THE ORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL
4.9 SCHOOL MANAGEMENT, DECISION-MAKING AND ORGANIZ- ATION OF STAFF
Through t h i s involvement, students can l e a r n t o a c t i n s o c i a l s i t u a t i o n s , to communicate w i t h each other and w i t h teachers and to l e a r n what i s r e q u i r e d i f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r a p r o j e c t i s accepted. But these ends are more l i k e l y to be achieved i f the organs o f student government are seen as "doing bodies" r a t h e r than "demanding bodies". The model proposed here seems much more l i k e l y to be successful than one based on p r e t e n d i n g to share power w i t h s t u d e n t s .
4.9 SCHOOL MANAGEMENT, DECISION-MAKING AND ORGANIZ-
The general t h r u s t o f these c o n t r i b u t i o n s was towards wider p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n the management o f t h e school and g r e a t e r f l e x i b i l i t y i n i t s o r g a n i z a t i o n .
The f o l l o w i n g p r a c t i c e s and b e l i e f s revealed
b y t h e Survey o f Secondary Education m e r i t m e n t i o n i n
t h i s s e c t i o n of the Report. Forty-two schools have a w r i t t e n statement of o b j e c t i v e s f o r the s c h o o l , and t w e n t y - f i v e do n o t . Of the f o r t y - t w o , twenty- seven have been reviewed i n the past year, mostly by the senior s t a f f . (78) The Committee would see t h i s as i n d i c a t i n g a low l e v e l o f p a r t i c i p a t i o n by s t a f f i n making major d e c i s i o n s about p o l i c y i n the school. I n the same v e i n , o f t h e t h i r t y - t h r e e schools which have a w r i t t e n statement o f r u l e s , twenty-two had p a r t i c i p a t i o n by s t a f f , and i n a few cases students as w e l l , i n the c o m p i l a t i o n of t h e statement. (79)
By and l a r g e , the e x i s t e n c e o f a h i e r a r c h y i s r e f l e c t e d i n the m a t t e r s discussed i n t h i s s e c t i o n of t h e Survey. Major school d e c i s i o n s tend t o be made by senior people, and l e s s sweeping d e c i s i o n s
tend t o be made by general s t a f f . I n matters o f d i s c i p l i n e t h e r e i s g e n e r a l l y a c h a i n of r e f e r r a l , w i t h r e f e r r a l t o v i c e - p r i n c i p a l or p r i n c i p a l regarded as "most s e r i o u s " .
S t a f f s showed a general r e l u c t a n c e t o be i n v o l v e d i n the appointment o f teachers to the school. (80) The appointment o f a p r i n c i p a l was overwhelmingly
seen as a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f the Department alone. Even i n r e l a t i o n t o the appointment of teachers, no more than h a l f o f t h e school s t a f f s would seek t o be
i n v o l v e d i n any way. The o t h e r h a l f would see t h i s as a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f the Department alone.
With t h e f o r e g o i n g m a t e r i a l as a guide, the
Committee found t h a t i t was necessary to seek f u r t h e r m a t e r i a l on which t o base i t s conclusions i n t h i s
area. As a f i r s t step i t s e t t l e d on the f o l l o w i n g g e n e r a l i z a t i o n s about o r g a n i z a t i o n a l decision-making
f r o m " Organisational behaviour i n schools" b y Owens:
1. E f f e c t i v e p a r t i c i p a t i o n by teachers i n meaningful decisons does "pay o f f " .
2. Teachers do not want t o be i n v o l v e d i n every d e c i s i o n , nor do they expect to be.
3. An important task o f the p r i n c i p a l i s to d i s t i n g u i s h between d e c i s i o n s i n which
teachers should be i n v o l v e d and those which should be handled i n other ways.
4. The r o l e s and f u n c t i o n s o f teachers i n d e c i s i o n - making can be v a r i e d according t o the n a t u r e
of the problem. (81)
Although these g e n e r a l i z a t i o n s emphasize the importance of p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n decision-making, they imply a
good deal about the importance o f l e a d e r s h i p i n an o r g a n i z a t i o n , and so the Committee turned f i r s t t o consider the l e a d e r s h i p f u n c t i o n o f the p r i n c i p a l i n a secondary school.
