Giants #10: Andy Hargreaves

Giant #10

Andy Hargreaves

“if I have seen further [than others], it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

1675 letter by Isaac Newton:

I have been learning from Andy Hargreaves continually since I read Understanding Teacher Development, (1992). What caught my eye was this quote, “understand that developing teachers and improving their teaching involves more than giving them new tricks.” As a principal, my assumption was manage the building and the rest would take care of itself.  Later, Noel Tichy’s book, The Leadership Engine (1997) said, the leader has two jobs; first, be the head learner and second, develop other leaders.  Roland Barth (1990) published Improving School from Within which posited that leaders should be the ‘head learner.’

By attending many of Andy’s trainings for NSDC (now Leaning Forward), his strong contribution to our learning partners at Learning Omnivores and being a presenter for several conferences such as an urban school initiative that Jen York-Barr and I created for St. Paul Public Schools, learning has always been the goal.  (He flew from Europe overnight to be the lead presenter).  He also addressed Region 4 administrators in Houston with over 400 people in the room.  His vision, understanding, and professional development skills are amazing.  I am grateful for the Forewords he has written for a couple of my books.

Andy has continued his unflinching strong values for what education can produce as well as masterful writing and training for many years.  Every one of his books holds research and processes to improve schools and their cultures. He wrote Sustainable Leadership, Professional Capital, and the great organizer Collaborative Professionalism to build strong learning cultures.  I recommend reading his publications and following Andy Hargreaves work.  It is practical and can be implemented into any site or district that has learning is “JOB 1.”

Andy’s current work around the world is providing hope and pathways to focus on ‘learningful’ schools, building sustainable cultures, and providing a vision for the future.  His Fourth Way (2009) gave leaders a peak as what was ahead.  The early adopters made his future a reality.  In 2021 Dennis Shirley and Andy published Five Paths of Student Engagement.  As many in schools are dealing with attention fragmentation of smartphones, etc., again he was out in front. He provides forward thinking that leaders need to prepare for a world we do not know.

Students and staff are experiencing high levels of trauma in our professional and personal lives. Read, Well-Being in Schools (2023) by Shirley and Hargreaves. Identity is the highest form of beliefs and values because of our modeling.  It is hard to give what you don’t have.  Our professionals and parents must model what we want for our children.  There is a French Proverb:  “Children Need Models more than Critics.”  After all, modeling is the first teacher.

There are many, many more learning nuggets in Andy’s work. My hope is that more leaders, learning professionals, read and take to heart his longstanding and extremely important contributions to school sites all over the world.  Here is a quote from Understanding Teacher Development, that is still true today. “The seeds of development will not grow if they are cast on stony ground.  Critical reflection will not take place if there is neither time nor encouragement for it.  Teachers will learn little from each other if they work in persistent isolation.  Creative experimentation with instruction and improvement will be unlikely if changes are implemented from the outside by a heavy-handed administration.” Those of us who are still working in schools and leaders must help create learning cultures.

Positive school change has been and will continue to be how we create the cultures for learning which will continue growing for students and staff.  Ron Edmonds was right when he said, “We can, whenever and wherever we want, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us.  We already know more than we need to do that.”

As Art Costa told me over thirty years ago, if you as a leader don’t create a learning culture for staff, why do you think they will create it for students.  GET UP, TODAY IS A WORKDAY (Angeles Arrien)

Mahalo Andy, for helping me become a better learner, leader, and human being. You are a giant in the field and I am grateful for you guidance.