Westward
Expansion as a Metaphor for Educational Change
Joyce Shanks
Associate
Professor
University of
Wisconsin-La Crosse
1725 State
Street
La Crosse, WI
54601
phone-
608-785-8657
fax-
608-785-8128
Judy Beck
Associate
Professor
University of
South Carolina Upstate
800 University
Way
Spartanburg,
South Carolina 29303
phone-
864-503-5113
fax-
864-503-5574
Teri Staloch
Assistant
Professor
University of
Wisconsin-La Crosse
1725 State
Street
La Crosse, WI
54601
phone-608-785-8146
fax-
608-785-8128
Abstract:
“Westward Expansion As a Metaphor for Educational Change” reviews current
leadership research under the guise of an exploration of the American west from
200 years ago. This paper describes the events of a wagon train’s trip west and
the problems that occur during the trip and exploration into an unknown land. It
uses the events from this trip as a metaphor to explain issues related to
education reform. It uses change theory and current research on leadership to
explain the events happening on the wagon train’s trip, including why
educational change is slow, the role of leadership to support change, and
suggestions for supporting an educational change process.
Annotation:
“Westward Expansion As a Metaphor for Educational Change” is a concept piece presenting
a wagon train trip through the old American west as a metaphor for educational
change. It uses change theory and research on leadership to analyze educational
change.
WESTWARD EXPANSION AS A METAPHOR FOR EDUCATIONAL
CHANGE
An educational change process is a journey that
might have some similar traits to an exploration of the American west occurring
200 years ago. The educational expedition is a trip into a world unknown to
what educators currently experience or can anticipate in their existing world.
The trip begins with a group of people who are
ready to explore a new land of educational reform. The new land is thought to possess great
opportunity. The goal of the expedition is for the explorers to discover
practical routes across the land of reform in order to help all explorers reach
the great treasures of the new land. As the people explore the new land, they
must work to establish peaceful relations with all the people they encounter
and learn from their experiences so that the trip increases their knowledge and
expertise. The expedition should create a path for other explorers to travel in
similar journeys.
The trip starts near the shore of a great river,
a stalwart for traditions. To the west is a new land. Many people prepare for this journey. Indeed,
government officials have pressed the travelers to explore uncharted lands,
learn new ideas, and share the ideas with others. The trip is to be duly mapped
so that expedition members can be accountable to the funding given to them by
the President, Congress, and other government officials.
As the people prepare for their journey, some of
the explorers share their worries and concerns from past trips into the new
land to the west. They tell of difficult terrain, challenging to all those who
cross it. They warn that the time on the trail will be long and arduous.
"Some of us," they claim, "will not survive the trip."
These keepers-of-the-nightmares (Deal & Peterson, 1999) build resistance to
the start of the journey and fear of the entire process.
Another group of explorers also worry, except
their focus is on what supplies they should bring on the trip. They hope to
maintain their lifestyle across the new world, much as it has been in the old
world. They want their supplies and they want their lives to stay the same,
essentially "transporting" their trusted homes to new lands. Other
adventurers argue, "You cannot take all of your supplies with you! The
trip will be too arduous if you take everything you own with you. When you
explore new territories, you need to travel light so that you are not weighed
down by the heavy load of all of your past possessions and experiences."
These stay-at-homes (Schlechty, 1997, p.211) resist this suggestion of change.
They hope the status quo can be preserved even during their trip.
Finally, some of the pessimistic storytellers
(Deal & Peterson) decide not to travel on to the new world. They continue
in their routines, defensive of any change. The rest of the explorers need to
go on without them or simply stay at home and continue on as has been done in
the past. Traditions and practices would not then change. New territories would
not be explored. The pessimistic storytellers who do make the trip vow to keep
the status quo as much the same as possible.