The l e a d e r s h i p f u n c t i o n o f the p r i n c i p a l
The Committee b e l i e v e s t h e r e would be general acceptance of the view t h a t "a school e a s i l y loses coherence and confidence unless the l e a d e r s h i p i s
s t r o n g " . (82) I n c o n s i d e r i n g what i s meant by the term " s t r o n g " i n t h i s q u o t a t i o n the Committee would not see the P r i n c i p a l as being a u t h o r i t a r i a n or
"tough" so much as having the q u a l i t i e s o f s e n s i t i v i t y , sympathy and c o n s i d e r a t i o n . The problem f o r the
p r i n c i p a l i s t o g i v e the s t a f f the confidence t h a t comes from e f f e c t i v e l e a d e r s h i p and the sense o f
purpose t h a t comes from secondly based p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n policy-making.
Howie puts the s i t u a t i o n s u c c i n c t l y : (The P r i n c i p a l cannot) .... d i s c a r d t h e a u t h o r i t y t h a t goes w i t h h i s p o s i t i o n . He must r e t a i n the r i g h t t o know what i s going
on i n h i s school and t o be the f i n a l a r b i t - r a t o r . But w i t h i n t h i s framework he can develop a democratic s p i r i t i n h i s school.
He can confer on h i s s t a f f and students a s i g n i f i c a n t degree o f freedom t o manage t h e i r own a f f a i r s and t o be experimental and
c r e a t i v e . He can p u b l i c l y r e p u d i a t e the n o t i o n t h a t he h i m s e l f knows i n every d e t a i l what i s best f o r h i s school ... (83)
What Howie i s suggesting i s t h a t a c e r t a i n k i n d o f r e l a t i o n s h i p between p r i n c i p a l and s t a f f can be conducive t o an increased degree of p a r t i c i p a t i o n by s t a f f i n the management o f the school. Without an awareness o f the r e l a t i o n s h i p s i n v o l v e d , no
amount o f o r g a n i z a t i o n a l r e s t r u c t u r i n g w i l l break down the b a r r i e r s t o understanding t o which Dr.
F i t z g e r a l d r e f e r r e d i n h i s d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h t h e Committee. (84) The basic f a c t o r i n these r e l a t -
i o n s h i p s i s brought out by Pusey i n Dynamics of
Bureaucracy.
The teachers and the p r i n c i p a l s know i n t h e i r bones t h a t t h e q u a l i t y o f t h e teacher's perform- ance depends i n l a r g e measure on t h e q u a l i t y of t h e human r e l a t i o n s h i p through which i t i s mediated. I n some e s s e n t i a l sense education must always be a s o c i a l process - e s p e c i a l l y i n
Western s o c i e t i e s where the formal purpose o f education i s r e a l l y t o t a l p e r s o n a l i t y develop- ment b r o a d l y conceived. The q u a l i t y o f t h e
teacher's performance then i n e v i t a b l y depends on such u n i v e r s a l human q u a l i t i e s as s e n s i t i v i t y , enthusiasm, openness and concern ...
This i s the u n d e r l y i n g f a c t i n terms of which t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e teacher and t h e p r i n c i p a l should be understood. When the p r i n c i p a l judges the work of one o f h i s teachers - as he i s
c o n s t a n t l y o b l i g e d t o do - he i s i n p a r t j u d g i n g the person.
Since t h e p r i n c i p a l has the a u t h o r i t y (and the o b l i g a t i o n ) t o make judgements on the competence of h i s teachers, t h e e x e r c i s e of h i s a u t h o r i t y i s t h r e a t e n i n g . . .. The teacher i s f o r c e d t o face an e x t e r n a l p e r c e p t i o n of h i s own i d e n t i t y - he i s p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y dependent on what t h e p r i n c i p a l t h i n k s of him. (85)
Unless p r i n c i p a l and s t a f f are aware of t h e
importance o f r e l a t i o n s h i p s i n the s c h o o l , t h e p r i n c i p a l runs the r i s k o f e s t a b l i s h i n g a d i s t a n c e between him-
s e l f and h i s s t a f f . The s t a f f w i l l then tend t o deal w i t h the p r i n c i p a l from a s t a n d p o i n t o f f o r m a l imperson- a l i t y , and t h i s i n t u r n reduces t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f genuine d i a l o g u e . I n t h e absence of a r e a l d i s c u s s i o n of ideas, t h e p r i n c i p a l i s not i n a p o s i t i o n t o lead h i s s t a f f ; i n s t e a d , he J u s t goes on managing them.
