Part 7 - Tale of Two Schools: Organizational Learning – Agassiz
The second school introduced by Karen Seashore Louis illustrates the concept of organizational learning. Agassiz is an urban elementary school in a southern state that is dealing with desegregation. Its staff viewed themselves as consumers of knowledge but also as developers of knowledge. They shared what they learned from experimental efforts with others and even raised funds for the school while doing this. One approach staff used was to observe each other teaching and to solicit feedback. Another norm was reading and sharing what they read. She stresses that these were ordinary teachers doing ordinary work. By relying on a process of reflection and identifying problems and solutions, they engaged in development that could increase their expertise. Louis concludes by explaining the key components of organizational learning as compared to a “regular” school.
Think about:
- What is your view of the following statement: “Teachers don’t read very much professional literature. They don’t read a lot… like professionals in other professions do.”
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