In a recent planning session with school district leaders, we delved into the agenda and slides for upcoming work sessions focused on developing Portrait of a Learner progressions. When reviewing the agendas and slides for the second and third work sessions, one of the leaders asked about the purpose of continuously revisiting the “why” and “how” during participant activities and experiences, even after the initial work session. I loved this question!
As a facilitative leader, I have found that continuously incorporating the "why" and "how" is crucial when working on the "what." It's easy to get caught up in the creation of tools and resources, but it's the underlying purpose and methodology that give these tools their true impact. Keeping the focus for why we are doing something at the forefront of team members' minds is a way to cultivate collective action. Additionally, each person’s responsibility is less about accountability and more about ownership due to the “why” helping us to stay focused on what we are aiming to accomplish together.
Use Key Questions as a Way to Keep the “Why” and “How” Visible
To keep these essential elements at the forefront, I posed two key questions in the agendas and slides:
WHY: What is the purpose for having grade-level band progressions?
HOW: How will the progressions help to prepare students for today’s world? How will they change learning, teaching, leadership, and parent and community support in our district?
How Continuously Revisiting the “Why” and “How” Helps Leaders and Teams
As a facilitative leader, I am explicit about the importance of revisiting the "why" and "how" with team members because it ensures that our focus remains on the intended impact of our work (evidence of impact), not just the completion of tasks (evidence of implementation). This approach helps to:
Clarify Purpose: Reiterating the "why" keeps everyone aligned with the fundamental reasons behind our efforts. In this case, it reminds us of the purpose for having grade-level band progressions and ensures that we are all working towards a common goal.
Guide Instructional Practice: Emphasizing the "how" helps us understand the mechanisms through which our efforts will make a difference. For example, it prompts us to think critically about how the grade-level progressions will prepare students for today’s world by supporting educators in designing and facilitating learning experiences that bring the Portrait of a Learner competencies to life inside and outside of the classroom.
Foster Engagement: Continuously revisiting these questions keeps team members engaged and motivated. It encourages them to think beyond the immediate task at hand and consider the broader implications of their work.
Evidence of Impact: By focusing on the "why" and "how," we shift our attention towards evidence of impact rather than just evidence of implementation. This means looking for tangible outcomes and meaningful changes resulting from our efforts, rather than merely checking off completed tasks.
Intention in Action
By embedding this practice in our facilitation process, we cultivate a culture of intentionality and purpose, helping leaders and teams stay aligned and focused on what truly matters. In this specific case, continuously revisiting the "why" and "how" ensures that the Portrait of a Learner progressions guide educators in supporting students towards holistic development and success. It's about creating tools that are not just functional, but transformational, driving meaningful change and lasting impact.
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