New York Voices; 512; A Year of Change

It is June 2005 and our three principals are coming to the end of their first year as New York City public school principals. They all came out of teaching. Their paths converged at the leadership academy a program created by schools chancellor Joel Klein to train new principals before they left the academy. Klein warned them about the challenges of leadership witchy changing the system and how much the system changes. So far the system has not transpired. And they do and about that I'm changing the system

and it takes a lot of strength a lot of passion and a lot of what can only be expected that the system will do some changing. But hopefully you are pushing back just as hard but in a smart way. We watched their first year as principals. Now they reflect on just how hard it is to make one good school funding for a year of change leadership in the principal's office provided by the Wallace Foundation supporting ideas sharing solutions expanding opportunity additional funding for New York Voices provided by the members of 13 Michael t MARTIN And Elise JAFFE And Jeffrey Brown. With the benefit of hindsight I sit down with each principal to reflect on what they've learned while becoming the leaders of their schools.

So what have you learned and what do you know now that you didn't know a year ago. It takes time. It really takes time to transform a culture. I realize that the human factor. You know that we talk a lot about in terms of building relationships really is really important in terms of moving in the right direction. Rafael I came to P.S. 147 without any experience in administration. She had been a classroom teacher and a staff developer. There shouldn't be a teacher sent to teaching us that yesterday. Her strength is her knowledge of the new curriculum and of a different method of classroom teaching known as the workshop model which is being instituted across the city. We have a lot of books out and we don't have to have all the books out the first day of school. That's Remember when the telling to be part of building that library. But her challenge was implementing it in a school a veteran teachers many of whom were reluctant to

change. Raphael its predecessor had the same task and lasted only one year in the school. The reality was. I didn't know who or what I was working with so I was going into blind me just based on solid belief and some raw data and whatever was left over. When I first walked in here was like oh my god. Now it's like wow this guy you know and and that coming from me parents and children and staff members that work here saying I feel so different you know. And I'm excited because I think we've accomplished so much in such little time and the environment feels like a school. And I see that and I'm excited I'm like why this is what we've done so far. Imagine what we can do next year and then years. So that's exciting. Rafael has struggled to have the teachers implement her vision they had previously done things her own way in the classroom. The Rafaela has insisted in a new structure for classrooms and

class time not without some significant resistance. There are some teachers who really love this new style. They love her new approach. And there are teachers here who are very frustrated and angry about the approach Rafaela has also changed the look and feel of P.S. 147 from the energy in the halls to the paint on the walls. She has brought change. Oh she's a very tough customer because she's very demanding. She knows what she wants. She knows she has a Wii. That I have not seen and in anyone for a long time. She's bringing the building the life you could walk to the building now you see all the work you see the community people that she has brought in. You see her going around and trying to get the clash unified you know I would give her an A-plus for that. Just how do you go about it. That she might get it. If one complained her teachers had was with Raphael as a method of giving feedback at the beginning of the year Raphael I would leave Post-it notes with

observations about a teacher's class. Later she left personal memos in teachers mailboxes. We actually don't like the notes because it's a fact that we prefer personal comment that I would let her know would be to try to be more personal with her. Have you learned from your teachers the things perhaps about yourself that they know you realize you needed to know about how to deal with them. No one has really spoken to me personally like the most feedback I get again is when I watch the show. You know that's when I found out. Oh wow. But I had a conversation with this person. And I have many conversations with different people and no one ever said that you know no one ever said. I don't find that you are accessible that way. No one ever said that because I've never had somebody complain that they didn't get to me because most people when they want to really see me they do. I mean my door is open if

