Extended Schools Provision & Extended Schools Provision & Invitational EducationInvitational Education

A Symbiotic RelationshipA Symbiotic Relationship

Extended SchoolsExtended Schools A greater role in the communityA greater role in the community

The government wants all schools to offer an The government wants all schools to offer an extended range of services by 2010 that will extended range of services by 2010 that will benefit the everyone in the school community, benefit the everyone in the school community, especially the especially the vulnerablevulnerable..

Professor Alan Dyson has said,Professor Alan Dyson has said,

“ “This is a wonderful opportunity to This is a wonderful opportunity to rethinkrethink what what schools are aboutschools are about and and how theyhow they workwork and and how how they link inthey link in with everything else we want to with everything else we want to happen for children, families and communities.”happen for children, families and communities.”

Extended SchoolsExtended Schools schools, families, schools, families,

communitiescommunities-working together -working together

““My vision is to establish a network of Extended My vision is to establish a network of Extended Schools across Northern Ireland supporting the Schools across Northern Ireland supporting the raising of school standards, fostering the health, raising of school standards, fostering the health, well being and social inclusion of children and well being and social inclusion of children and young people and the regeneration and young people and the regeneration and transformation of local communitiestransformation of local communities…..” …..”

Maria Eagle MP Minister for EducationMaria Eagle MP Minister for Education

Benefits of an Extended Benefits of an Extended School for all pupilsSchool for all pupils

improved learning and achievementimproved learning and achievement increased motivation and self-esteemincreased motivation and self-esteem improved access to specialist supportimproved access to specialist support increased positive attitude towards learningincreased positive attitude towards learning enhanced opportunities to learn new skills enhanced opportunities to learn new skills

and talentsand talents improved health and well-beingimproved health and well-being

for school. families and communitiesfor school. families and communities..

Good TeachingGood Teaching

Good teaching is not just a matter of being Good teaching is not just a matter of being efficient, developing competence, mastering efficient, developing competence, mastering technique and possessing the right kind of technique and possessing the right kind of knowledge. Good teaching, also involves knowledge. Good teaching, also involves emotional work. It is infused with desire, emotional work. It is infused with desire, pleasure, mission, creativity, challenge and pleasure, mission, creativity, challenge and joy. Good teaching is a profoundly emotional joy. Good teaching is a profoundly emotional activity. activity.

Andy Hargreaves, Changing Teachers, Changing Times,1995Andy Hargreaves, Changing Teachers, Changing Times,1995

ReflectionReflection

The challenge in Invitational Education is to The challenge in Invitational Education is to consider how ‘invitational’ we are as consider how ‘invitational’ we are as individuals both personally and individuals both personally and professionally. professionally.

We can extend this challenge to consider as We can extend this challenge to consider as pupils leave our schools, do all leave as pupils leave our schools, do all leave as confident learners? confident learners?

Let me introduce you to Let me introduce you to Invitational EducationInvitational Education

It is a theory of practice for communicating It is a theory of practice for communicating caring and appropriate messages intended caring and appropriate messages intended to summon forth the realisation of human to summon forth the realisation of human potential as well as identifying and potential as well as identifying and challenging those forces in schools which challenging those forces in schools which would defeat and destroy potential.would defeat and destroy potential.

Four Basic Elements Four Basic Elements underpin Invitational underpin Invitational

EducationEducationRespectRespectTrustTrustOptimismOptimism IntentionalityIntentionality

By centering itself on four basic elements By centering itself on four basic elements Invitational Education offers a guiding model Invitational Education offers a guiding model and a language of transformation.and a language of transformation.

Levels of IntentionalityLevels of Intentionality

(in behaviour, language, signs & (in behaviour, language, signs & places )places )

Intentionally DisinvitingIntentionally Disinviting Unintentionally DisinvitingUnintentionally Disinviting

Unintentionally InvitingUnintentionally Inviting Intentionally InvitingIntentionally Inviting

5 Basic 5 Basic AssumptionsAssumptions 1. 1. People are able, valuable, and responsible and should People are able, valuable, and responsible and should

be treated accordingly.be treated accordingly. 2. Education should be a co-operative, collaborative 2. Education should be a co-operative, collaborative

activity.activity. 3. People possess untapped potential in all areas of 3. People possess untapped potential in all areas of

worthwhile human endeavour.worthwhile human endeavour. 4. Process is as important as product.4. Process is as important as product. 5. Human potential can best be realised by creating and 5. Human potential can best be realised by creating and

maintaining maintaining places, policies, processes and programmesplaces, policies, processes and programmes specifically designed to invite development, and byspecifically designed to invite development, and by people people who are intentionally inviting of themselves and others, who are intentionally inviting of themselves and others, personally and professionally.personally and professionally.

