School Change and the MicroSociety® Program

The steady stream of quick-fix educational reforms du jour has drowned out the optimism and drive of many school leaders. To buoy the hopes and success of change agents, this guide offers a real look into school reform, with its trials and triumphs, and pinpoints specific strategies for overcoming the former and achieving the latter.

Foreword

ix

Roland S. Barth

Preface

xv

Acknowledgements

xxiv

About the Author

xxvii

PART I: OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM

1

(44)

The MicroSociety® Program

3

(20)

A Day in the Life of a MicroSociety® Program School

3

(4)

Life in the Classroom

4

(1)

Micro Begins

5

(1)

Crime and Punishment

6

(1)

The Origins of the MicroSociety® Program

7

(2)

The MicroSociety® Idea Spreads

9

(1)

The Guiding Philosophy

Behind the MicroSociety® Program

10

(2)

Basic Elements of the Program

12

(5)

The Economic System

13

(1)

The Political System

14

(1)

Adult Roles

15

(2)

MicroSociety® Program

Outcomes: What the Research Shows

17

(1)

Impact on Academic Skills

17

(2)

Nonacademic Outcomes

19

(2)

The Problem of Implementation

21

(1)

Conclusion

21

(2)

Challenges Encountered in Implementing the Program

23

(22)

Lack of Teacher Buy-In

24

(1)

Excessive Time and Work Demands

25

(5)

Making Links Between the MicroSociety® Program and the Core Curriculum

30

(4)

What to Do With ``Problem'' Students?

34

(3)

The Problem of Staff Conflict

37

(2)

The ``Fog of Change''

39

(1)

Threats to Sustainability

40

(2)

Conclusion

42

(3)

PART II: GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION

45

(64)

Creating a Favorable Context

47

(12)

Guideline 1: Relationships Among Teachers and Principal

48

(3)

Guideline 2: Goodness of Fit

51

(2)

Guideline 3: Parent and Community Involvement

53

(3)

Guideline 4: Principal Support

56

(3)

Introducing the Program to the School

59

(20)

Guideline 5: Giving Teachers a Meaningful Voice

59

(6)

Guideline 6: Planning Before the Program Begins

65

(6)

Guideline 7: Securing Additional Funding

71

(2)

Guideline 8: Matching Teachers With Ventures

73

(1)

Guideline 9: Realistic Goals and Time Perspectives

74

(3)

Conclusion

77

(2)

Keeping It Running

79

(20)

Guideline 10: Expand Student Responsibility

79

(3)

Guideline 11: Seek Out Additional Resources

82

(5)

Guideline 12: Create a Culture of Experimentation

87

(3)

Guideline 13: Continue to Set Aside Time for Planning

90

(4)

Guideline 14: Create an Open and Flexible Decision-Making Structure

94

(3)

Conclusion

97

(2)

Leadership: The Critical Ingredient

99

(10)

Guideline 15: The Principal as Advocate

100

(3)

Guideline 16: Emotionally Intelligent Leadership

103

(5)

Conclusion

108

(1)

PART III: CASE STUDIES IN IMPLEMENTATION

109

(64)

A Successful Replication: Mesquite Elementary School

111

(24)

Before-the-Beginning: Providing a Favorable Context

114

(2)

Introducing the Program to the School

116

(5)

Making It Work: The Management Team, Coordinator, and Consultant

121

(3)

The Management Team

122

(1)

The MicroSociety Program Coordinator

123

(1)

The External Consultant

123

(1)

Maintaining Teacher Commitment Through Decision Making, Planning, and Training

124

(2)

Seeking Out and Using Resources

126

(2)

A Supportive Principal and Organizational Climate

128

(3)

The Principal's Social Capital and Emotional Intelligence

131

(1)

Conclusion

132

(3)

Wellfleet Elementary: Everything That Can Go Wrong . . .

135

(18)

The School and Its History With the Program

135

(3)

What Went Wrong? The Before-the-Beginning Phase

138

(2)

Sowing the Seeds of Trouble: Introducing the Program to the School

140

(2)

Becoming Operational: Trying to Cope With Chaos

142

(4)

The Organizational Context: Weak Leadership and a Negative Climate

146

(7)

The Challenge of Sustainability: Montgomery Middle School

153

(20)

The School and Its Community

154

(2)

Introducing the Program to the School: The Principal Takes the Lead

156

(4)

Becoming Operational: The Teachers Confront Reality

160

(2)

The Problem of Resources

162

(2)

Insufficient Training and Planning Time

164

(1)

Lack of Teacher Voice in Decision Making

165

(1)

An Effective Coordinator

166

(1)

The Organizational Context: A Supportive Principal

167

(4)

The Program Ends

171

(2)

PART IV: SUSTAINING SCHOOL CHANGE IN AN EVER-CHANGING WORLD

173

(16)

Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice

175

(14)

Implementing Change Versus Sustaining It

175

(4)

Two Central Lessons That Emerge From the Study

179

(5)

A First Step: The Selection and Training of Educators

184

(1)

The Role of the External Environment

185

(3)

Conclusion

188

(1)

Resource A: A Description of the Study

189

(6)

Resource B: The Implementation Guidelines

195

(2)

References

197

(3)

Index

200

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School Change and the MicroSociety® Program

Summary

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials