What School Policies Promote Academic Optimism?
Last week, Amy introduced Academic Optimism. As she said, Academic Optimism can explain why some schools are more or less successful than others, even when we account for other important and influential factors like poverty. This week, we consider some policies that promote healthy and positive organizational culture, including the elements of Academic Optimism.
What does Academic Optimism look like?
Let’s start by imagining a school that has a positive climate. You may not have known the name of Academic Optimism before last week, but you’ve probably been in a school where you observe it—or even feel it. What, then, might Academic Optimism look like, sound like, and feel like? Going through each of the elements of Academic Optimism:
Collective Efficacy. In a school where collective efficacy is the norm, you are likely to see teachers who collaborate frequently, share materials openly, and demonstrate a spirit of “we got this” because they believe in the power of the group to drive student achievement.
Faculty Trust. When trust is the norm, you are likely to see people doing their jobs well, creatively, and unencumbered by burdensome regulations. Faculty and students may interact with a sense of warmth and believe the best about each other. When interpersonal or disciplinary challenges arise, they are addressed with curiosity before moving to consequences as needed. Multiple voices and groups are represented in the school’s decision-making processes.
Academic Emphasis. The whole school is geared toward the shared mission of student learning. You’ll see exemplary student work displayed and celebrated. You’ll see engaging classrooms where teachers meet students’ multiple learning needs. Faculty throughout the school often use student data to make decisions. Those data shape both instructional choices and school-level norms regarding equity.
What policies promote Academic Optimism?
Policies communicate values and provide direction for decision-making throughout an organization. Therefore, the policies that schools use can shape the organizations to be more academically optimistic. We’ll consider three types of policies here:
Time for teacher collaboration. Reflective, collaborative practice that fosters trust among colleagues requires time and resources. The most successful schools provide ample time for teachers to collaborate (and this doesn’t just mean scripted PLCs). When teachers have time and resources to plan creative lessons, co-create instructional materials, or observe advanced practitioners, it tends to pay dividends in their own classrooms. Moreover, faculty may be increasingly certain that—as a group—they can accelerate learning for all students.
Structured data review and use. This is related to the previous point, but extends beyond data for instructional planning. Data, when used well, can improve schools rather than just penalize teachers. Data review can also illuminate things like inequities in school disciplinary consequences or in student course-taking patterns. Are more of your students of color expelled than your white students? Are more boys than girls taking trigonometry? Providing training and time to understand these data is an essential part of sustained focus on student learning and of facilitating Academic Optimism in a school.
Integrate perspectives of all stakeholders, including students, faculty, and families. When groups come together to make decisions for the sake of students, they may be more likely to learn about one another and therefore to foster trust among groups. We know that cooperation among schools and families is essential for student success, but that requires shared decision-making. Elements of trust include openness and competence, so building trust will require the participation of multiple stakeholders.