I t - - i s w i t h t h i s consciousness o f t h e basic prob- lem t h a t the p r i n c i p a l must overcome t h a t t h e Committee puts forward some ideas about t h e f u n c t i o n t h a t the Committee sees f o r him and how he must be supported i n order t o c a r r y i t " o u t . "
The Committee recognizes the importance o f t h e p r i n c i p a l ' s l e a d e r s h i p r o l e , and sees t h i s l e a d e r s h i p as v i t a l to the t h r u s t and c o - o r d i n a t i o n o f t h e
e d u c a t i o n a l program, t o the e x p e c t a t i o n s o f teachers, and to the sound o r g a n i z a t i o n of t h e school and i t s i n t e r a c t i o n w i t h groups o u t s i d e the school. This l e a d e r s h i p cannot be provided by any other member of s t a f f or by support from o u t s i d e t h e school. However, i t i s important t h a t i f t h e p r i n c i p a l i s t o f u n c t i o n
as an e d u c a t i o n a l l e a d e r , he must be provided w i t h a d m i n i s t r a t i v e support s t a f f who can f r e e him from the t i e s of d e t a i l e d budgeting, accounting and r o u t i n e correspondence.
In the Committee's view the p r i n c i p a l i s not so much a manager as a d i s c e r n i n g e n t h u s i a s t , supporter and f a c i l i t a t o r of the t h i n g s being done i n the school.
He i s an important c a t a l y s t f o r ideas t h a t come up i n the school, and t h e r e f o r e he needs t o adopt an
"open door" p o l i c y h i m s e l f so t h a t s t a f f w i l l f e e l f r e e t o approach him, and also to open doors f o r
contacts between i n d i v i d u a l s and groups i n the school.
In t h i s respect the Committee b e l i e v e s i t i s l e n d i n g support to p r i n c i p a l s i n i t s recommendations about the s i z e of the school.
Important as i t i s f o r the p r i n c i p a l t o seek out the s t r e n g t h s of s t a f f members and to make use of these, i t should not be f o r g o t t e n t h a t he i s the leader w i t h s t r e n g t h s of h i s own to meet s t a f f and community e x p e c t a t i o n s of p o s i t i v e l e a d e r s h i p , to take d e c i s i o n s as necessary, and t o support the s t a f f
of the school.
The Committee considers i t most important t h a t p r i n c i p a l s be given more support i n t h e i r own p r o f e s - s i o n a l development. I n t h i s respect the experience of the P r i n c i p a l s seconded to help the Committee w i t h
t h e Survey o f Secondary Education p r o v i d e s a u s e f u l
model. This experience showed the value f o r a p r i n c - i p a l o f being able to v i s i t other schools and to
engage i n p u r p o s e f u l d i s c u s s i o n w i t h other p r i n c i p a l s and teachers. The Committee considers t h a t such a process i s e n r i c h i n g and wishes t o p r o v i d e opportun- i t i e s f o r i t s extension to other p r i n c i p a l s and, e s p e c i a l l y , t o those about to take up an appointment as a p r i n c i p a l .
Given the demands of l e a d i n g a secondary school and the requirements of the p o s i t i o n discussed i n t h i s Report, the Committee b e l i e v e s t h a t p r i n c i p a l s should be given the o p p o r t u n i t y o f u n d e r t a k i n g t r a i n - ing i n aspects of l e a d e r s h i p and the understanding of .organizations and the way t h a t they f u n c t i o n . This t r a i n i n g would be e s p e c i a l l y v a l u a b l e p r i o r t o t a k i n g up an i n i t i a l appointment as a p r i n c i p a l .
