The Power of Two Anchors in School Change Efforts

We are making decisions that impact and change a student’s life forever and if you don’t have something that you can adhere to as a school, then what are you basing those decisions on?

– Dr. Courtney Robinson

INTRO

Schools that have a shared vision for readiness and a clear, shared school identity are positioned to succeed. These Two Anchors provide support for what’s needed to improve student outcomes.

This activity will help your team begin to understand, reflect on, and identify practices that will support the elevation and inclusion of all students because schools can work for every student.

OBJECTIVES

Develop a working understanding of the Two Anchors that make or break school change efforts
Reflect on which areas of the two anchors are most effective in your school and which areas need improvement

RESOURCE LINKS

VIDEO: Anchor 1 – Shared Vision for Readiness

VIDEO: Anchor 2 – School Identity

Two Anchors Full Report Download

This activity will help you reflect on and address common hurdles to school change:

Low expectations
Fatigue and teacher isolation
Rigid or unrealistic initiatives
Standardized testing diverting from real improvement
Fragmented efforts leaving out some students or departments

ANCHOR 1: Shared Vision for Readiness

Define and communicate the holistic set of skills that ALL students need for success.

Sees the learner as a whole person:

Emphasizes interpersonal, intrapersonal, and metacognitive skills
Values social-emotional skills and well-being
Supports mental and physical health

Connects to instructional core:

Goes beyond just stating desired student outcomes to provide clarity about the role of teachers and content in achieving success
Informs the development of structures and conditions to engage in professional development and collaboration
Results in a more coherent organization that eliminates the silos and multiple identities typically found in public school

ANCHOR 2: School Identity

Create an explicit statement of what your school stands for and where it intends to go. Visibly express the shared values, beliefs, and ways of making sense of the world that is central, distinctive, and enduring to your school.

Aligns school and community identities:

Accounts for the assets, strengths, and gifts of diverse students and the surrounding community
Opens the door to culturally inclusive learning approaches
Reflects the student body accurately

Requires community engagement:

Involves families and external stakeholders in the decision-making process, creating connections
Is meaningful: goes beyond surface attempts

Together, a shared vision for readiness and school identity bring about improved decision-making. It becomes an explicit part of the hundreds of decisions made by administrators, teachers, students, parents, and others. It answers the questions, “Is this who we are? Does this align with what we are trying to achieve for all students?” It guides school leaders toward internal coherence—a powerful approach for promoting organizational learning and school improvement.

About the Author

Dr. Matt Coleman is the CEO of Inflexion, where he leverages his deep-rooted expertise in school systems change to drive impactful educational reform. With a career spanning various roles—from educational assistant to assistant superintendent—Matt’s experience encompasses every level of secondary education.