Promises, promises

Tom Sergiovanni's keynote at Navcon2k4 challenged educators to reconsider the organisation of schools and the role of leadership within those schools. As social organisations, Sergiovanni sees schools as communities of learners. Sergiovanni's learning community consists of teachers and learners in common fellowship of learning for the public good. Learning, which when aggregated, represents an asset—Douglas Engelbart's concept of collective IQ.

Sergiovanni made the point that the efficacy of technology enhanced learning is dependent on engaging learners—a particularly pertinent point given this was an ICT conference for schools and made more relevant by Sergiovanni reading excerpts from the previous day's Christchurch Press:

There are a lot of children who know what their rights are, but not enough who are aware that there are responsibilities that go with those rights.

Building community, with defined roles and responsibilities, is key to improving the situation according to Sergiovanni. A school's vision is at the heart of developing community and is unique, in contrast to the industrial view of organisations which suggests schools can be standardised—one vision does not fit all.

Schools who share a vision perform better than those that lack clear focus; without students connecting with their school's vision learning will not take place. Therefore teachers have a role in connecting students with that vision. Discouragingly, the longer students stay at school the weaker are their connections.

Sergiovanni stressed the importance of a vision being a working document and likened visions in action to trademarks. A trademark or brand is a narrative and it is through story that a school's vision is built and maintained. Students' voices need to be heard if they are going to engage with school. I was reminded of Steve Denning who believes strong brands are grounded in narratives:

[a brand is] a promise about what value the company will deliver to customers. It’s a promise that the company needs to keep if it wishes to enjoy the continued relationship with its customers.

Fittingly Sergiovanni concluded by asking us to make promises—promises to our students, promises to their parents.