The educational landscape keeps on changing and some Teaching School Alliances are set to make a major contribution. However, whilst new opportunities and new technologies are exciting for some, they also threaten many alliances that will be unable to evolve rapidly enough to deliver extraordinary value.
Having a value proposition that is attractive and deliverable is an important “vehicle” to facilitate better outcomes for member schools.
So how can a Teaching School Alliance add greater value?
1. Improve staff involvement and engagement in innovation. Engagement is not the luxury of a few – provide abundant opportunity for all people to engage in innovative, creative activities that can lead to “brand new” models of work.
2. Build a strong culture of collaboration. Culture is the king of all organisational issues. Commit to cultivating your own culture as an Alliance of innovation.
3. Become a hub for problem-solving and idea generation. Ideas can come from anywhere within your schools – so be a forum for sharing them.
4. Deliver engaging and cutting-edge learning experiences. Brief Coaching sessions, online webinars and live web meetings are all examples of non-traditional, time-sensitive learning methods that can be provided.
5. Promote thought leadership. Encourage new speakers and presenters from within your Alliance staff afterall, the Alliance offers a ready-made presentation circuit! Promote Intellectual Property creation and support entrepreneurial and/or traded activities.
6. Measure culture. Invest in measuring your culture as it evolves — is it innovative, engaging, challenging and sector-leading?
7. Set the bar high. Be clear and explicit about the standard of your ‘brand’. Set the bar at a blue-sky level – this will force ambition, aspiration and challenge. Do not allow your vision to be a limiter – there will be plenty of other things that will provide you with the notional glass ceiling.