Why do we need an Why do we need an Invitational Approach?Invitational Approach?

There is a growing awareness that education is not about There is a growing awareness that education is not about normal distributions, standardised test scores , labelling normal distributions, standardised test scores , labelling and grouping of students, relentless and ruthless and grouping of students, relentless and ruthless competition and certainly not about being “number 1”. The competition and certainly not about being “number 1”. The revolution is underway because growing numbers of revolution is underway because growing numbers of people realise that education is about inviting every single people realise that education is about inviting every single person who enters a school to realise his or her relatively person who enters a school to realise his or her relatively boundless potential in all areas of human endeavour. It is boundless potential in all areas of human endeavour. It is concerned with more than grades, attendance and concerned with more than grades, attendance and academic achievement. It is concerned with the process of academic achievement. It is concerned with the process of becoming a decent and productive human being.becoming a decent and productive human being.

William Watson PurkeyWilliam Watson Purkey

Symbiotic RelationshipSymbiotic Relationship

For those of you already involved in creating For those of you already involved in creating community within an ‘Extended Schools community within an ‘Extended Schools framework,’ the ‘Invitational Approach’ I framework,’ the ‘Invitational Approach’ I have briefly outlined, may provide an have briefly outlined, may provide an interesting leadership model for you to interesting leadership model for you to consider. consider.

An Example of Being InvitationalAn Example of Being Invitational

Choir of Hard KnocksChoir of Hard Knocks

(To the Melbourne street community, the homeless and those with drug and alcohol dependencies)

Choir of Hard KnocksChoir of Hard Knocks

This group of around 50 homeless and This group of around 50 homeless and disadvantaged men and women, have come disadvantaged men and women, have come together under the leadership of Founding together under the leadership of Founding Choir Director Jonathon Welch, former Choir Director Jonathon Welch, former Opera Australia Principal. Opera Australia Principal. 

First RehearsalFirst Rehearsal

In this first clip we will hear the story of how In this first clip we will hear the story of how the choir was developed and gain a sense the choir was developed and gain a sense of its impact on the lives of participating of its impact on the lives of participating members. In the first rehearsal the ground members. In the first rehearsal the ground rules are posted on the flip chart. rules are posted on the flip chart.

Turn up on timeTurn up on time Turn up clean or soberTurn up clean or sober RespectRespect Zero AgroZero Agro HAVE FUNHAVE FUN

ActivityActivity

Consider your response to this first clip Consider your response to this first clip individually,individually,

In threes,In threes, And finally in groups of 5-6And finally in groups of 5-6

What are the significant issues emerging for What are the significant issues emerging for you in relation to being ‘invitational?’you in relation to being ‘invitational?’

Implications of Invitational Implications of Invitational EducationEducation

Ideally, the factors of Ideally, the factors of people, places, people, places, policies, programmes and processespolicies, programmes and processes should should be so intentionally inviting as to create an be so intentionally inviting as to create an environment in which every person is environment in which every person is cordially summoned to develop intellectually, cordially summoned to develop intellectually, socially, physically and spiritually.socially, physically and spiritually.

Starfish ActivityStarfish Activity

The starfish is able to apply steady and continuous pressure from a number of points to overwhelm the oyster and is a suitable analogy for a strategy for school improvement.

Second ClipSecond Clip

Individual StoriesIndividual Stories

Invitational ContractInvitational Contract ((Reflection Activity)Reflection Activity)

Being personally inviting Being personally inviting with oneselfwith oneself

Being personally inviting Being personally inviting with otherswith others

Being professionally Being professionally inviting with oneselfinviting with oneself

Being professionally Being professionally inviting with othersinviting with others

A basic tenet of IE suggests where any of the dimensions is missing, the school will begin to misfire like an auto with a bad spark-plug

Melbourne Town Hall Melbourne Town Hall Final ClipFinal Clip

For a few minutes, please consider your For a few minutes, please consider your response to this third and closing sequence. response to this third and closing sequence.

Allan Crabbe describes the experience of Allan Crabbe describes the experience of being a choir member, to be,being a choir member, to be,

“ “Just like a family.” To be Invitational in Just like a family.” To be Invitational in school or community is as simple and as school or community is as simple and as complex as that.complex as that.