and change the current system without having considered the ways in which what we do now falls short and what features would make a new system more effective. Before making any changes, we need to gain greater clarity about what a system for reporting on learning should be able to communicate. Once we know what we need, we can decide how best to shape the system. Of course, this conversation needs to include a full range of stakeholders if we hope to achieve understanding of the need and create support for any change. Here are seven questions to start our reflection and discussion:

• Should grades reflect a student’s learning journey or just their knowledge end point?
• Is it fair for a student who already knows much of what we are teaching to receive a higher grade than a student who began the current unit knowing little and having few related skills but who gave maximum effort and made huge progress throughout the unit?
• If you were to hire someone, would you rather understand what they know or how able and motivated they are to learn?
• Should grades reflect students’ ability to apply what they have learned, or is it enough to show that they can recite, repeat, or record what they were taught?
• Should grades reflect the knowledge and skills students are able to retain or just concept and skills they know at the conclusion of instruction?
• In what ways does the dominant A-F grading system fall short in giving intended audiences enough information to determine what students know and can do?
• What features would you include in a perfect grading system?

Around this time last year, we posted an article regarding the debate invited by the first question asked above (Debate: Should Grades Reflect What Students Learn or What They Know?), and we heard varied responses from our followers. Regardless of where you align on that topic, though, notice how that question is one of many—and more that are not listed.

If, in the end, we might conclude that no single grading system can meet all the needs we identify, we may need to create multiple reporting mechanisms. If this is where we find ourselves, what might those reporting tools look like and do? And what stories would they tell?

These are times that demand flexibility and insight. Much of what we have assumed about our work and those who we seek to nurture and teach has changed and will continue to change. We need to be alert to what is shifting, what is enduring, and how we can position ourselves, our focus, and our skills to achieve success while sustaining our energy and sanity.

We know that adaptability is a key to survival in a changing and often unpredictable environment. Adaptability helps us to be versatile, stay resilient, and manage stress, and it prepares us to embrace change rather than fear or fight it.

However, adaptability has its primary focus on change that is already occurring. It is already here, and it demands an immediate response. While important to how we will choose to respond, adaptability does not anticipate, prepare for, and attempt to shape the future.

Because life is unpredictable, we cannot always wait to face the need for change before we decide how best to respond. We need to be able to move from a position of reacting to a more proactive approach. Experts describe this shift as moving from adaptation to agility.

Agility shifts our thinking and behavior from responding to change to anticipation and proactivity. Agility involves imagining the future and preparing to embrace, adjust, and shape what lies ahead. In an age of emerging artificial intelligence, shifting expectations of educators and education, and evolving opportunities to innovate, agility represents the next-level skill that can position us to shape our future and open new doors to success.

In future-focused leadership circles, agility is often referred to as “prospection.” Prospection is the practice of looking ahead, imagining possible scenarios, designing strategies, and taking purposeful, insightful actions. Let’s consider how agility and the practice of prospection might be useful to our thinking and practice in small and large applications.

First, we can practice agility by considering the chemistry and personality makeup of our classes and anticipating where there may be common interests, conflicting characteristics, and cautions to be observed. We can plan activities, design learning experiences, and shape interactions to maximize positive collective energy and build a strong community. Of course, our agility is the secret to smooth, successful, sustained classroom management.

Second, we might practice prospection by exploring emerging technologies, examining innovative instructional strategies, and identifying accelerated learning approaches. These elements can be woven into new learning experiences and supports for students, especially learners who struggle with traditional teaching practices and learning tools. Our agility can prepare learning paths that help all students find success.

Third, we can explore future-focused knowledge and enduring skills our students will need to be successful in learning and life. Armed with these insights, we might design our instructional strategies and shift our assessment focus to include crucial competencies students will need to rely on long after they leave us. Of course, we need to share timely information and credible implications with students and families to help them to understand the importance and utility of such a shift. Our agility can shape learning experiences that serve students for life.

Fourth, we need to consider our learners’ needs to provide the agile leadership and the technological and instructional skills necessary to understand, articulate, and advocate for necessary change. Embracing the future and practicing agility will demand new policy prospectives and flexible practice allowances. Our insight, agility, and advocacy will be crucial to realizing significant system changes.

Without question, we need to be ready and quick to adapt as needs evolve, expectations change, and required skills shift. However, we also must remain focused on the future and agile in anticipating what will be needed, remaining open to innovative ideas and perspectives, and ready to design strategies to shape what lies ahead.