Harvard professor Dr. Richard Elmore argues that the
leadership practices of an organization trickle down; they are reproduced in
the individual learning organisms of that organization (Elmore, 2011). In other words, leadership practices will
be replicated within an organization.
I have found this true for KIPP, for better and for
worse. KIPP’s espoused ideals are
admirable, and I saw significant evidence that they were reproduced amongst
teachers and leaders in the national network of charter schools. However, there is one specific
leadership practice at KIPP that I have also seen reproduced in the
organization, and this particular practice – I argue – acts in direct opposition
to KIPP’s espoused goal of student achievement. Namely, the practice I am referring to is publicly humiliating students and personnel,
specifically in the form of yelling in anger.
In Jay Mathews book Work Hard. Be Nice, Mathews cites
numerous examples of Dave Levin and Mike Feinberg publicly humiliating and shaming
students and teachers, sometimes by yelling at them in anger (pages 172, 174,
202, 234-239). According to Mathew’s
book, Levin and Feinberg – founders of the KIPP organization – argue that
public shaming can help create a safe classroom environment because it sends a
strong message to bullies. Consequently,
Levin and Feinberg instituted public shaming practices such as separate seating
during class and lunches – which they called ‘the porch’ – and or a stern reproach
in the form of yelling at or taunting students in anger in front of peers. Such practices have been replicated
amongst other leaders within the organization; I have seen these practices
occur many times, and I have participated in these practices myself, not fully
understanding the implications thereof.
Furthermore I have heard stories, which I hope are not true, from other
KIPP teachers of leaders at various KIPP schools engaging in these practices to
a degree that is discomforting.
Since the relationships between teachers and students
impacts student achievement (Hattie, 2009), I assume that yelling at students
in anger then has negative impact on student achievement. Research printed in the Journal of
Educational Research confirms this argument; it suggests that practices of aggressive
teacher management – i.e. yelling at students in anger and public humiliation –
lead to low student performance, student distraction, and high levels of negative
feelings towards teachers. (Romi, et al 2011). Specifically, the article
highlights the “…negative impact of teacher aggression, which includes the use of
such techniques as yelling in anger at students, using sarcasm or belittling
comments to humiliate students, and the use of group punishment for the
misbehavior of a few.” These
forms of teacher misbehavior lead to students having negative feelings towards
their studies.
In closing, I recommend that the KIPP organization train
leaders in ‘lighter’ behavior management strategies that can be used in
interactions with personnel and students: practices that will positively impact
school culture and student performance.
Such strategies can be found in the book Teaching with Love &
Logic, and the research of Woolfolk-Hoy & Heinstein (2006). According to Woolfolk-Hoy &
Heinstein, students respect teachers who use humor and ‘light touches’ to
refocus students instead of teachers who publicly humiliate. Also, according to Romi, Lewis, Roache,
and Riley, teachers who use discussion, hinting, and involvement in behavioral
punishments lead to higher beliefs that disciplinary measures was deserved.
These forms of teacher/leader misbehavior are not unique to
KIPP. In fact, today I witnessed a
teacher yelling at a student in anger in a public school in Boston. However, this practice was quantitatively
more frequent at KIPP than at any other school I have been a part of, and I think
the effects of this practice deserve further research, specifically in ‘no-excuses’
charter schools.
Bean, Max. (2010). The No Excuses Charter
School Movement. Message
posted to: http://edcommentary.blogspot.com/p/no-excuses-charter-movement.html
Elmore,
Richard. “Self-Organizing Systems
Lecture.” Harvard Graduate School
of Education. Larsen Hall,
Cambridge, MA. October 31, 2011
Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses
relating to achievement. New York, NY: Routledge.
Mathews, J., 1945-. (2009). Work hard. be nice. : How two inspired
teachers created the most promising
schools in America (1st ed.). Chapel Hill, N.C.: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
schools in America (1st ed.). Chapel Hill, N.C.: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
Miles, K. H., & Frank, S.
(2008). The strategic school : Making the
most of people, time, and money. Thousand Oaks, CA :Reston, VA: Corwin
Press ;National Association of Secondary School Principals.
Payne, C., & Knowles, T.
(2009). Promise and Peril: Charter Schools, Urban School Reform, and the Obama
Administration. Harvard Educational
Review, 79(2), 227-239.
Robelen, E. W. (2007). KIPP
Student-Attrition Patterns Eyed. Education
Week, 26 (41), 1,.
Romi, S., Lewis, R., Roache, J.,
& Riley, P. (2011). The Impact of Teachers' Aggressive Management
Techniques on Students' Attitudes to Schoolwork. Journal Of Educational Research, 104(4), 231-240. doi:10.1080/00220671003719004
Upton Sahm, Charles (March 13,
2009). Why KIPP Schools Work.
Retrieved from: http://www.city-journal.org/2009/bc0313cs.html.
Wilson, S. (2008). Success at scale in charter
schooling. American Enterprise Institute Working Paper. Retrieved January 3,
2009, from www.aei.org/futureofeducation
1 comment:
I'm glad you have not seen as much yelling in non KIPP schools, BUT that makes me think that you have an unrealistically positive image of what "most schools" look like. It's dismal out there and I have seen far more yelling and shaming than not ----in public, charter, private, progressive, conservative, religious schools.
I have no point. I just want to gripe about/ lament this heartbreaking reality in a place where I'm not infusing negativity into a school.
:(
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