The need f o r p r o f e s s i o n a l renewal a f t e r s e v e r a l years as a p r i n c i p a l should be recognised, perhaps by p r o v i d i n g secondary p r i n c i p a l s w i t h s a b b a t i c a l leave. The p o s s i b i l i t y , suggested by D r . F i t z g e r a l d , of p r i n c i p a l s i n p a r t i c u l a r l y - d e m a n d i n g s i t u a t i o n s being able t o t r a n s f e r t o o t h e r schools a f t e r a p e r i o d of some years and a p e r i o d of s a b b a t i c a l leave commends i t s e l f t o t h e Committee. (86)
The processes of p a r t i c i p a n t decision-making Even though research has shown t h a t p a r t i c i p - a t i o n by teachers i n decision-making 'pays o f f , i t i s e q u a l l y c l e a r t h a t such p a r t i c i p a t i o n can be overdone. Excessive involvement o f teachers can produce resentment and r e s i s t a n c e ; teachers want t h e a d m i n i s t r a t o r t o s e t t l e h i s own
problems and they do not-want t o be e x c e s s i v e l y t i e d , u p i n committee work ... I n f a c t t h e r e are some d e c i s i o n s which teachers f e e l t h e admin- i s t r a t o r must make f o r h i m s e l f , because he i s p a i d t o make them. (87)
In t h i s l i g h t one o f t h e f i r s t d e c i s i o n s t h a t a leader must make i s t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of problems which should i n v o l v e the s t a f f . Owens l i s t s some r u l e s of thumb f o r i d e n t i f y i n g matters i n which teachers can p r o f i t a b l y share i n decision-making:
1. The t e s t o f relevance: "When the teachers' personal stakes i n the d e c i s i o n are h i g h , t h e i r i n t e r e s t i n p a r t i c i p a t i o n should also be h i g h . " (88) Problems which c l e a r l y meet
t h i s t e s t concern teaching methods and m a t e r i a l s , d i s c i p l i n e , c u r r i c u l u m , o r g a n i z i n g f o r i n s t r u c - t i o n , and d e c i s i o n s about t h e o v e r a l l t h r u s t of the school.
2. The t e s t of e x p e r t i s e : " I t i s not enough f o r the teacher t o have a stake i n the d e c i s i o n ; i f h i s p a r t i c i p a t i o n i s t o be meaningful and . s i g n i f i c a n t , t h e teacher must be competent t o
c o n t r i b u t e e f f e c t i v e l y . (89) ' I n d e a l i n g w i t h . . - t h e s e l e c t i o n o f f i c t i o n f o r l i t e r a t u r e courses,
science teachers may be f i t t e d by t r a i n i n g and experience t o c o n t r i b u t e l i t t l e or n o t h i n g . On t h e other hand, i n d e a l i n g w i t h a language development p o l i c y f o r t h e school, t h e
c o n t r i b u t i o n of science teachers may be e s s e n t i a l .
3. The t e s t o f j u r i s d i c t i o n : "Schools a r e organ- ized on a h i e r a r c h i c a l b a s i s ; the i n d i v i d u a l school and s t a f f have j u r i s d i c t i o n o n l y over those decision-making areas t h a t remain, e i t h e r by design or omission. For example, d i s c u s s i o n s on the d e s i r a b l e s t a f f i n g l e v e l f o r a school may be f r u i t l e s s because j u r i s d i c t i o n may be curbed by a higher a u t h o r i t y . Such problems may be r e l e v a n t t o teachers , and they may have t h e
r e q u i r e d expertise, but - r i g h t or wrong - they do not yet have t h e j u r i s d i c t i o n t o determine s t a f f i n g l e v e l s . P a r t i c i p a t i o n i n the making of d e c i s i o n s which t h e group cannot implement can lead t o f r u s t r a t i o n a t l e a s t as g r e a t as simple n o n - p a r t i c i p a t i o n . " (90)
The Committee emphasizes t h a t i t s comments about j u r i s d i c t i o n r e f e r t o d e c i s i o n s about which t h e
Education Department must be i n v o l v e d i f they are t o be implemented. There are other areas i n which the school has j u r i s d i c t i o n and some matters about which teachers can make d e c i s i o n s themselves. Where t h e p r i n c i p a l gives j u r i s d i c t i o n to a group o f teachers to make d e c i s i o n s , f o r example on the schools c u r r i c - ulum p o l i c y , i t i s i m p o r t a n t t h a t he should i n d i c a t e the c o n s t r a i n t s w i t h i n which they must operate. I n so doing subsequent f r u s t r a t i o n may be avoided.
