BUILDING SCHOOL COMMUNITY THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY AND TEAM EXCELLENCE™
Sterling Morton School
Steven N Pyser, J.D.
Executive Edge, Inc
Date 04/30/2005
Annotation: BUILDING SCHOOL COMMUNITY THROUGH APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY AND TEAM EXCELLENCE™
Steven N. Pyser, J.D.
2005, April 30
Contact: Miriam Ricketts (mricketts@executiveedgeinc.com)
Managing Partner, Executive Edge, Inc.
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022
http://www.executiveedgeinc.com/
Annotation: This case study describes a team building event designed and facilitated by Executive Edge, Inc. for a public elementary school during a “Kick Start” program in the new school year. AI processes were used to construct school community and to identify current and target new best practices.
1. Description of Organization.
The Sterling Morton School (SMS) is a small public elementary school in the Mentor Exempted Village School District of Northeast Ohio. It is one of twelve K-12 elementary schools in a school system comprised of three junior high schools, grades six thorough nine and one high school. http://www.mentorhigh.com/morton/
Executive Edge, Inc. (Executive Edge) was approached by an SMS faculty member in the summer of 2003 to design and deliver a team building program for the faculty to ”kick-off” the new 2003 school year. A new principal assumed leadership at the school when the new school year started; interestingly enough, she had been David Cooperrider’s student at Case Western Reserve University. She was very receptive to integrating AI components into the six hour program. Her approval was a fortunate event that allowed preworkshop administrative “buy-in” for the program that helped make the event successful.
2. Focus of the Appreciative Inquiry.
Often teachers and administrators lament that they are so stretched meeting the needs of students and responding to parental communications there is little time for building their own school community. The focus of most day-to-day activities at SMS was directed at the functional responsibilities of effectively running the school. In this busy environment, it was difficult to create and maintain a school community with important connections between administrators, faculty and staff.
Our topic, “If We Discover Our Best at Sterling Morton, What Might We Become?” was presented in a unique and different learning context. The program bundled AI items and other modalities from related disciplines. One of the AI design elements employed the power of the positive question provided by scripts and resource materials for use in one-on-one interviews. Paired Appreciative Interviews and discussions were used to facilitate learning objectives specifically described in the attached case study materials. These interviews helped discover core values and captured shared visions to help build a foundation for SMS to align as one community. The day ended with “actions we need to take together”.
3. Organizational Objectives.
For the faculty and staff (1) to learn more about their personal individual learning style preferences and impact of these preferences on community and (2) discover more about one another and create rapport before starting the school year. The program also provided time for networking between faculty and staff to build affinity through positive relationships.
4. What was Done.
The program was delivered in an environment of safety and trust. It lasted about six hours and included administering Myers Briggs Type Indicator™; Introduction to AI – PowerPoint presentation and AI Paired Interviews; and an afternoon Experiential Learning Laboratory to practice and apply learnings from the morning activities. A working lunch permitted time for a small group discussion on “Root Causes of Success”. Small group discussion teams were formed (2+2+2=6) and interview pairs introduced partners vis-à-vis the interview to share highlights, insights and high point stories.
5. Outcomes of the Initiative.
The spirit of discovery of the AI interviews allowed affirming interactions between the faculty and staff; many of these teachers had not taken the time or had the opportunity to get to know one another in a structured, yet less formal way. Executive Edge believes that a positive networking effect has opened the door for sharing information and resources in a learning community.
6. What we Learned.
When working with educators there are scheduling constraints of specific days and hours set aside for teacher development. An ambitious agenda was set to maximize the time provided with participants. In so doing, we tried to fit too much into one day. In retrospect, there were two workshops presented. The first was MBTI (with an Experiential Learning Lab to apply learnings); and another on AI (again with the Experiential Learning Lab for best practice moments).
Nonetheless, participant feedback showed they thoroughly enjoyed and benefited from the Experiential Activities, and had much fun “playing” together. This approach allowed them to focus on targeted action steps and achievement rather than the barriers that had prevented results. Moreover, the Experiential Activities created awareness and highlighted the need for school community. Simply put, these activities allowed consideration of needed approaches to move SMS toward excellence.
This Executive Edge program and AI processes also initiated participant investment in “social capital” at SMS. Participants were allowed to get to know their colleagues. The learning objectives as delivered brought about trust, encouraged reciprocity, modeled information sharing, and cooperation. It is anticipated that participants may be more inclined to help their colleagues and reciprocate with one another in an emerging community.
7. Next Steps.
Executive Edge was retained for a limited role of designing and delivering one AI workshop. The scope of the project did not include follow-up after the services were finished. Thus, we are unaware about the after service client actions or specific outcomes gained.
These materials are presented to AI Commons as a design model (albeit with a caveat to break the material into two separate workshops) for a one-day school year “Kick-Start”. From a networking and relationship building perspective, the day helped to bring “new teachers” onboard, and created an opportunity for them to get to know their colleagues in a different “out of the box” way.
Resources files:
1. Project Proposal
2. Letter of Invitation
3. Workshop Design
4. Introduction to AI - PowerPoint Presentation
5. AI Interview Protocols
Submitted by Steven N. Pyser, J.D. (steve@thedialogue.net)
Online Resources:
Executive Edge, Inc
Resource Files:
Project Proposal (doc )
Letter of Invitation (doc )
Workshop Design (doc )
Intro to AI slides (ppt )
AI Interview Protocol (doc )
Case Write-up (doc )
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