Organizational Change Strategy
In the past five weeks, I have had an opportunity to explore and build solid steps to address the inevitable resistance to change when attempting to implement blended learning models in Special Education units in Garland ISD, teeming with digital learning opportunities for students.
It will require courage, persistence, and all stakeholders give and take. However, I am confident that with my plan outlined below, our staff and students will reap the benefits of the innovation to transform our Special Education units.
It helps establish a sense of urgency and explains the primary reasons to implement my change - blended learning in our Special Education units. It explains my beliefs about how we can positively change our students' performance.
The Influencer model allowed me to reevaluate my desired result and identify vital behaviors that must take place in order for us to be successful with the innovating plan. The Six Sources of Influence proved to be a powerful model that required us to analyze our personal, social, and structural environments.
The 4DX Strategy Plan addresses the key actions of the five stages of change to execute the blended learning models successfully.
It is crucial to hold the essential conversations, execute and measure the goals, and address the vital behaviors that will be my ability to step forward while regulating my anxieties courageously. Becoming a confident differentiated leader is my key to success.
4DX Strategy Plan
One of the biggest issues with Special Education students is to keep them engaged in the learning process. I propose a pilot program to develop a special education behavior classroom curriculum by implementing the blended learning models at Garland ISD. This pilot program will focus entirely on a blended learning model environment. My innovation plan explained the significant reasons and benefits of developing my blended learning project in the 2022-2023 school year. The next step to successfully implementing and running our innovation plan is designing and creating an execution plan.
The 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX) is a methodology that helps organizations close the execution gap. I have developed an innovation plan found our primary sources of influence, and now I am ready to create an execution strategy. I will now create a project using The 4 Disciplines of Execution paired with the five stages of change set forth by McChesney, Covey, and Huling (2012) to assist my colleagues and me in achieving a Wildly Important Goal (WIG).
Stage 1 Getting Clear
This is where we lay the foundational groundwork for our execution. During this stage, we will commit to each other as a team to ensure success. We will develop our wildly important goal to understand our lead and lag measures. We begin to keep a scoreboard to track our success and commit to weekly meetings. From here, we are ready to proceed.
Disciple 1 Focus on the WIG
We must ask ourselves: what is our overall goal concerning implementing blended learning models? There are many areas we can address. However, it is recommended to "focus your finest effort on the one or two goals that will make all the difference, instead of giving mediocre effort to dozens of goals" (Covey, McChesney, & Huling, 2012, p. 23).
Our WIG will be to "Increase student engagement and improve their academic performance through blended learning by 50% at the end of the 22-23 school yea."
Disciple 2 Act on Lead Measures
For implementing our blended learning plan, we need to control the executions. We can track through lead and lag measures; these measures will give us an idea of how we progress towards the WIG. The lead measures are more challenging than the lag measure to launch because they can be challenging to define. The lead measures are the actions that make the lag measure happen, “the how” that needs to take place to accomplish the lag goal. Lead measures are the “secret of excellence in execution” (McChesney, Covey, & Huling, 2012, p. 136).
Lead: Teachers will check in with their teacher’s teammates weekly to solve potential problems for that week.
Lead: Students will complete a survey to identify their interest in learning weekly.
Lead: Each teacher will create a student’s progress on the Educational Apps datasheet to share online.
Lag: Teachers will include the blended learning models in a daily lesson plan.
Disciple 3 Keep a Compelling Score
“People give less than their best and finest effort if no one is keeping score---it’s just human nature” (McChesney, Covey, & Huling, 2012). One of the most important things that will need to be done is to create a way to show my colleagues if we are meeting our goals or not. This will be done by creating a scoreboard. We need to make our scoreboard user-friendly so our teammates can easily understand the information presented, and it needs to be posted online where everyone has access to it. The scoreboard needs to identify the lead and lag measures correctly, so everyone knows what they need to be working on at all times, and it needs to be easily adjustable to update our progress.
By doing this digital scoreboard, the elective teachers can see their progress, support each other and hold themselves accountable for their progress and learning.
The scoreboard will be updated weekly by calculating the lag measures.
Disciple 4 Create a Cadence of Accountability
Weekly meetings with teachers about best-blended classroom learning practices, updating the scoreboard, and discussing needed improvements to WIG or lead and lag measures. The meetings can be done synchronously via Zoom or face-to-face. When meeting as an innovative team, they will celebrate their successes. This will allow them to hold themselves accountable. The goal is for the team to design their own weekly goals and support each other at achieving them.
Stage 2 Launch
This next stage is where we get everyone rolling toward our WIG. Extensive engagement, collaboration, and motivation from the start will help steer the team in the right direction. I plan to hold a kickoff meeting to get everyone excited and on the same page.
Hold a formal kickoff meeting and launch our WIG into action
Be a model of focus on the WIG
Intense involvement from leaders during this stage
We must identify those struggling with 4DX, embracing it and resisting it.
