Hunter College, City University of New York, Department of Curriculum & Teaching
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This week we began our second major theme for the semester which is "School Building Supervision: Community, Students, Curriculum, and Teachers." The topic for the week entitled "School - The Community Within and Without" attempted to establish that good relationships among all participants are the foundation on which all supervision rests. We considered specifically the school as a community based on the observation/recommendation of Thomas Sergiovanni and Robert Starratt in "Supervision: A Redefinition" wherein "the metaphor for schooling be changed from organization to community as a way to express a new context for supervision. " They further recommended that schools move away from bureaucratic and hierarchic models of management toward more "organic" processes of management wherein groups of professionals decide how best to promote learning. Rather than emphasize the skills and practical applications of such traditional supervisory processes as in-class supervision, teacher evaluation, and staff development, these activities are transformed from mere technical skills of an efficient organization into deeper professional and moral concerns that are built on a series of relationships among all the constituents in a school.
All of you readily agreed with Sergiovanni and Starratt. You were able to cite examples in your schools relating to the "school as community" concept. Good communications, mutual trust and respect, a sense of empowerment were used as examples of how relationships can develop in a school. Several comments indicated the importance of a small school where everyone can get to know one another as being more conducive to a sense of community. However, examples of larger schools such as comprehensive high schools that were organized around houses or cohorts were cited as examples of how a community(ties) can be established in big environments. And at least two of you commented on the concept of a community as being important in other organizations (i.e. private industry) besides schools. Several of you also made excellent observations/comments indicating that while we all agree with Sergiovanni and Starratt, developing a sense of community "will not be an easy transition for most leaders to make." This suggests that building a sense of community must begin as soon as a leader/principal takes on the responsibility for a school.
The discussion then shifted to considering the importance of the school community to the larger community. This is a topic that we have discussed earlier but it is worth reviewing in relationship to Sergiovanni and Starratt' metaphor. The school cannot exist as something separated from the larger community but has to be a part of and related to the larger community. Sonya made an excellent observation that:
"Although school and learning serves an important role in the lives of the student, it is just one facet of their lives. When the connection between the school and outside community is fragmented, students feel they must choose an allegiance -and choose one over the other. As a result there is often a rejection of the outside community (refusal to speak the home language or putting down their neighborhoods) or a rejection of the school (poor grades, cutting..)."
The importance of the students and through the students the parents are the important links that bind the school to the community and vice versa. Without these links the school and community cannot support one another and will be problematic for both. We were also reminded by Teresa that
"We should not forget that integrating the school community with the outside community demands attention to and respect for the cultural and language differences in these communities. The cultural, linguistic and experiential differences must be understood and incorporated into the curriculum. We can not neglect where our kids are coming from and must acknowledge the problems, concerns, pride, and achievements that are generated by their outside existence."
Our discussion concluded by examining the issue of the teachers and their involvement in the community. While some of you live or have lived in the immediate communities in which you teach, most of you do not. This is the case in most communities throughout the country. However, while it is highly desirable for teachers to have an intimate understanding of their schools' communities, it is not a requirement. Respect and understanding of the immediate community (students and parents) however is a requirement. By the same token, the immediate community needs to respect and understand the profession of teaching. It generally falls to the principal to build these all important linkages into a school or "the community within and without."
I. Schools: The Community Within and Without
As discussed in Week 01, the school and community are social systems that depend on each other. The community supports the school; the school provides an educated citizenry for the community. While the school district and school board are the formal links to the community, the students and through the students, the parents are also important links to the larger community. As we discussed and as school reformers such as James Comer have demonstrated, the parents need to be involved in their childrens' education. If the parents are involved then the larger community will be involved.
II. Sergiovanni and Starratt
In "Supervision: A Redefinition" Sergiovanni and Starratt recommend that "the metaphor for schooling be changed from organization to community as a way to express a new context for supervision. " They further recommend that schools move away from bureaucratic and hierarchic models of management toward more "organic" processes of management wherein groups of professionals decide how best to promote learning. This metaphor is the basic concept that we use in viewing the task of building a community in a school. Furthermore, this community (the relationships among all constituents in a school) is the bedrock for all supervision within the school.
III. Students, Parents, and Teachers
In building a community within a school, the principal needs to help establish a mutually respectful relationship among all constituents. As mentioned earlier, the students and parents are from the immediate community and bring to the school their community. On the other hand, teachers and other administrative staff frequently are not from the immediate community. While it is obvious that they are integral to the school community, teachers and other staff also need to build relationships with the immediate community. Through these relationships, teachers and staff develop a respect and understanding of the immediate community (students and parents) while the immediate community comes to respect and understand the profession of teaching. A principal's major supervisory task is to create venues for and to nurture these relationships.
IV. Suggestions for Building a Community Within and Without
A principal has to establish an attitude of mutual respect for all constituents and that everybody is equal in his/her building. Parents, teachers, students, paraprofessionals, cafeteria employees, janitors, security, etc. are all to be treated with dignity and respect.
Meetings, social activities, committees, sporting events, cultural celebrations, etc. serve as social functions as well as as symbolic functions that "we are family."
The various groups need to know who the principal is as a person, what is his/her vision for the school, and that he/she is available especially in time of need.
Teachers are professionals who deserve the respect of their profession. By the same token when engaging with parents especially in discussing their children, teachers need "to discuss with not to" parents. This is a delicate area that principals and other administrators should handle with finesse and lead by example.
Students, parents, teachers, and other staff will represent a wide spectrum of cultures and backgrounds especially in this wonderful social rainbow we call New York City. The principal again can help set the climate and culture that says welcome to our school, all men and women of every race, religion, ethnic, background , sexual preference, etc.
An area that is generally ignored in the textbooks, but nothing says "welcome" better than facilities that are somehow attractive, warm, safe, and clean. This can be accomplished in older facilities. On the other hand, it may not be accomplished in brand new facilities. One of the most important reforms in New York City public education in the past five years that received little attention was placing more of the custodial responsibility for the care and maintenance of a school building under the principal and not to a chief custodian reporting to a central board.