Sometimes, we have to acknowledge that people have baggage before we can offer to take it off their hands. In shifting our educational culture, we need to see ourselves as the hotel concierge. When someone asks for help, they may not know what exactly they are seeking. It’s the job of the concierge to figure that out so that the guest has an extraordinary experience. Asking questions, discerning what the person likes and doesn’t like, and then brainstorming and providing different ideas to work towards a solution…. we can’t just assume everyone that comes to the desk needs a taxi cab or an extra towel.
Likewise, we cant assume all our staff have the same understanding of the WHY or need the same professional learning when we’re making cultural shifts in our educational system. It takes time to dig in and figure out those latent needs, and then it takes a commitment to the person and the process to work towards the needed cultural shift.
As we move forward, it will be important to keep those needs clear, and use them to set a path forward. Communication is going to keep everyone aware of all the pieces in motion and why those pieces are moving. Think of the concierge… when he recommends a restaurant for dinner, he doesn’t just give you the name. He writes it down, hands you a map and circles the location. Often, he’ll show you the best route to get there, and offer to make a reservation. This is how culture is shifted.
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Laura K Spencer, Ed.D. 