As the trip begins, the pioneers venture into
the new world. With the constant worrying of those who are filled with fear,
the leaders of the trip must provide constant assurances that the trip will be
successful. Progress comes slowly. Much of the terrain at first is very similar
to what the travelers have experienced in the old world. The pioneers start to
feel more secure in the slow, steady pace of the travel west. Though the
leaders cannot provide an exact blueprint for the journey, the pioneers
constantly see the leaders' strategic planning as the group members progress
through all major landmarks of their new world (Fullan, 1993). The plan is in
constant revision; however, by maintaining a focus on the vision of the future
and creating a culture of trust and respect, the members of the expedition
march forward with more openness for change (Hoy & Miskel, 2000).
As the weeks pass, some trailblazers start to
express frustrations at what they see as a lack of quick progress in their
journey. They complain about the slow pace of the pioneers. They lament their
leadership not being willing to charge more quickly through new terrain. They
want to reach and explore new destinations without waiting for the slow
progress of the "wagon train." They see mountains ahead, dream of
possibilities for a new lifestyle, and want to reach their promised land
quickly.
As more and more new landscape is visible in the
distance, some of these trailblazers become renegades who go off on their own.
The members of the wagon train watch these renegades disappear into the
distance of the unknown world of reform. They wonder if they will ever know
what lands the renegades have crossed or what their eventual destination is.
The renegade members' experiences may be lost to the other members of the wagon
train because their discoveries and progress may never be known and
experienced. Some of the excitement and vitality of the wagon train culture is
lost when these trailblazers leave.
The pioneers who are fearful of the new land and
experiences see their group size dwindling. The gossips and new
keepers-of-the-nightmares among the group continue to build fear in the small
group of pioneers. Finally, as the fear builds and as the pioneers see their
lives changing a bit too quickly for them in the now changing terrain of the
new world, some of the pioneers become saboteurs (Schlechty) who actively
commit to stopping forward progress in favor of staying where they are or
returning home. Their fear makes each new step more difficult to take. They
fear change and actively resist the forward progress of the wagon train.
The role of the leaders becomes more important
now. The leaders must empower the pioneers and help them to see that problems
can be their friends and that collectively the group members have power
(Fullan). The leaders try to support all pioneers to view themselves as active,
valued members of the wagon train. The leaders help the pioneers to view the
trip as an experience that they can survive and from which they can prosper and
grow. The leaders ask the storytellers of the group to keep journals of the
trip, potentially valuable data for similar travelers who may follow in the
group's path at some later date.
As the weeks of the journey progress, the cold
winds of approaching winter start to blow. The members of the expedition need
to spend more and more of their time on daily survival issues. Surviving the
winter makes the path through the wilderness increasingly difficult. Some
members of the expedition lose focus on the end goal of a new land in the daily
struggle to get by and the busy workload and labor intensification of the harsh
winter. As winter progresses, the leaders of the expedition realize that
perhaps some outside experts may be needed to help enliven the group and increase
the pace westward toward the new frontier. The leaders elicit the help of
Sacageweas and Charbonneaus who can be both guides and interpreters for the new
people and issues continually being addressed in the movement west.
The guides help to refocus the vision and
strategic plan for the trip; they work to invigorate the trailblazers, yet they
make the pessimistic storytellers and keepers-of-the-nightmares even more
worried and concerned. The guides also bring knowledge of the new terrain. This
knowledge helps the pioneers move more easily through the rough terrain and
avoid some 'pitfalls' along the trail. The pace continues, sometimes
unbelievably slowly through the rough terrain of the mountains facing the
expedition, and sometimes a little faster, depending on the immediate obstacles
of each day.
After long months on the wintry road, with slow
but steady progress, the terrain has changed. The members of the expedition
realize that their trip has been completed. The new land is found but needs
much work to be settled. It has many similarities to what the pioneers
abandoned, but also many unknowns yet to be explored and discovered. The new
land is not a panacea or solution to all past problems. The new land is an
opportunity for a new life.
This educational journey can be a metaphor for
educational change. It leaves us with some interesting questions and the
opportunity to look back on educational reform and the role of educational
leaders during this recent period of educational accountability.
A comparison can be made with the exploration of
the American west and the Lewis and Clark expedition of 200 years ago. For
example, thanks to Thomas Jefferson’s liberal interpretation of his
presidential power, he arranged for the Louisiana Purchase and the opportunity
for westward expansion. Who is to assume the responsibility for current
educational reform? Should educators assume leadership for the directions for
change or rely on others to determine the path and agendas for reform? What
should be the role of leaders at this time? To what degree should they be
historians, anthropologists, visionaries, poets, actors, or healers (Deal and
Peterson)?