Two f u r t h e r questions f o l l o w . A t what p o i n t would teachers be involved? How should teachers p a r t i c i p a t e ? I t i s i n answering these two questions t h a t the leader l a r g e l y determines how much freedom and power he i s p u t t i n g i n the hands o f teachers.
Even when a d e c i s i o n w i l l f i n a l l y be made by the p r i n c i p a l , the Committee considers t h e r e should be o p p o r t u n i t y f o r some s t a f f p a r t i c i p a t i o n , i f o n l y t o help the p r i n c i p a l to make a b e t t e r d e c i s i o n and t o increase the l i k e l i h o o d t h a t t h e d e c i s i o n w i l l be
accepted by t h e group when i t i s made. This procedure i s e f f e c t i v e f o r t o p i c s which are l a r g e l y w i t h i n
the teachers' "zone of i n d i f f e r e n c e " , and may be used i n a range of s i t u a t i o n s from f a c e - t o - f a c e d i s c u s s i o n w i t h a s i n g l e teacher t o d i s c u s s i o n i n general s t a f f meetings.(91)
When the d e c i s i o n t o be made i s o f r e a l concern to the s t a f f , or to a p o r t i o n of i t , more d e l i b e r a t e c o l l e g i a l procedures are needed, p r e f e r a b l y d i s c u s s i o n to consensus otherwise d i s c u s s i o n t o a p o i n t where i t i s c l e a r t h a t the p r i n c i p a l w i l l e v e n t u a l l y take a d e c i s i o n t h a t adequately r e f l e c t s t h e s t a f f ' s p a r t i c - i p a t i o n i n i t , o r , as a l a s t r e s o r t , d i s c u s s i o n l e a d i n g to a v o t e .
The problem s t i l l remains of ensuring t h a t s t a f f have, the opportunity-*to p a r t i c i p a t e i n d e c i s i o n s
t h a t seem i m p o r t a n t t o them. The Committee b e l i e v e s t h a t the i n i t i a t i v e f o r d e t e r m i n i n g what i s to be discussed does not l i e e n t i r e l y w i t h the p r i n c i p a l or senior s t a f f . To t h i s end, some mechanism such as an agenda committee f o r s t a f f meetings, or a b u l l e t i n board f o r agenda suggestions, should be p r o v i d e d , and the school c l i m a t e needs t o be such t h a t i n i t i a t i v e s from any s t a f f member are not s t i f l e d .
The involvement of the senior s t a f f and the whole s t a f f A key aspect of decision-making w i t h i n secondary schools, e s p e c i a l l y h i g h schools, i s the r e l a t i o n s h i p between the senior s t a f f and the whole s t a f f . I t was suggested t o the Committee t h a t teachers sometimes f e e l about the senior s t a f f t h a t " they have made a l l the d e c i s i o n s . " The situation p a r t i c u l a r l y t o be avoided would seem to be one where the p r i n c i p a l or the senior s t a f f make d e c i s i o n s and take these to the whole s t a f f t o r e p o r t or seek r a t i f i c a t i o n . A b e t t e r model would seem t o be f o r the whole s t a f f to g i v e
i n i t i a l c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o a s u b j e c t and f o r the senior s t a f f or a s t a f f committee to meet subsequently as an executive body or t o work towards a consensus on a d i f f i c u l t m a t t e r .
The Committee was impressed w i t h the value of ad hoc groups working i n some schools on p a r t i c u l a r
m a t t e r s . I n these areas the members of s t a f f who are i n t e r e s t e d i n a s u b j e c t are brought together on a v o l u n t a r y basis and, presumably, put p r o p o s i t o n s to a general s t a f f - m e e t i n g subsequently.
