Action Plan

These are two action  I created for Kentridge High School to address areas of need in communication and collaboration. Some context is given about the school and it is evaluated using OSPI’s 9 Characteristics of Effective Schools. This is the culminating assignment for a class on collaboration and communication.

Ryan West- Action Plan

The Right Friends

Parents and teachers often tell students to choose their friends wisely. They understand how much influence friends have over people and the importance of surrounding yourself with those who share similar morals. Teachers would do well to follow their own advice.

The main theme in this course has been the importance of collaboration. Most teachers collaborate informally and without any protocols or guidelines. These relationships can result in improved teaching and student learning but they are not as productive as they could be. Any veteran teacher will affirm the importance of good friends in your school building. This support system is necessary in a profession which can be very demanding and isolating. When it comes to collaboration however, more is needed. These informal relationships lack the necessary framework and protocols which can make them extremely productive.

Critical Friends Groups (CFGs) and Lesson Study Groups (LSGs) are two examples of these friends. Both consist of a larger group of teachers, 10 or so in most cases, from a variety of grades and disciplines. The goal is to provide honest, useful feedback in a supportive setting. The goal is to help each other improve as teachers thereby improving student learning. The protocols for these groups make them a safe place to discuss the classroom.

Friends at school are important to maintain the sanity of teachers but CFGs and LSGs  can help teachers grow as professionals in a safe environment. If teachers want to participate in true collaboration, both groups of friends are necessary.