A second issue to consider is what can be
learned from educational reform. Lewis and Clark provided information on the
new frontier including the geography, animals, plants, and people encountered.
The members of the expedition carefully recorded the data that provided future
explorers with valuable information on the new frontier. To what degree are educational
leaders able to provide valuable information on educational reform agendas?
Fullan tells us that educational reform is a journey but not a blueprint to
follow. Yet how much can change agents map out possible reform agendas to help
more schools, educators, and students? What data is important to collect? How
is that data used in the decision-making process?
Another issue to consider is to whom educators
should turn for help. Without Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau, who acted as
both guides and interpreters, the original members of Lewis and Clark’s
expedition would have had more trouble finding the route west and being able to
interact peacefully with the native peoples. On whom should current educational
explorers/leaders depend? Who should be the support people to act as guides and
interpreters? When should leaders bring in outside experts to help explore the
frontier of educational reform, and when should educators take the lead and
responsibility for themselves?
The speed of an educational reform process must
be carefully considered. It if moves too quickly, the stay-at-homes and
pessimistic storytellers may have trouble accepting the reform. If it moves too
slowly, the trailblazers' energy and vitality may dissipate. The role of leaders
is important here, too. Leaders must provide guidance for the journey while
facilitating the vision and strategic plan developing along the way. They must
support group learning to build acceptance of the journey and to build openness
for the possibility of change (Fullan).
This discussion opens the door for a unique role
for leadership. According to Senge (1990), change must begin with individuals
transforming their personal beliefs and leaders enabling followers to build the
capacity for change and improvement. Educators commit to change when they can
envision and imagine a future which holds more promise than their current
practice (Yukl, 1998; Bennis and Nannus, 1985). Leaders must project this
vision and bring it to life. The result of this is transformational leadership
when leaders and followers engage with one another and raise each other to
higher levels of morality (Burns, 1978). This process should help to reduce the
number of stay-at-homes, pessimistic storytellers, and saboteurs because all members
of the organization should participate in the creation of the vision and goals
along with the implementation of the change process.
Therefore, periods of educational change need
leaders such as described by Sergiovanni (1999). The transformative leader must
recognize schools as loosely structured organizations. The leader must practice
leadership by purpose, so all educators involved in the process develop a
common sense of value and vision. The transformative leader must “practice the
principle of power investment” (p.86), meaning to distribute power to other
workers, so as to get more power in return in terms of accomplishments and
achievements. A transformative leader understands the difference between having
power over others and empowering others to make changes based on the values and
vision of the organization. The transformative leader should help all educators
reach beyond their expectations for their own performance through authentic
participation in order to be more productive members of the organization. The
result is transformational leadership as “moral agency” (Green, 1987, p. 108 as
cited in Sergiovanni, p.92).
A final consideration is to question who will profit from the
educational journey. Indeed, citizens of the United State learned a lot from
Lewis and Clark’s trip, and the amount of land acquired provided opportunities
for many new settlers. Yet the expedition was not profitable for the Native
Americans pushed out of their homes and eventually losing much of their
cultures. With people supporting educational reform pushing accountability,
often through the use of standardized testing, for whom will current
educational reform prove to be of value? Will all students see improved
schooling opportunities or will minority and low income students see their
schools being labeled as not making 'Adequate Yearly Progress’? Will these
schools close and some of the school culture be forfeited? Who and what will
ultimately define the success of educational change and reform?
Schwahn and Spady (1998) describe the
"changing views of change" as a journey instead of a destination.
Exploration and change is a part of American history and life whether it be
westward expansion or current educational reform. As educational leaders continue
with educational exploration and reform, they need to remember that it is a
process rather than an event, continuous rather than episodic, near chaotic
rather than predictable, and required to survive rather than dangerous to risk
(p.2). Educators must question what is learned from the adventure and what
historians will record about the value and ethics of the quest.
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