Michael Fullan on Change

One of the preconceptions I had before reading this article was that Professional Learning Communities work well.  In my school district, the librarians are fortunate enough to meet once a month to talk about initiatives and changes we are hoping to make.  We even include Bright Spots at each meeting.  I feel like we need to be more action oriented.  It is wonderful to share information, but we fall short by not providing the opportunity to learn from one another.  I love hearing about all of my colleagues' Bright Spots, and many of them include technology, but if I don't know how to use or implement the use of a certain resource, having that information doesn't help initiate change. I appreciate Fullan's idea that, "collaborative cultures, ones that focus on building the capacity for continuous improvement, are meant to be a new way of working and learning."

There were a couple of points about change theory that have potential to have an impact on the change I am considering.  In his article, Fullan states, "strategies for reform must build in many opportunities for ‘learning in context’. In fact, creating cultures where learning in context is endemic is the point."  Learning while we are doing will make change happen.  I am still hoping to have my technology committee of 4-6 graders teach the classroom teachers how to use New Google Sites to encourage them to create a classroom website.  By providing time and support from students, I think the teachers will want to 'learn in context' and follow through with having an online presence.  They will also be learning by doing, themselves, which will be an important part of this process.

I also enjoyed Fullan's insight about reflective action.  He said, "Dewey (sic) offered the insight that it is not that we learn by doing but that we learn by thinking about what we are doing. It is the purposeful thinking part that counts, not the mere doing."  I want the teachers and the students in my building to have the ability to reflect on their learning.  This will allow them to learn how they learn and to identify the bright spots about their education.