I'm not in a meeting. You know I do go through the classrooms I do talk to people in the hallways you know and the times that I felt that I was clear and wasn't in terms of instruction. I am very grateful to the few teachers that have said that was a little confusing. And I really value those moments because that's what I really learn and I say oh you know you can't assume. What have you done that you were taught that you had to figure out yourself. And how do enroll. I'm still working on fair and about both its every situation is different and every person is different. So it really on a on a personal level it's based on who and when and where and why. And as long as I remember that it's individual that every situation is a vigil in every and most decisions of every individual to the mayor has made leadership one of the focal

points in his education reform. Right. In June he and Chancellor Klein announced that English and math scores have made their largest single year improvement ever among third through eighth graders and English Language Arts test scores rose by 14 percent in the top two levels. Raphael school her students are moving up even faster. Test scores there rose by 20 percent in the same group. The fact that we did have an increase this year was a great gift I feel. And I kind of felt validated in terms of Despite the fact that we didn't do test prep all the time and that we did stick to my belief that integrating and good instruction is what ultimately gets the test scores that we were still able to make significant gains. The staff in general their reaction to the test scores. We were just a little iffy about it. At one point we were we thought it was all graded on a curve because the scores are just very

high because we did so well I'm not sure what they reflect. The principal has been here for a long time she was very big on tests. A lot of test prep in the past two years we didn't really have a lot of test prep so that's I think a lot of that had to do you know the surprise like Wow why do these kids do so well when we weren't doing what we used to be doing. As for the curriculum. Yes it's a new curriculum and it has been brought through the city schools. And I know for a fact that most schools has gone up. Do I give Miss full credit for that. You know I don't I don't I give the teachers full credit. But as a leader I think I do give her credit for encouraging us to be team players and make that happen. You know so I do favor that. But at the same time we cannot discard what the teachers did we

have. A sign that we place often during the week. Right when you come in in the office and there was like a big congratulations you did a great job and was posted over the time clock. I you know try to touch base with the teachers and say you know you did a good job. I wouldn't say there's a lot of sober action. The principal did thank you know the teachers you know and how well they did. And of course every year no matter how well they do. Most teachers have a little party afterwards or whatever. But it's not like we're you know slapping each other on the back saying what a great job we did. No I didn't see this big change in atmosphere so it was like that disbelief. And I don't know what that I can attribute that to. But there was a big celebration on their part or like 0 0 or and they had knowledge from and of the fact that they did change.

And we've had a lot of teachers here for a very long time 10 15 years. And this year a lot of people put in for transfers. I don't plan on being here next year so. You know the whole tone is just it's not that good of one. I mean I remember in the academy you know we talked a little bit about turnover and you know and that is it is a positive thing because again change is good. We're moving forward and. You should be here because you want to be here and because you're happy to be here and I want my teachers to come in and say you know I choose to come to work. I choose to work at P.S. 147. As I look at next year which is that that's where we're getting ready for I'm like now I know where I'm going and I know who my key players are. Now I know I'm working away. Like Rafaela Larry Wilson inherited a

school with a history. Bread and Roses integrated Arts High School has been open for eight years. He left the leadership academy and stepped into his new role earlier than expected when his predecessor was asked to leave in May of 2004. How does the reality of being a principal compare to the expectations that you brought to the job. I think I was a little naive probably a lot and I knew and assent about the reality of the day to day realities of being a principal. There were some things that I anticipated in terms of challenges and dilemmas but I just didn't anticipate the depth that I would find the only way I can really describe it is in a religious context. And that as the principal of a school you take on the burden the sins as well as the gifts of the school. It doesn't matter that I'm here just one year at this point as the principal of the school. I have inherited whatever came before me. What came before was that Bread and Roses had been designated as a school in need of

improvement. It is also moving from a portfolio review system to a Regents test evaluation. And it's math scores have been low. So I have eight years of history here. And as the principal I am responsible for the school some of which you know these things were things that predated me but none of that matters. I'm the principal now. I don't know that I don't like to look at Bread and Roses has fewer incidents of violence compared to other public schools but maintaining discipline is still a significant part of Larry's day. Did you bring the girls come over here for the express purpose of fighting. I thought you did a mediation that day. I feel like this is all over with. So then why not take him and go oh that's what most people. But I wonder if you feel that the time that you need to spend in being a disciplinarian takes away from the time that you want to spend being an instructional leader.

