Meeting Wise: Making the Most of Collaborative Time for Educators

by Kathryn Parker Boudett, Elizabeth A. City

Overview

This book, by two editors of Data Wise: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning, attempts to bring about a fundamental shift in how educators think about the meetings we attend. They make the case that these gatherings are potentially the most important venue where adult and organizational learning can take place in schools, and that making more effective use of this time is the key to increasing student achievement.

In Meeting Wise, the authors show why meeting planning is a high-leverage strategy for changing how people work together in the service of school improvement. To this end, they have created a meeting-planning “checklist” to develop a common language for discussing and improving the quality of meetings. In addition, they provide guidelines for readers on “wise facilitating” and “wise participating,” and also include “top tips” and common dilemmas.

Simple, succinct, and practical, Meeting Wise is designed to be read and applied at every level of the educational enterprise: district leadership meetings with central office staff, charter-school management summits, principals’ meetings with teachers, professional development sessions, teacher-team meetings, and even teachers’ meetings with parents and students.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781612506944
Publisher:	Harvard Education Press
Publication date:	08/01/2014
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Kathryn Parker Boudett is Lecturer on Education and the Director of the Data Wise Project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she supports educators in cultivating a systematic approach to improving classroom practice through sustained collaborative inquiry. Kathy teaches on-campus and online courses focused on the skills and habits of mind essential to improving learning and teaching (and does her best to ensure that every class she teaches and meeting she runs is as wise as it can be!). She is co-editor of Data Wise: A Step-By-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning—Revised and Expanded Edition with Richard Murnane and Elizabeth City (Harvard Education Press, 2013); Data Wise in Action: Stories of Schools Using Data to Improve Teaching and Learning (Harvard Education Press, 2007) with Jennifer Steele; and co-author of Key Elements of Observing Practice: A Data Wise Facilitator’s Guide and DVD (Harvard Education Press, 2010) with Elizabeth City and Marcia Russell. Kathy holds a PhD in Public Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and a BA in Economics from Yale University.

Elizabeth A. City is Lecturer on Education and Director of the Doctor of Education Leadership (EdLD) Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she helps educators develop the skills, knowledge, mindsets, imagination, and efficacy to improve the way they and their colleagues serve every child’s learning needs. Liz has served as a teacher, instructional coach, principal, and consultant, in each role focused on helping all children, and the educators who work with them, realize their full potential.

Her publications include: Data Wise: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning—Revised and Expanded Edition, coedited with Kathryn Parker Boudett and Richard J. Murnane (Harvard Education Press, 2013); Strategy in Action: How School Systems Can Support Powerful Learning and Teaching, coauthored with Rachel E. Curtis (Harvard Education Press, 2009); Instructional Rounds in Education: A Network Approach to Improving Teaching and Learning, coauthored with Richard F. Elmore, Sarah E. Fiarman, and Lee Teitel (Harvard Education Press, 2009); Resourceful Leadership: Tradeoffs and Tough Decisions on the Road to School Improvement (Harvard Education Press, 2008); and The Teacher’s Guide to Leading Student-Centered Discussions: Talking about Texts in the Classroom, coauthored with Michael S. Hale (Corwin Press, 2006). She holds a doctorate in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
Overview of the Book 3
How to Use This Book 5

SECTION I: THINKING DIFFERENTLY

1 Why Focus on Meetings? 9
Time as a Resource 9
Meetings as Powerful Learning Spaces 12

2 The Meeting Wise Checklist 19
Purpose 21
Process 24
Preparation 32
Pacing 34

3 Using the Checklist 39
Complete Agenda Overhaul
Greenville Fifth-Grade Team Meeting 40

Targeting Intentional Collaboration
Jackson County Central Office Leadership Team 48

Targeting Adult Learning
Sheldon Academy Faculty Retreat 54

Targeting Outcomes
High School Parent/Teacher Conference 58

Targeting Problem Solving Over Compliance
Statewide Quarterly Superintendents’ Meeting 61

Targeting Connections
National Anti-Bullying Network Virtual Meeting 64

The Meeting Wise Agenda Template 68

SECTION II: WORKING DIFFERENTLY

4 Setting Up for Success 73
Foudnational Setup Tasks 73
Recurring Setup Tasks 78

5 Wise Facilitation 85
Keeping to (and Deviating from) the Agenda 88
Supporting Full Engagement 99
Managing Conflict 108
Maintaining Awareness of the Role You Play 116

6 Wise Participation 119
Keeping to (and Deviating from) the Agenda 121
Supporting Full Engagement 124
Managing Conflict 129
Maintaining Awareness of the Role You Play 133

7 Becoming Meeting Wise 141
Finding an Entry Point 142
Words to the Wise 148

SECTION III: RESOURCES
Selected Readings 153
Selected Protocols 155
Protocols in Brief 161
Quick Reference Guide 165

Notes 173
About the Authors 175
Index 177

Editorial Reviews

“This concise volume offers an effective and efficient set of tools and routines that we have found highly useful in organizing our work. The agenda template, used in conjunction with Meeting Wise norms, roles, and activities, helps to keep everyone on track and create shared ownership of the meeting’s success. Meeting Wise is an invaluable resource for making the best use of our limited time together.” — Tony Bryk, president, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

“Effective schools make every minute count—for students and educators. Starting from the premise that meetings matter, this straightforward book is full of practical resources and advice readers can put into practice right away.” — Mary C. Dillman, director of data inquiry, Boston Public Schools

“Meeting Wise has transformed our work by providing the structure to leverage leadership. The protocols, checklists and activities equipped us to target important problems, manage conflicts, and overcome typical dilemmas in running team and faculty meetings. A must read for every school leader!” — Deirdra Aikens, principal, Newark, Delaware

“The authors show how meetings can become rich opportunities for adult learning. This book will forever change the way I facilitate and participate in meetings.” — Irv Richardson, coordinator for public education and school support, NEA-New Hampshire

“Meeting Wise tackles the taboo subject of ineffectual meetings. It is perfect for any school wishing to increase student success through teacher collaboration.” — Adam K. Ruggles, educator, Chicago Public Schools

"Highly recommended especially for educators; Meeting Wise is also an extremely useful resource for any career professional." — Jennifer Simmonds, Midwest Book Review

"Meeting Wise is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to gain value from his or her meetings. I, for one, will assign it to my leadership classes as a 'gift' title to enhance their skills and appreciation for collaborative learning." — James J. Harrington, The Journal of Continuing Higher Education

"This is a short, practical book that I strongly recommend to any administrator. There is also useful advice on being a good meeting facilitator (rather than simply a chair) and on being a good participant. More importantly, when I finished reading the book, I could, in fact, imagine a time where I looked forward to meetings." — Lee Skallerup Bessette, Women in Higher Education

From the Publisher