The Committee considers t h a t working p a r t i e s i n r e l a t i o n to p a r t i c u l a r aspects of school l i f e can e x e r c i s e a v a l u a b l e r o l e . I t would seem t h a t d e f i n i t i o n of s p e c i f i c tasks i s l i k e l y t o lead t o more p u r p o s e f u l and more s a t i s f y i n g p a r t i c i p a t i o n . Such working p a r t i e s may lead t o a r e d u c t i o n i n the need f o r general s t a f f - meetings, and may p r o v i d e more s u b s t a n t i a l business f o r general s t a f f - m e e t i n g s . This c o n s i d e r a t i o n would seem t o be i m p o r t a n t , because the Committee r e c e i v e d evidence t h a t many s t a f f meetings are unduly concerned w i t h r o u t i n e m a t t e r s and t r i v i a r a t h e r than the
c o n s i d e r a t i o n of e d u c a t i o n a l issues and p o l i c y matters of some moment. (92)
The Committee has mentioned two a p p r o p r i a t e ways i n which groups of s t a f f can be i n v o l v e d i n
the decision-making process. However, the Committee also wishes t o encourage the development i n secondary schools o f other p a t t e r n s of i n v o l v i n g s t a f f .
The Committee b e l i e v e s t h a t p a r t i c u l a r e f f o r t s should be made t o i n v o l v e some o f t h e s p e c i a l i s t s who are not represented by senior s t a f f members i n t h e decision-making o f the school. Teachers whose work i n the school does not c a l l f o r one o f t h e i r number t o be appointed as a senior master i n the s c h o o l , such as l i b r a r i a n s , guidance and w e l f a r e o f f i c e r s and
s p e c i a l - e d u c a t i o n s p e c i a l i s t s , share a common problem.
Although t h e i r work provides a general resource f o r the school, they tend t o be l e f t out o f the d e c i s i o n - making process, e s p e c i a l l y where decision-making i s
l a r g e l y i n the hands o f t h e senior s t a f f . T h e i r con- t e n t i o n i s t h a t t h i s tends t o i s o l a t e them and t o reduce t h e i r e f f e c t i v e n e s s because t h e i r work i s n o t s u f f i c i e n t l y r e l a t e d to the mainstream o f school
a c t i v i t y . This i s not o n l y a Tasmanian problem - a t t e n t i o n i s drawn t o i t i n both the r e p o r t on A Language f o r L i f e and i n the comments of the Committee's
West A u s t r a l i a n c o n s u l t a n t . (93) The Committee accepts t h e i r view t h a t the sense o f e x c l u s i o n t h a t they f e e l leads t o l e s s than adequate use o f these people as
resources, and l e s s than adequate p r o v i s i o n o f resources to t h e i r work.
Perhaps because of the recent p u b l i c a t i o n o f
t h e R e p o r t o n L i b r a r i e s i n S c h o o l s , C o l l e g e s and t h e
Community, the Committee was made s t r o n g l y aware o f the problems of t e a c h e r - l i b r a r i a n s and suggestions f o r s o l v i n g them. (94) These suggestions i n c l u d e d the
d e s i r a b i l i t y o f having t h e t e a c h e r - l i b r a r i a n take p a r t i n senior s t a f f meetings, having the t e a c h e r - 1 i b r a r i a n appointed before the opening of the s c h o o l , and n o t
i n c l u d i n g t h e t e a c h e r - l i b r a r i a n i n the s t a f f i n g quota.
F i n a l l y , two comments from Howie about s t a f f meetings m e r i t r e p o r t i n g .
I n a l a r g e s t a f f a committee of r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of t h e s t a f f , or s t a f f c o u n c i l , might be formed, i t s members being e l e c t e d by the s t a f f and
h o l d i n g o f f i c e f o r one academic year ... The e x i s t e n c e o f such a s t a f f c o u n c i l would n o t of course preclude a committee of heads o f depart- ments provided t h a t i t i s understood t h a t i t i s
the s t a f f c o u n c i l which i s concerned w i t h the development of school p o l i c y i n the more general sense, w h i l e the heads o f departments are concer- ned w i t h a more l i m i t e d range of academic m a t t e r s .
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to enquire whether i t i s necessary or d e s i r a b l e t h a t the school p r i n c i p a l should be chairman of the s t a f f meeting or even of the s t a f f c o u n c i l ...
The c o n t r o l of such meetings by a competent chairman who i s not the school p r i n c i p a l might p r o v i d e the best o p p o r t u n i t y f o r the f r e e passage of communication w i t h i n the group. (95)
The o r g a n i z a t i o n o f s t a f f
The f u n c t i o n of the teaching s t a f f o f the school i s t o teach s t u d e n t s , t o be concerned w i t h t h e i r pers- onal development and w e l f a r e , and, as a prelude t o these, to do the p l a n n i n g and to marshal the resources necessary f o r these t a s k s . The s t a f f should be organ-
ized i n a way t h a t w i l l enable i t t o c a r r y out these f u n c t i o n s most e f f e c t i v e l y .