Oh absolutely well of a community of absolutely without doubt if you're being the disciplinarian then what what else are you not being. And clearly the job in the role of the principal make first and foremost I believe and I agree with what the Leadership Academy believes which is that if you're an instructional leader I took that leap belief into the leadership academy and I still have that belief and it is true if I being a disciplinarian. How much of my spending and instruction but the other thing this remember is that this work does happen in phases. It is a process and that the first thing that really needs to be established in any school is the tongue. Safety discipline and I take that back to my own experiences as a teacher in the classroom. I can't teach you if I can't get you in the seat and have consequences when you choose to not be in that seat doing something that's disruptive. And so that's the first that I believe groundwork that has to be laid.

So yeah that's where I was this year that's not where I intend to stay it's not. This year it's been a roller. I call a foundation building year old board on a board. Over the course of the year Larry created and borrowed several initiatives to change the tone of the school. He took the incoming freshman class on an educational trip to the Poconos. He instituted uniforms. That's how you are you. He set up chess games in the library for students to play during their lunch period and he had teachers and counselors sit down with a freshman to go over the report cards and explain how many credits they needed to graduate. On your way to earning all your credits while Larry is laying the foundation for the school to improve Brenda Rose's will still be judged year to year on its Regents test scores and its graduation rate. Unfortunately this year as their percentage is about the same as it was last year and that is about 50 percent a little more than 50 percent

of the students who arrived four years ago will actually be receiving diplomas this year. That's not a great percentage. I believe that it is probably consistent with the data elsewhere but it's just not a good enough number 50 percent. The good news is that 90 percent of that group is off to college. So that that's a silver lining in it. But it is clearly one of the issues here that we need to work on. Alexandra normally said I had the opportunity to create her own school and hire all of her teachers But Ingerson I meet today is Tuesday May 24 2008 by. I have some papers to read. Alexander immigrated to the United States when she was seven. That experience inspired her to open the International School of Prospect Heights for recent immigrants who are learning English. The entire school of

108 students and six teachers occupies one corner of the fourth floor within the larger Prospect Heights High School. Before she entered the leadership academy Alexander had some administrative experience working for the community superintendent of District Six. But most of her nine year career was spent as a teacher. Where's Troy. Ok why fighting is one thing but Lang I know you're not fighting any upright Play fighting is when you pretend you're flying. Pretend you're fighting to play. But anyway when you guys do that and you hit each other sometimes you hit each other too hard. And then one of you winds up playing is good but hitting Okay all right. The reality of being a principal compared to the expectations that you brought to the job. Well it's always much harder to be a principal than to think about being a

principal. I had a great year. However it's been much harder than anybody could ever anticipate. At the same time I think we as a team have done a great job of rising up to the challenges. And so I feel good about this year. I feel like I got enough preparation and I was ready when the year started. I think that in this school I never carry or throw my weight around as the principal. I make all the decisions you have to do what I say. It's my vision anyway. So in that sense. I'm just the person who manages to make sure that things are running smoothly and yes an instructional vision but one that is collaborative. Everybody else has input into Alexander's collaborative leadership style is different from the top down approach. The Rafaela took a P.S. 1:47 do you think you could have been asked flexible as open to the teachers doing their

own thing sort of speak. If you had not had the opportunity to choose your own teachers and instead had been forced to work in an environment with teachers with a different mindset than yours I think the goal would have been the same whether I could have implemented it Year 1 or not is debatable. I think perhaps I could have instituted an action figure out who these people are that I'm working with what their needs are and how can I provide for their needs and I think when you really believe that you want to help them do well people will respond in kind. And so my job as a principal taking over a school versus a principal starting school would have been to create that trust. And it might have taken years. I don't know. Probability is it would have taken years. So when you say most improved over time you might think you know what was your most appropriate English. So do you think you know

what I mean. Most improved in English was improved over all are both situations I don't have to tell you are all wrong. Honestly my job is to make conditions in the schools so that people are free to do their downs. So in a way here to serve them not the other way around and I don't know that most people think about the principal shipped that way for Alexander one of the main indicators of success will be how quickly her students learn English. They first came in and it was a very quite the whole school was dead quiet and the kids weren't really talking to each other. It was language issues still no one was really felt comfortable speaking English. And now the school is just loud and their English has really come up from little short little bits of English to now they're forming complete sentences. Which flavor are you going to do. Oh yes I'm looking good there. Then I think I

