"What are we waiting on?"

I was pondering just how far we have come in light of how far we still need to go and it struck me, just what are we waiting on? More specific and personal, what are you waiting for?

The waiting for change is not reserved just for those that appear reluctant or resistant.

Those that consider themselves not risk adverse must ask "what have I done to assist, support, encourage, model, explain, and/or in some cases questioned, challenged, voiced concern about the choices or decisions made by others that undermine, sabotage, or out right refuse to get with the program?"

Recently we witnessed the medical profession question the decisions and therefore competency of Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray.

The judgments made by Dr. Murray were found to be responsible for contributing to Jackson's death.

In the criminal proceedings, expert witnesses from the medical profession testified to the facts that constitute medical malpractice.

With respect to education, the expert witnesses are teachers. Teachers know who are and who are not competent. Yet, teachers say little if anything about teachers that is critical about teaching.

My point, we know what works. We have staff that are doing what works. On the other hand we have staff that are not.

What are they waiting on?

We know that change is fundamentally an inside out proposition. For too long the outside‐in, force, coerce, embarrass, penalize, and etc. mindset and practice have dominated school reform.

We have, however, aligned our reform, our transformation efforts around what we know is true about human learning. We have invested in a theory of action that calls for a deep understanding of the “what” underpinned by a clearly articulated “why” then the “how”.

We have presented a case for the enduring habits of learning versus chasing a “test score” as the compelling motivation for teaching as well as learning.

We have presented a case for self‐managing, self-regulating, and self‐monitoring of behavior accompanied by the tools, the protocols, and structure for results.

We have presented a case for early, aggressive identification and intervention with powerful supplemental instructional programming and provided the tools, the training, and the time for results.

We have presented a case for adult learning, capacity building, and human capital development and provided the framework, structure, and incentive to learn for results.

We have presented a case for purposeful alignment of curriculum, effective instructional practice, and frequent monitoring of student progress toward meeting or exceeding standards and the tools, the training, and time to produce results.

What needs to change for staff to give voice to what works or who is and who isn't implementing effective practice?

Let that sink in – what needs to change for staff that have been unsuccessful in their current practice to change?

A change in leadership?

Really?

Do we think that principals and central office administrators are wholly responsible for identifying ineffective performance?

A change in parents?

Really?

Do we think that our parents are wholly responsible for failed learning and the failure to learn?

A change in students?

Really?

Do we think that if we change students to the “other” students – the ones the parents are keeping home will create the change we need?

Are those reluctant, resistant, or simply incapable of changing waiting on something else to change first?

Seriously, what conditions must be present for change to not only take place but yield the expected results?

What could possibly be an excuse or explanation for not doing what we know works, is effective, and achieves the results we expect?

What indeed are we waiting for?

The answer, in part is we all – each of us – must take responsibility for the change we desire. We must now more than ever take to heart, to mind, and to action those factors, variables that we control.

Leadership, parents, students, and, yes, teachers cannot wait on someone else to become the change we need.

Again, I ask, “What are we waiting on?”