Coherence: The Right Drivers in Action for Schools, Districts, and Systems

by Michael Fullan

First, all of these examples had a clear and shared focused direction. They articulated a small number of goals directly linked to improved student learning and then persisted in working toward them. Often, the stimulus was an urgency to respond to serious issues of poverty and/or underachievement. In every case, this was not a simple solution but a concerted effort of committed leadership at all levels, over multiple years—it’s hard work and not for the faint of heart. Second, they built a collaborative culture by focusing on capacity building. They fostered strong relationships with teachers, leaders, and community. They recognize that lateral capacity (connecting and learning across schools) and vertical connection (good relationships between central office and principals and teachers) to the overall agenda forms the glue of coherence. Third, they have a deep commitment to the learning and teaching nexus. They are not looking for a quick fix but rather to create collaborative communities of inquiry that deeply examine instructional practices and student results. Some are focused on getting the foundational literacies in place while others are tackling the deeper learning agenda accelerated by the digital world. In these places of deep learning for the adults as well as the students, there is a professionalism that permeates relationships and decisions so that they propel the learning agenda.