Reinventing Roles to Advance System Transformation
School districts need to align with community climate action. To date, this is limited by most school districts to curriculum, student learning and operational practices in support of environmental sustainability. School district adaptation/resiliency to the inevitability of climate change is still on the periphery of awareness.
Be it sustainability or adaptation/resiliency, short- and longer-term climate action needs to be framed by education system transformation. Climate change is but one of several drivers of the need for system change, including technology, civic polarization and a shifting economy.
When sharing information and ideas about education system transformation, I am cautious not to be misinterpreted as criticizing educators and support staff. These are dedicated professionals with difficult jobs; constrained by industrial-era system structures that do not easily support efforts for learner-centred education.
In the absence of a clear direction and commitment to system change, the mantra of more resources to do more of the same surpasses actual progress. The province of Ontario, Canada, for example, continues to use enrolment as a key driver for funding which, in turn, perpetuates add-on supports to the continued operation of traditional age-based classrooms.
A recent publication from KnowledgeWorks entitled Envisioning Educator Roles for Transformation takes a refreshingly new approach. It demonstrates what could be possible for whole-system redesign by presenting a comprehensive school district staffing structure with roles including:
a Learning Spark Facilitator who “establishes physical and digital learning environments for learners”
a Learner Advocate-Advisors who “champions individual young people and provides whole-child support”
a Family Connection Coordinators who “engages learners’ families and caregivers in the current life and future vision of their school”
an Educator Development Coach who “mentors teachers and Learning Spark Facilitators to ensure that their professional development needs are being met”
a Director/Advisor of Artificial Intelligence who “inhabit[s] a position in deep partnership with AI agents, which are digital entities powered by AI that can sense and process information, make decisions and act autonomously”
a Partnership Navigator who “fosters partnerships to help educators carry out instructional plans and to bolster schools’ resources and connections”
a Continuous Improvement Curator who “infuses data into the district’s ongoing practices”, and
a Chief Opportunity Officer who “expands meaningful educational opportunities by addressing systemic and cultural oppression and discrimination”
The realities of climate change require all educational system leaders, including teachers and support staff, to advocate for educational system change. This is a challenge because, when faced with the urgent need for support, an immediate response is to advocate for more resources within existing system structures. Viewing education system change through the lens of roles brings the realty of what is necessary into focus.
Rich conversations could abound from examining local needs in relation to staffing roles. The “Partnership Navigator” role, for example, aligns closely with the need for community climate adaptation. What would it mean to create a Partnership Navigator in your school district and connect it with other roles? Instead of adding resources to existing outdated structures, could education leaders design backwards through a deep consideration of roles based upon learner needs?
Ongoing pressures on current system structures will cause people to gravitate to alternatives for support. Progressive system action is necessary to keep public education as a viable component of community life and development moving forward.
Phil Dawes
September, 2024