feel. Whatever it was you don't even know. He needs an SUV and I don't generally use these things. What color are they on one. How many shoes. How many babies they have. Yeah how long the baby leave the common classroom structure in public schools across the city is a heterogeneous grouping which places kids of varying abilities within the same class. It poses a special challenge to teachers. Oh there is such a wide range of academics in the same world. Yeah kids who can't count and you have kids who can soft quadratic equations in the same world. So I think that makes it difficult because you're a teacher OK. How am I going to do that. What can you or any principal do when some of the more advanced students if some of the more advanced students begin to feel frustrated because they're not sufficiently challenged. Right. Well in our school the main.

Problem was linguistic and the one that we're worried about the most is a kids warning with advance meaning they come here and they already speak a lot of English. In that case we have to be honest with ourselves and say that student doesn't belong in our school. Our school is for students who are in the beginning stages of learning English or intermediate at the very most in the future. I think we should be able to put kids in. I don't want to say no because we really don't believe in tracking. But if a student is more advanced all around we could put him in the same classes as say maybe 11th graders there. We just can't support that now we don't have an 11th grade. But when you do increase the grade levels you might begin to we could you know I think it's common practice in several international schools that some kids just get moved up faster.

Math in particular is a subject where there is a greater disparity in abilities among the students. What we don't ever want is tracked classes because in this particular school what if we track for math would probably be a bunch of kids with light skin in the math class and a bunch of kids with dark skin in the lower level classes. And. Honestly I don't think anybody anybody would admit to doing it and I think tracking leads to segregation and we don't go to school as Alexander and her teachers work to get their students caught up in academic English rules for high school graduation have still not been written with English language learners in mind. What's happening now is that the state has decided that all students will graduate in four years it's a worthy goal. You can argue with that however when you have English language learners who have come in to this country today and expect them to graduate in

four years or less it's a little bit unrealistic I mean the research says that kids need five to seven years to learn academic English or not kids. Anybody remember most spirited right there. Yeah she's one of our international successes. Sherman Akhtar came to the International School from Bangladesh and had difficulty communicating at the beginning of the school year because she only spoke a few words of English. I shall remember her which was not very right. They don't know man. I don't think it's me. Now she speaks like 50 words of Spanish. One of the good words in Spanish was in

English right there that we are now expecting our kids to learn academic English in four years or less which some kids are perfectly capable of because they have circumstances in their lives that make it so. And other kids are not. And so what happens to schools like ours is that kids don't graduate in four years. A big chunk of them do a number like 65 percent is a number that the international network has has gathered which is a nice number compared to the city. It's not a great number but if you consider who our kids are and if you look at your number five and even You're number six for some of those kids then the rate is much closer to 90 percent. So so for us. It would be wonderful if we could be measured differently.

If we could be given more time to do the good work that we do. When you graduated from the leadership academy Chancellor Klein told all of you to take note whether the system was transforming you or were there you were transforming the system. What's the verdict with you. Who's transforming whom. So far the system has not transformed me. I'm vigilant about that because you can lose focus because the job is huge because demand on your time are so huge. People lose their and their energy. And I'm very conscious of that not happening to me. Change is hard certainly harder than Raphael Alexander and Larry once thought it would be. Yet despite the difficulties we've seen how these three principles have achieved some concrete successes throughout the year in their respective schools. That's no mean feat of course but the bigger question remains can the combined efforts of all

the present and future leadership academy graduates add up to a fundamental transformation of the New York City public school system. One thing's for sure Mayor Bloomberg and schools Chancellor Klein are betting they will. From your voices I'm Rafael Romo. Thanks for watching. We'll see you next week. Funding for a year of change leadership in the principal's office provided by the Wallace Foundation supporting ideas sharing solutions expanding opportunities additional funding for New York Voices provided by the members of 13 Michael t MARTIN And Elise JAFFE And Jeffrey Brown.