Unleashing the Positive Power of Differences : Polarity Thinking in Our Schools

Part I: Understanding polarity thinking. Introduction: Let's put our differences to work for us -- Getting unstuck in education -- Part II: The big picture of polarity thinking in education reform. Leveraging education goals: academic success AND whole child success -- Ensuring effective teachers: evaluation as a measure of effectiveness AND a guide for professional growth -- A math wars truce: mastery of knowledge AND mastery of problem solving -- Making diplomas meaningful: standardization AND customization -- Part III: Putting the small polarity thinking tools to work. Introducing polarity thinking to your team -- Guiding your team through polarity thinking -- Using polarity tools to explore initiatives and opposing experts -- Working with common polarities in education -- Students and polarities: a tool for critical thinking -- Part IV: A closer look at why we believe what we believe. Carl Jung, neuroscience, and the truth that we're wired to develop different viewpoints -- Conclusion: Moving beyond polarization in education -- Appendix A: A PACT process case study -- Appendix B: Chapter 9 reading: How do we help students succeed?;"All too often, education initiatives collapse because leaders fail to learn from the concerns of those charged with implementation. Acclaimed education coach Jane Kise demonstrates how polarity thinking―a powerful approach to bridging differences―can help organizations shift from conflict to collaboration. "--Amazon.com. Move from entrenched differences to common goals! All too often, key education initiatives collapse because leaders fail to anticipate and learn from the concerns of those charged with implementation. This illuminating book shows how education leaders can bring opposing groups to common ground, resulting in a solid plan built on diverse wisdom. Acclaimed education coach Jane Kise demonstrates how polarity thinking—a powerful tool for bridging differences developed by Barry Johnson of Polarity Partnerships—provides an alternative to endless debates and either/or thinking. Rather than seeing conflicting forces, the tools help us view them as equally important—even interdependent—concepts, approaches, or models. Readers will find: Ways to recognize polarities, map the positive and negative aspects, and channel energy wasted on disagreement toward a greater common purpose Tools for introducing and working with polarities Polarity mapping to help leaders improve processes for leading change and creating buy-in Ways to use polarity with students as a framework for higher-level thinking'Jane Kise provides guidance for educators engaged in deep change and implementation of initiatives in which stakeholders have opposing perspectives. Through authentic examples of significant changes educators face today, Kise guides educators to leverage polarity thinking to promote commitment, engagement, and investment.'— Joellen Killion, Senior Advisor Learning Forward'The mind, entrenched in the rigidity of either/or thinking, dwells on the divisions and ignores the connections of both/and. This engaging and practical book helps our students (and their teachers) transcend those divisions in a journey toward enriched enlightenment and greater flexibility.'—Arthur L. Costa, Emeritus Professor California State University, Sacramento UNLEASHING THE POSITIVE POWER OF DIFFERENCES-FRONT COVER 1 UNLEASHING THE POSITIVE POWER OF DIFFERENCES 2 CONTENTS 6 LIST OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 9 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 11 PART I: UNDERSTANDING POLARITY THINKING 12 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION: LET’S PUT OUR DIFFERENCES TO WORK FOR US 13 CHAPTER 2: GETTING UNSTUCK IN EDUCATION 18 PART II: THE BIG PICTURE OF POLARITYTHINKING IN EDUCATION REFORM 42 CHAPTER 3: LEVERAGING EDUCATION GOALS: ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND WHOLE CHILD SUCCESS 43 CHAPTER 4: ENSURING EFFECTIVE TEACHERS: EVALUATION AS A MEASURE OF EFFECTIVENESS AND A GUIDE FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH 64 CHAPTER 5: A MATH WARS TRUCE: MASTERY OF KNOWLEDGE AND MASTERY OF PROBLEM SOLVING 89 CHAPTER 6: MAKING DIPLOMAS MEANINGFUL: STANDARDIZATION AND CUSTOMIZATION 116 PART III: PUTTING THE SMALL POLARITYTHINKING TOOLS TO WORK 140 CHAPTER 7: INTRODUCING POLARITY THINKING TO YOUR TEAM 141 CHAPTER 8: GUIDING YOUR TEAM THROUGH POLARITY THINKING 151 CHAPTER 9: USING POLARITY TOOLS TO EXPLORE INITIATIVES AND OPPOSING EXPERTS 167 CHAPTER 10: WORKING WITH COMMON POLARITIES IN EDUCATION 183 CHAPTER 11: STUDENTS AND POLARITIES: A TOOL FOR CRITICAL THINKING 201 PART IV: A CLOSER LOOK AT WHYWE BELIEVE WHAT WE BELIEVE 222 CHAPTER 12: CARL JUNG, NEUROSCIENCE, AND THE TRUTH THAT WE’RE WIRED TO DEVELOP DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS 223 CONCLUSION: MOVING BEYOND POLARIZATION IN EDUCATION 254 APPENDIX A: A PACT PROCESS CASE STUDY 257 APPENDIX B: CHAPTER 9 READING: HOW DO WE HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED? 263 REFERENCES 267 SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING 276 INDEX 277 In a recent (January 30th, 2012) New Yorker article on "Groupthink," author Jonah Lehrer observes the following: The most creative spaces are those which hurl us together. It is the human friction that makes the sparks. Lehrer's statement, grounded in decades of research in social psychology, is that the most constructive form of collaboration is one in which a diverse group of people, i.e., those from different discipline areas and backgrounds, engage in "the vigorous exchange of clashing perspectives." Educators who have participated in effective PLCs have learned that some degree of conflict between group members is not only healthy but, in many cases, necessary to move the group forward. However, when strongly-opinionated individuals are unwilling to even consider differing perspectives, progress is unlikely. Perhaps .. Move from entrenched differences to common goals! All too often, education initiatives collapse because leaders fail to learn from the concerns of those charged with implementation. Acclaimed education coach Jane Kise demonstrates how polarity thinking-a powerful approach to bridging differences-can help organizations shift from conflict to collaboration. Readers will find: Ways to recognize polarities, map the positive and negative aspects, and channel energy wasted on disagreement toward a greater common purpose Tools for introducing and working with polarities Polarity mapping to help leaders improve processes for leading change and creating buy-in Ways to use polarity with students as a framework for higher-level thinking