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Imaginization
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Provocative Ideas: The 15% Concept |
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General Applicability of the MethodThis "15% approach" to high-leverage change offers a pragmatic means of injecting a strong action dimension into formal change processes, and provides a powerful personal strategy for making a genuine difference to the issues with which one is involved. It's strength lies in its pragmatism, and in the fact that effective change always rests in the ability of individuals and groups to lever what actually can be changed. Without this focus, change initiatives inevitably remain ideal dreams. Once mobilized, 15% initiatives can have a compounding effect as one change builds on another, creating new contexts which allow new initiatives to flourish. Many school administrations are finding that the "15% concept" can provide a powerful boost at the implementation stage of numerous change programs. For example, it provides a powerful way of levering the activities of School Improvement Teams, of launching effective programs of Parental and Community Involvement, of creating breakthroughs in the control of School Violence, and in creating school cultures that genuinely support and embrace change. The power of the approach is that it can be used both formally and informally, as the occasion demands. Here are some brief examples of the approach in practice:
Creating Common CurriculumMany school districts are striving to develop an integrated approach to curriculum. The paradox is, given the diversity of stakeholders and interest groups that have to be satisfied, consensus is almost always impossible. The 15% approach to this problem suggests an alternative route: achieve a high measure of integration by building from the "bottom up" instead of the "top down." Build an integrated curriculum around existing best practice that satisfies the needs of different stakeholders. By building on local innovations and success stories, and disseminating them to where they can be successfully used elsewhere, it's often possible to achieve a high degree of curriculum integration without the problems of having to achieve consensus on the curriculum itself. The 15% approach encourages us to reframe the paradox in a constructive way.
Tackling Violence in SchoolsMost school districts now have clear policies on school violence and how it's to be handled. But policies in themselves don't always translate into effective action. The problem of violence in schools is one of those overwhelming "100%" social issues that often seems too big to address. Teachers and administrators often rightly feel that they are dealing with something beyond their control.But the problem is one that can be tackled at a 15% level. We need clear policies that outline a school's position on violence, and on how it will be handled. But we also need a savvy pragmatism that can create practical breakthroughs in relation to the basic problem. "15% strategies" often rest in understanding patterns of violence and in finding simple initiatives that can make a difference. Consider, for example, the school that found that the most problematic time of day rested in the five minutes after school was dismissed. By rearranging the bus schedule to ensure that buses were always present before students came out instead of a few minutes after, most of the violence was removed. There were "no kids to fight." No one would pretend that this initiative has resolved the problem of school violence; but it has certainly made it more manageable for the school in question. Many conventional approaches to the violence problem are often programmatic, expensive, time-consuming and pitched at a "values" or philosophical level. They miss the 15% dimension, and the fact that significant practical breakthroughs may rest in relatively small changes that can make a major difference. By mobilizing "15% initiatives" on the part of students, teachers, parents, administrators and other interested stakeholders, significant breakthroughs often come within reach.
Transforming School CulturesA teacher in her middle years returns to the profession after several years as a full time mother. She is apprehensive and in need of support, and relishes the opportunity of learning and sharing with her colleagues. Unfortunately, the school to which she is assigned has an informal cultural rule: "No 'shop talk' in the staff room!" Hence, the paradox of her working day: "I need to talk with my colleagues." BUT "There's no opportunity to talk."As an act of near desperation, the teacher decides to take matters into her own hands. There's an empty room, and with the permission of the principal she persuades local retailers to donate a small carpet, a table and a few chairs. On Monday lunchtime, she invites her colleagues for coffee and donuts and the opportunity to exchange some ideas about work-related issues. The first couple of sessions go well, with a very small group of teachers who welcome the opportunity to explore their problems and share solutions. And from there the situation goes from strength to strength with a range of people dropping in from time to time. The room becomes a focal point for exploring issues that are on people's minds, and a valuable alternative to the "let's get away from it all" atmosphere of the main staff room. "Shop talk" becomes a vibrant element of the school culture, existing alongside the traditional culture. The teacher in question found a "15% solution" to the paradoxes surrounding her isolation, and unintendedly become a powerful force for significant cultural change.
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