Comments on: Turnaround Without Turmoil, Part II http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/01/12/turnaround-without-turmoil-part-ii/ Closing the Achievement Gap: Teaching Content Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:59:33 -0600 hourly 1 By: Rachel http://blog.coreknowledge.org/2009/01/12/turnaround-without-turmoil-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-5308 Rachel Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:33:47 +0000 http://www.coreknowledge.org/blog/?p=1801#comment-5308 <i>Lack of staff buy-in for any program, curriculum or flavor of reform is almost certainly its death knell, which is why leadership is so important. </i> I think you're right about this, and its one of the reason's I think Rhee's success may be limited. I think turmoil often convinces the people who will never buy in to leave, and that may be necessary -- the "if you want to make an omelette you have to break some eggs approach." But that approach becomes counter-productive if it drives too many potentially motivated people out. And it become counter-productive if it doesn't know when to stop breaking eggs and start actually cooking. Certainly so far she's highlighting her egg-breaking skills rather than her cooking skills. Lack of staff buy-in for any program, curriculum or flavor of reform is almost certainly its death knell, which is why leadership is so important.

I think you’re right about this, and its one of the reason’s I think Rhee’s success may be limited. I think turmoil often convinces the people who will never buy in to leave, and that may be necessary — the “if you want to make an omelette you have to break some eggs approach.”

But that approach becomes counter-productive if it drives too many potentially motivated people out. And it become counter-productive if it doesn’t know when to stop breaking eggs and start actually cooking. Certainly so far she’s highlighting her egg-breaking skills rather than her cooking skills.

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