Current Issues in my Professional Context

Socio-Economic Factors

WMS is a decile 10, full primary school on the outskirts of Christchurch. Up until 2010 it was a small rural school (260 students) servicing its farming community. The Canterbury earthquakes have significantly impacted the school community. The displacement of many families and businesses has seen huge increases in housing demand in the western areas. Infometrics (2016) reported south-west Christchurch, including West Melton, as having a 105% growth rate between 2013 and 2023. It cited the re-location of business to the outskirts of the city, and close proximity to the city making south-west Christchurch an attractive location for people. Much of the rural farmland has made way for subdivisions, changing not only the physical landscape but the demographics of our community. The community remains reasonably affluent but has become a more diverse mix of traditional farmers, business owners and trade based professionals who have benefited from the building boom. This diversification has brought with it conflicting educational views. The more traditional versus collaborative teaching and innovative learning environments.

School Culture and Professional Environment Issues

The rapid roll growth (predicted 500 at the end of 2017) has had a considerable impact on the organisational culture and professional environments of the school. This has resulted in a period of considerable transformation. Mark Wilson (2013) believes to have a successful culture you need to begin with defining the beliefs and priorities "that drive the thoughts and actions of the people at the school." 

In 2016 a consultation process was begun with staff, students and community (all the stakeholders) to define these beliefs and a new vision was developed. 
The new vision statement of Innovative, Connected and Empowered (ICE) Learners Driving their Passion for Learning sits alongside the DRIVER values of Determination, Respect, Integrity, Vitality, Empathy and Resilience. This vision unites our community by upholding the more traditional values, but also giving priority to developing the 21st Century learning skills seen as critical by others in preparing our learners for their future in a global society. The vision is embedded in the strategic plan and can be evidenced school-wide in planning and assessment, the language we use to communicate and student Hauora initiatives.  

I believe reculturing accurately describes what our school is going through. Stoll (1998) defines it as "the process of developing new values, beliefs and norms. For systematic reform it involves building new conceptions about instruction... and new forms of professionalism for teachers...".

Our professional environment was "recultured" when single cell classrooms made way for Innovative Learning Environments.  We had to critically analyse our beliefs around many areas including collaboration, grouping students, utilising space and how to do this and continue to provide quality learning for our students. It took extraordinary amounts of time and resiliency to work through these, and we often felt overwhelmed and unsure of the way forward. Each community was going through its own struggles. It felt like a once unified staff were disconnecting while attempting to find their way through, and the professional environment and school culture seemed in danger of crumbling. I have found it to be a tumultuous and soul searching time. Significant change is stressful, and I believe my school underestimated the impact of this on the professional environment.

In reflecting on the norms of improving schools outlined by Stoll (1998), the significance of these ie shared goals, collegiality, support, openness, risk-taking are obvious in successful change, particularly in collaborative environments. They are at play as we work through the process of change, and I believe we only find our way if we keep these norms at the fore of how we relate to and value each other.

References

Kiernan, G. (2016). Regional Hotspots 2016 - NZ's top future growth areas, Wellington, New Zealand: Infometrics. Retrieved from http://www.infometrics.co.nz/regional-hotspots/

Stoll (1998). School Culture. School Improvement Network's Bulletin 9. Institute of Education, University of London.

TEdEd.(2013, Jun 21). Building a culture of success - Mark Wilson. [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_8Bjz-OCD8