Stage 3 Adoption
We should be getting into our groove in this next stage by using blended learning with our teams. Although the process takes time, we must focus on the results and honor our commitments. We must also promote a culture of transparency. Those who were initial skeptics will start to see the benefits of our change and be won over. We will continue to meet weekly to track the scoreboard and march towards complete buy-in.
Build better bonds between team members and use blended learning methods.
Adjust when needed
Make adjustments to WIG and measures as required.
Review the scoreboard and learn from successes and failures
Stage 4 Optimization
In this stage, teachers will have been able to shift their mindset in the realization that these results have made a difference in students’ lives (McChesny, Covey, & Huling, 2012). At this stage, we should know if we are succeeding at our inventing plan and what we need to fix. Our implementation should be purposeful and effective at this point. We will evaluate our scoreboard regularly, and if we are lacking on anything, we will make necessary adjustments.
Celebrate those who are creatively achieving new standards and goals and trying new ideas.
Recognize creative ideas, excellence, and future models
Celebrate and acknowledge success and victories.
Recognize when the potentials start performing like the models.
Stage 5 Habits
By the end of the 2022– 2023 school year, we will accomplish our WIG using the 4DX execution strategy. We will have a more precise understanding of the execution process through the successful implementation of blended learning models in classrooms. All the hard work culminates with this final stage. “When 4DX becomes habitual, you can expect not only to reach the goal but also to see a permanent rise in the level of your team’s performance” (McChesney, Covey, & Huling, 2016, p. 112). This is the point where we hope to see more than just behavioral changes; we are striving to see a cultural shift to excellent execution.
Create a culture of excellence
Celebrate the achievements made during this process
Start work on new WIG
The Influencer Model and the 4DX Strategy
The Influencer Model is driven by six sources of influence that affect a person’s behavior, determining if a change in the organization will happen. The six sources of influence that an organization must identify are personal, social, and structure, in two categories which are motivation and ability. “At the end of the day, what qualifies people to be called “leaders” is their capacity to influence others to change their behavior to achieve important results” (Patternson & Grenny, 2013).
The 4DX strategy is very different in its approach to implementing change. This strategy takes a more direct approach to change; team members are all expected to buy into the strategy and execute. It also stresses the importance of collaboration and accountability in working together and moving forward.
Both use small teams, which helps keep people motivated and focused on a few goals to ensure success. Because of their similarities and differences, 4DX and the influencer model can be used together as a method to bring blended learning to our schools. I will use parts of both models in my implementation.
References
Grenny, J., Patterson, K., Maxfield, D., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2013). Influencer: The new science of leading change: 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
McChesney, C., Covey, S., & Huling, J. (2012). The four disciplines of execution: Achieving your wildly important goals. New York, NY: Free Press.
Influencer Strategy
Change vital behavior for implementing Blended learning in Special Education Units GISD.
Results I want to achieve
The desired result is implementing the blended learning model in the Special education Behavior Adjustment units (SPED BA) in Garland ISD for the year 2022-2023 to increase students' engagement in learning and improve academic performance.
2. Vital behavior(s) I am trying to change:
-Plan and implement professional development training for best-blended learning practices for SPED BA teachers.
-SPED BA teachers develop lesson plans utilizing blended learning approaches
-During monthly meetings with the Special Education department the discussion will focus on student achievement.
3. Who are organizational influencers in Garland ISD?
-Principals with SPED BA Units
-Special education department leaders
-Digital learning leaders
-SPED BA Units teachers
4. Measuring
-Weekly online meetings with BA teachers to review lesson plans and discuss current issues and achievements with the blended learning models. At each meeting, all teachers will conclude the needed adjustments for their lesson plans.
- A monthly report is shared with Digital learning leaders and Special Education department representatives to observe the results of learning from edtech apps (such as Imagine Learning, Imagine Math, Education Galaxy, My own, etc.)
-At the end of each semester, a survey is given to students about what they are interested in learning.
4 Key Strategies
1. NOTICE THE OBVIOUS
To achieve success with blended learning models, it is evident that teachers must know how to include these models correctly. These essential skills should be trained during Professional Development sessions for BA teachers before starting a new school year. On that sessions. Instructional support staff should provide exemplar lesson plans by implementing various blended learning models based on students’ needs.
Planning and organization management are essential tools in accomplishing the goals and objectives of implementing blended learning toward increasing BA students’ engagement. A good organization should bring the plan into existence. After proper teacher organization of set goals and objectives, blended learning can engage BA students in the classroom assignments. Teacher planning and organization processes involve a group effort, aims at accomplishing goals, and administration with the Special Education department is a requisite at all levels.
