Transparency takes confidence and courage.
It is easier to keep thoughts to yourself, or quietly share with like-minded colleagues. It takes confidence and courage to speak up. When you speak up you put yourself out there, you can expect both support and criticism. Transparency requires that you're ready to take the good and the bad--confident that you are able to own and correct error and mistakes as well as strengthen good work and grow.
Transparency, however, also demands respect. Transparency without respect does not move organizations forward, instead that kind of transparency serves to tangle the path ahead. Respect means that you take care with your thought and communication essentially putting yourself in the shoes of others as you comment, challenge, or seek understanding.
Respectful, focused transparency, debate, and discussion have the potential to move school systems to more efficient, student-centered practice. Our clear conversations and discussions help us to work together to determine the best ways to teach the children in our schools and classrooms. If we take the time up front to honestly analyze problems, set goals, create schedules, implement efforts, assess, and revise regularly, we will reap the rewards of student success and happiness.
How can school culture foster respectful transparency?
First, schools can promote communication and collaboration protocols and norms at the team, system, and school levels. I was one that scoffed at the norm setting process during our initial PLCs, but now I understand the necessity of this practice at all levels of an organization.
Next, truthful discourse should be encouraged and debate should not be denied. We will not always agree, but we can collaborate on practice, and assess to determine optimal learning paths, decisions, and efforts.
After that, collective vision and goal setting should be a regular, perhaps yearly, effort of a team, school, or system, and throughout the year the goals should be revisited in efficient ways to assess progress, cheer each other on, and revise if necessary. When goals and vision are not inclusive or set by the team, investment wanes. Instead, when goals and vision are collective, investment grows.
Finally, a students-first attitude and emphasis should pervade all that we do in the school community and that should be at the center of our transparent discussions and efforts. A desire for student growth and happiness is one thread that connects all staff in a school organization.
It takes courage and confidence to be transparent in your thoughts, actions, and assessments, and it also takes respect, empathy, and care. Transparency like this will move our schools and systems ahead when it comes to teaching children well.
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