Do you Believe?
We know that educators have a tough job; no doubt about that. But given what’s gone on in the last couple of years have you changed? We see more educator burnout, chronic stress, and depression. These often lead to health issues or even quitting a job. But what’s really at the root of these issues? Were you willing to embrace completely new models in health, lifestyle, and learning? Or did you fight them all the way?
You’re about to read an unbelievable story about a school… and it’s all true. When you’re done reading, ask yourself, “Am I still the optimistic educator that I started out being years ago, or have I pretty much given up?” Keep reading…
Background
First, here’s the necessary backstory. Some years ago, this high school of 2,000+ students was a case study in failure. Over 75% of the students got failing marks in math classes, and over 40% were failing reading. The staff narrative around the school was, “Students have a right to fail if they want.” At that time, about 1/3 of students from each graduating class dropped out. An unforgivable lack of student progress prompted a threat by the state to shut the school down if they did not improve in one year. Many teachers were going to lose their jobs. So, did anything change? Some looked for jobs elsewhere. What would you have done?
Early that summer, one courageous staff member and a handful of fellow teachers decided to take action. They persuaded administrators to let them organize a schoolwide process that involved implementing math, reading, and writing segments in every class, all subjects. Imagine that, even the PE classes had reflective writing! The new narrative was: “Achievement rises when leadership teams focus thoughtfully and relentlessly on improving the quality of instruction.” How did their change process do that next year?
Within that one school year, student performance improved so much that 85% of the students reached grade-level in math, and a stunning 95% were reading at grade level. Again, this happened in just one school year. But what about change over the long haul?
Within five years, 98% of the senior class graduated, with the majority planning to attend college. The school outperformed 90 percent (this is not a misprint) of all high schools in the state. All scores were tracked and verified. The school was also a recipient of the National School Change Award and got national attention in a report by Harvard professor Dr. Ron Ferguson and colleagues, “How High Schools Become Exemplary.” (Ferguson, Hackman, Hanna & Ballantine, 2009).
Here is this month’s insight:
Somehow, this school bucked all the odds and became a “miracle” success story. How? This true school story suggests that maybe change can be easier than we thought. Can you guess what ‘rules for brain changing’ the school used to succeed?
Change is rarely easy and usually hard. Change is more likely to be slow than quick. Change is more likely to be temporary than lasting. What happened for this school to make a dramatic, lasting, and positive change?
To your brain, there are five factors that matter the most for purposeful change. In this month’s BrighterBrain® newsletter, we’ll explore the first of the five factors, context. (The other four factors will be shared in future issues.)
The Research
Context (often thought of as ‘circumstances’ but it is much more) is critical to our brain. Our assessment of the context helps make the decision to engage or not. In general, we are more likely to favor inaction over action. Yet, we can and do alter the outcome through our actions and decisions (Parr & Friston, 2019), but it happens less likely than we’d like. We are wired to resist change because it’s likely to be biologically expensive(consuming precious time, energy, and resources).
In addition, the more stressed one is, the less likely you’ll make changes. Your cognitive skills, creativity, and immune system are compromised (Dhabhar FS, 2014, Godoy, et al.,2018). Your chances of making change are low because when we get stressed, we are more likely to do the same ol’ same ol’ routines (Cerqueira, Mailliet, Almeida, Jay & Sousa, 2007).
So, should we all just give up on change?
No way! Remember your hand on a hot stove? One-time, instant, lasting learning! Highly relevant and intense (painful, too)! No repetition needed. You are unlikely to ever do that again! But if you want to orchestrate change in your daily life (without burning flesh), there are at least five factors relevant to your brain. And in case you’re wondering, the school mentioned above (intentionally or not) used them all. This month, we explore the context and shape of things.
Context matters to your brain. Why? It’s always about survival. Your brain is constantly sifting, sorting, and presenting you with three domains: past, present, and future. These domains give your brain a full array of information from which decisions can be made. And this happens so fast, we are typically unaware of how and when we generate our thoughts, then our decisions. Let’s unpack these three domains: past, present, and future (PPF).
The Backstory (Past). When understanding context, the past is the backstory. It means that we continually cycle and re-cycle memories into our present. On the upside, the school may have a history of successful change. Maybe it has turned sports programs around, music and arts have been embraced, and maybe there is effective leadership. The memories of the past can provide comfort and safety moving forward.
As a contrary example, as an individual, often an emotional schema is activated from childhood (Rohde et al., 2018). This memory may be saying to the brain, “You were not listened to and respected as a kid. You better ensure you stand up for yourself as an adult.” Or, on a school level, some staff may still be grumpy and resentful about a leader they disliked years ago who is no longer at the school. This person may struggle to share his or her voice tactfully, be cordial, and play well with others. There may be still-simmering injustices, sexism, racism, or culturally irrelevant curriculum. In short, there is often ‘baggage.’
Adults who struggle with change identified two main themes: being stuck in old habits and being burdened with emotional baggage (Følling, Solbjør & Helvik 2015). The past must be dealt with since it is always present.
Present. To support your brain’s role in ‘present time’ context, we use situational awareness to enhance the process of receiving, interpreting, and processing information in our fast-moving school environments (Graafland & Schijven, 2015). A commonly unaddressed context challenge for leaders is that the change process is influenced not only by known external task demands but also by invisible brain processes. For example, the brain is less likely to change without safety in each of the PPF areas. Yet, safety is defined differently by most staff, making it tough to orchestrate.
What’s the ideal ‘present time’ recipe for change? You want just enough safety and just enough disruption (a.k.a. perturbation). Remember, excess comfort leads to inaction. This context provides just enough of a critical ‘safety net’ to initiate change. Change context typically requires that something (or someone) is agitated for change (that’s the ‘noise’ and perturbation). It can be unsettling to the brain, but it is this perturbation that triggers the flexible brain states and allows for change (Taghia, et al. 2018).
Future. The third and final part of the PPF context is the promise of the future (the predictions) about “What will be.” Why is this part of the context? All our present time behaviors require gathering sights, sounds, feelings, and touch input to make decisions in the present, based on predictions about the future (Hutchinson J& Barrett, 2019). What you see is partly dependent on what you bring to the experience (past, present, and future intentions). Your brain is not a camera; it is a predictive processor. The sensed information (heard or seen) is used to adjust the initial predictions you made (embedded with your prior beliefs, mindsets, and experiences) to the reality of the environment. That often results in a new reality update (De Ridder, Verplaetse & Vanneste, 2013). You and your staff are continually assessing the validity of the predictions made about the future at your school and deciding if it is still worth the effort.
Practical Applications
Now that you’ve seen the choices that schools can make to raise the likelihood (and velocity) of change, let’s get practical and look for things we can take away and use. Before we begin, let’s remember a core understanding from our previous bulletins. We are all broken. No judging. We are full of unique life experiences (that no one else can duplicate), biases (that tip our decisions one way or another), mindsets (approaches that help or hinder), and stories we tell that support or derail change. Here, you’ll get a simple example for each PPF so that you can make sense of the workplace transfer.
The backstory (the past)
Each staff member’s voice is important. Ask staff to write a 1-page (anonymous) history of themselves at this school. Shuffle the stories within a team and have each read another’s writing aloud or have the team leader read all of them. The intention is to let everyone get a taste of others’ framing and the reality of the school’s history. One can do this for their personal life, too (if the safety is strong). Elicit the stories, begin healing, and find common ground.
The present (the reality)
Start with reading the data, then ask others for more relevant data points. This could include staff surveys, suggestion box thoughts, or a 3-step list of thoughts (ex. 1. What our leader could do better, 2. What other staff could do better, and 3. What I am willing to do better), or a 1-page ‘present-time narrative of what I think is going on.’
Carefully listen to others; take in each current and critical environmental, cultural, and social issue. This requires listening with empathy and reduced bias. It takes a bit of grace under pressure. Your listening may enhance needed safety. This process is all about feeling honored, listened to, and validated.
The future (the predictions)
A primary reason for staff inaction is a simple (and automatic) risk-reward calculation done by the brain. A common example is, “For the amount of work you want me to do and changes I have to make, that’s all we get?” Successful leaders ‘paint a rosy picture’ or ‘share a compelling future’ of the direction of the school change. But more importantly, they back up their vision with a strong why, relevance, and rewards. Top leaders predict daily what will happen for the good, then they back up their prediction with results.
How can we do this? Present both the ‘short game’ (positive changes within the next 5-25 days) and ‘long game’ (within the next 5-25 months). Use multiple data indicators so that small changes are noticed and celebrated. Then, use confirmation bias (pointing out the data that reinforces the good) to ensure others notice the realities that, “It’s working!” Post up the success week by week, then month by month. Reward the changes with fist pumps, music, privileges, and food. That may sound corny, but many leaders expect staff to make big changes, yet there’s nothing in it for them (the staff).
That’s it for this month; it’s closing time. Today, we started with one simple part of the 5-part equation for change. Heavy, thoughtful thinking, isn’t it? Today I showed you one exemplary school. Would you like to hear about and see more schools? Maybe one just like your school?
One of my role models for change once said to me, “If you need more than one exemplary school that succeeds (and shows you it’s possible) … why? Maybe you just don’t want to believe. I’ll ask you again… “Are you still the optimistic educator you started out being years ago?” Do you still get inspired about what’s possible, or have you become cynical about change and growth? I am hoping you’re still hopeful. Hope may not be a strategy, but without it, strategy is useless.
Now for my biggest fear. Maybe you still use the ‘time bias.’ Many will read this newsletter and then respond with, “I’m just too busy; I’ve got no time for those changes to help me and my students soar like eagles.” If you feel that way, I am sorry; I have failed you. I failed to activate your choice of playing the ‘long game.’ Biases are shortcuts to save time and are often about the ‘short game.’
You see, life goes by so fast that many would say, “Live in the moment, smell the roses, life is short.” And they’re right. Life is about savoring the smell of the flowers, eating a great meal, and enjoying hugs from friends and family.
But most everything in life that’s worth having over a lifetime also requires the ‘the long game.’ At school, it includes building relationships and fostering cognitive capacity. At home, the list includes maintaining relationships, appreciating the daily blessings, and saving for retirement. Choose right now; have you decided on… long or short, or BOTH? Then begin… right now.
CEO, Jensen Learning
Brain-Based Education
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