2. LOOK FOR CRUCIAL MOMENTS
Timing is crucial, so in monthly meetings, we will examine formative, benchmark, and informative progress data before meetings to define the type of the most successful assignment for students. Using information gained from the data reviewed by administrators and teachers will ensure that a clear purpose for each meeting is established and teachers are ready to collaborate on high student engagement. Teachers will be asked to share authentic student products to demonstrate the process for analyzing student work to determine engagement progress. Teachers will experience the importance of constantly tackling the most crucial blended learning challenges through collaborative sharing and exploring.
Administrators should use this crucial moment to encourage SPED teachers to implement blended learning daily and track progress data weekly.
SPED BA teachers from different units should talk or chat during their conference time. They use it to bounce ideas off each other.
3. LEARN FROM POSITIVE DEVIANTS
As the level of engagement increases for BA students, school districts are learning the importance of designing and implementing blended learning around the personalized needs of every student. We must engage with positive deviants who are always searching, exploring, and discovering the next great idea. Since my focus is on building a supportive environment for blended learning, I am using a community-driven approach of ensuring our great thinkers and innovators are at the table sharing new ideas, behaviors, and strategies to develop a plan of action to promote blended learning toward high engagement level for BA students.
4. SPOT CULTURE BUSTERS
Great educators must always step out on faith and lead by example. Leadership is about influence, and you can’t lead without inspiration. When educators lead by example, others will enthusiastically follow along the path of success. This change to blended learning requires educators to act responsibly, be honest, and brave by only taking planned risks that demonstrate commitment to the larger purpose of high engagement level for BA students. As change improves, persistence will be necessary to show that obstacles don’t propel a negative mindset. Instead, change agents will seek to understand and encourage an atmosphere where everyone focuses on their core strengths and pursuing outcomes.
Whats Your Why
“Very very few people or organizations know why they do what they do—and by why, I don’t mean to make a profit—that’s a result, it’s always a result. By why I mean what’s your purpose? What’s your cause? What’s your belief? Why does your organization exist? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? And why should anyone care?” Simon Sinek (2009). This quote is stuck in my mind, and I go over it many times. Simon Sinek raised an excellent question at his TED talk lecture, and it can be related to any field, including our educational sphere. It is crucial to know the actual purpose of starting a change. The core why can be easily hidden through daily teaching stressful routines. That is why it is essential to acknowledge your purpose of teaching and your intention to change one’s teaching style. As educators, we need to adapt to new situations and environments as our students also change with an ever-growing smaller world. We can’t stay in the past, and we must implement new teaching strategies and methods that engage students to their full potential.
Why
We believe that students have unlimited possibilities to enhance their learning skills with well-trained educators who have open minds, hearts, creativity, modern approaches, and research-based teaching skills.
How
We will implement blended learning in order to give our students choice, ownership, and voice, through a flexible and engaging curriculum via learning activities.
What
We will prepare students for real-life world challenges, and they can apply their life-long learner skills throughout their adult lives.
The successful way for creating and leading change is speaking to the heart. Both thoughts and feelings need to be shifted to make the change effective. Change is 60% heart and 40% mind (Kotter, 2011). Therefore, besides providing rational informative facts for stakeholders at a school district to launch the change, we should make them feel the necessity for the change. Unfortunately, you can talk about how you want to create change in your organization. Still, it will serve no purpose until your audience changes. This changes their behavior to become proactive. This is where you have to lower the level of complacency in your organization by not stating the facts but your truth, your personal truth (Asacker, 2014). We should start from ourselves, change our behavior, and approach studying these methods. We should get to our students’ emotions to influence them to take their education into their hands. In order to do so, the teacher should become a role model for students. To show them how to use blended learning to enhance curiosity and eventually improve academic performance.
The first step to change is to create a sense of urgency. Creating a sense of urgency builds a foundation for change (Kotter, 2013). People tend to react and act more actively if they know it’s urgent. We must move to a blended learning approach that allows students to take ownership of their learning. Students will learn at their own pace and have the choice and possibility to explore the world. They will collaborate with peers, teachers, and experts to make sense of concepts and create solutions to everyday problems. We should be “flipping the curriculum,” inverting our focus from information and knowledge into expertise and transfer.
Lastly, time is running out, but luckily, we know how to redesign curriculum and study approaches. We need only the vision and courage to do so.
References
Asacker, T. (2014, June 30). Why TED Talks don't change people's behaviors: Tom Asacker at TEDxCambridge 2014. YouTube. Retrieved January 18, 2022, from https://youtu.be/W0jTZ-GP0N4
Kotter, J. (2011, March 23). John Kotter - the heart of change. YouTube. Retrieved January 18, 2022, from https://youtu.be/1NKti9MyAAw
Kotter, J. (2013, August 15). Leading change: Establish a sense of urgency. YouTube. Retrieved January 18, 2022, from https://youtu.be/2Yfrj2Y9IlI
Sinek, S. (2009, September 28). Start with why -- how great leaders inspire action: Simon Sinek: Tedxpugetsound. YouTube. Retrieved January 18, 2022, from https://youtu.be/u4ZoJKF_VuA