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Book on education reform: The New Meaning of Educational Change, 4th Edition
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If people were given a literal choice of “change or die,” do you think most people would choose change? If you said yes, think again. Deutschman (2005) writes, “What if a well-informed, trusted authority figure said you had to make difficult and enduring changes in the way you think and act, and if you didn’t you would die soon.” The scientifically studied odds that you would change, he writes, are nine to one against you. Medical research shows that 80% of the health care budget is consumed by five behavioral issues: smoking, drinking, eating, stress, and not enough exercise. Deutschman quotes Dr. Edward Miller, the dean of the medical school and the CEO of the hospital at Johns Hopkins University, who talks about patients with severe heart disease. Miller says, “If you look at people after coronary-artery bypass grafting, two years later, 90 percent of them have not changed their lifestyle. Even though they have a very bad disease and they know they should change their lifestyle, for whatever reason, they can’t” (p. 2).
Fullan goes on referencing Alan Deutschman’s 2005 article in Fast Company (presumably since-revised in this link):
The conventional wisdom says that crisis is a powerful motivator for change [think turnaround schools]. But severe heart disease is among the most serious of personal crises and it doesn’t motivate—at least not nearly enough. Nor does giving people accurate analyses and factual information about their situations (p. 2).
Aptly analogized, wouldn’t you say, in this climate of intense debate (and emotionalism) over health care reform? When I hear some of the uneducated reactions by folks at some of these town hall meetings (including some of the congresspersons), it makes me wonder where, educationally, have we gone wrong. Education is such a powerful antidote against ignorance! This leads to my latest book recommendation about education reform. .jpeg)
The book The New Meaning of Educational Change (4th Edition) by Michael Fullan is an essential read for anyone wanting to take a comprehensive look at education reform. Fullan’s first edition was referred to as a “bible” on educational change. I can see why, for it is nearly exhaustive in its treatment on the topic. One of my mentors “assigned” the book to me, and it took a bit longer to consume than So Much Reform, So Little Change: The Persistence of Failure in Urban Schools by Charles Payne. Fullan’s concluding chapter confesses, “This book has been a very long journey into complex space” (p. 303). Like the Bible, it takes some time getting through; however, one has to know who begat whom in order to figure out why this person (Jesus or a student) has a weapon (whip or a gun), turning over tables (or desks). In many ways Fullan is the “Old Testament” that cannot be ignored because it sets the stage for this new era of school reform. Its many editions (now in its fourth) protect it from being condemned to antiquity. It is as relevant today (updated in 2007) as it was when it was first published (1982).
I feel compelled to recommend this book because of its universal coverage of educational reform. While Payne covered educational change in the United States, Fullan looks at education reform globally for the last four decades. While Payne addresses a teacher’s lack of faith in the concept of reform, Fullan dissects what teachers need in order to have faith in any particular reform presented. Fullan stresses that, for teachers, buying into a new reform agenda is tantamount to asking teachers to have faith in some other miracle or wonder drug. Therein lies the conflict between the administrators (or pharmaceutical reps) of “change” and its teachers (its would be doctors)—just as drug companies cannot force doctors to believe in their drugs, school or district administrators cannot demand that teachers have faith in the potential of some new potion, guaranteed to be the elixir of all that ails our public schools. Payne gives the best argument for why a teacher might not want to put her or his money in the collection plate this go around, and Fullan urges these ministers of education (CEOs, Superintendents, Chancellors, etc.) to understand that the plate has already been passed—again and again. For teachers, it would be nice to see some of this healing that has been promised with each "new" innovative revival from each "new" educational healer.
The New Meaning of Educational Change is not a hopeless account of education reform. It’s quite the opposite. In July, I was invited to be a guest/participant in an Educational Innovations graduate class for teachers at Loyola University, where the students had just finished Fullan's book. One teacher shared, “I feel like this book gives me hope.” The hope lies in Fullan’s conviction that, “changes in beliefs and understanding. . . are the foundation of achieving lasting reform.” It is how leaders go about pursuing that “change” that separates the successful schools and districts from the rest.
What is excellent about this book? It can be used as a standard against which to measure a school’s leadership, district, state, country and even yourself as an educator. One-fifth of the book is directed to teachers, with a concluding revelation, “If you read this book carefully, the biggest revolution I am talking about is changing the teaching profession” (p. 297). But, that leaves eighty percent of the book to the other agents of educational change—principals, politicians, parents, communities, etc.
Like Payne, the book is nonpartisan and does not seek to demonize any ideology or political party’s policies. To Fullan, leadership motivation is assumed to be for the best interest of all involved because, as he states, “What I have been saying has nothing to do with the intentions of promoters of change” (emphasis added). He lays out data and gives examples of school districts and countries that have made tremendous gains in closing the achievement gap in a way that makes the disenchanted believers again. There is actually a way to turn around a mediocre, failing school system. And, we need to act now since our schools, students and country seem to be stuck or regressing.
The bad news is that in some countries, such as the United States, we are losing ground—the economic and education gap has been widening at least since the year 2000 (p. 6).
This leads to you—the financier of public education. We need to be better educated on what good and bad “change” looks like. We need to be better consumers of our (because we are paying for it) latest innovations. Think of those rowdy town hall meetings. Think of one coming to your town to talk about educational change. Do you feel equipped to judge whether an education superintendent, CEO or chancellor is doing her or his job correctly or ushering in the needed reform or implementing it in such a way that will lead to lasting change? Read this book, and you will be so informed that you will be able to see success or failure a mile a way.
Let there be no doubt, there is a right and a wrong way to introduce innovation and reform into a school system. There is a right and wrong way for a new leader to attempt to change a school or district. One path leads to eventual and inevitable failure; while the right path leads to sustained, measurable, reliable achievement. There exists superficial reform and “deep” reform. Can you tell the difference--before you pay for it?
In recommending the book, my mentor said Fullan is the “guru” on reform, and it is true. His book is so replete with examples of best and worst practices and the proven formula to successful reform that it makes you want to ask your leader, “Hey, have you read Fullan?” If the person says, “No,” then they had better have him as a paid consultant. If not, be very afraid because, Fullan makes plain, “teachers know when a change is being introduced or supported by someone who does not believe in it or understand it” (p. 121). We need to understand our schools' potential before we expect that some "leader" will.
In the above ultimatum—"change or die"—the statistics were rather dismal. One of the reasons is that fear does not motivate. Many of today’s education leaders try to force change through threatening teachers and principals. This has never worked in the long run. It is bound for failure.
As expressed in the Payne article, there is a complexity to addressing education reform that transcends quick fixes or ideological fixations. Lastly, I believe the reason why failure in reform persists is because our leaders fail to educate themselves, and the majority of us fail to educate ourselves, and consequently, the majority of people in this democracy are speechless, emotional or partisan when presented with “change.” (Think about the recent town hall meetings.)
I’ll give Fullan the last word on why you should read his book:
The answer to endemic social complexity is for individuals, especially in interaction with others, to arm themselves with knowledge of the change process, to engage in reflective action, and to test what they know against the increasingly available knowledge in the literature on change.
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