Some suggestions have been made i n the previous s e c t i o n about the forms of o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t might c o n t r i b u t e to the teachers' planning f u n c t i o n . The Committee recognises t h a t f o r the teaching and c a r i n g f u n c t i o n s the o r g a n i z a t i o n of s t a f f i s c l o s e l y
a s s o c i a t e d w i t h the p r a c t i c e of the school i n r e l a t i o n to the grouping of s t u d e n t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y as regards the s i z e , the nature and the permanence o f the groups f o r which each teacher i s r e s p o n s i b l e .
The Committee supports a p o l i c y which a l l o w s each school to deploy i t s s t a f f i n accordance w i t h i t s own assessment of teaching requirements and the c o n t r i b - u t i o n s which members of s t a f f can make. Such a p o l i c y gives the school a f l e x i b i l i t y i n s t a f f u t i l i z a t i o n t h a t i t has not had i n the past and, i n t h e o r y a t l e a s t , allows the use of the p a r t i c u l a r t a l e n t s of s t a f f members f o r l a r g e or small group i n s t r u c t i o n or f o r t u t o r i n g .
Most schools s t i l l place an unnecessary c o n s t r a i n t on the f l e x i b i l i t y of t h e i r use of s t a f f by t a k i n g the view t h a t the f u n c t i o n of the teaching s t a f f i s to teach s u b j e c t s and to p l a n f o r t h i s . This v i e w p o i n t , the t y i n g of the promotion system l a r g e l y to s u b j e c t departments, and the f a c u l t y - a r e a design of most
o l d e r b u i l d i n g s , appears t o the Committee to c o n t r i b u t e to an undue degree of c o m p a r t m e n t a l i z a t i o n of the s t a f f of secondary schools, and to b l i n d school managements to the p o s s i b i l i t i e s of other forms of o r g a n i z a t i o n .
The a t t e n t i o n o f t h e Committee has been drawn t o forms o f o r g a n i z a t i o n such as rr; i n i - schoo 1 s , grade- t e a c h i n g teams, t e a m - t e a c h i n g groups of r e l a t e d
c u r r i c u l u m a r e a s ( e . g . t h e h u m a n i t i e s ; and v e r t i c a l g r o u p i n g s , which appear t o t a c k l e the problem o f t h e
i m p e r s o n a l i t y o f t h e l a r g e school b e t t e r t h a n t h e f a m i l i a r s u b j e c t - b a s e d o r g a n i z a t i o n . In making t h i s c o m p a r i s o n , the Committee i s not s u g g e s t i n g t h a t one s c h o o l s h o u l d s l a v i s h l y adopt the form o f s t a f f
o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t a n o t h e r has found s a t i s f a c t o r y . Changes i n s t r u c t u r e w i l l be s u c c e s s f u l o n l y i f t h e y a r e made i n response t o a need t h a t i s f e l t i n t h e
s c h o o l .
I t i s u n l i k e l y , however, t h a t a whole s c h o o l s t a f f w i l l s i m u l t a n e o u s l y f e e l t h e need f o r change.
I t i s more l i k e l y t h a t a s m a l l group o f t e a c h e r s
may move t o t r y something d i f f e r e n t , and t h e i m p o r t a n t t h i n g i s t h a t s c h o o l o r g a n i z a t i o n s h o u l d be f l e x i b l e enough t o accommodate i n n o v a t i v e groups f o r a t r i a l p e r i o d a t l e a s t .
E x p e r i e n c e i n d i c a t e s t h a t s e v e r a l c o n d i t i o n s s h o u l d be met i f i n n o v a t i v e groups are t o be accommod- a t e d w i t h i n t h e g e n e r a l s t a f f - o r g a n i z a t i o n . One i s t h a t t h e y s h o u l d be g e n u i n e l y s u p p o r t e d by t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f t h e s c h o o l , a n o t h e r i s t h a t t h e y s h o u l d be j o i n e d by a t l e a s t one s t a f f member, n o t n e c e s s a r i l y i n a p r o m o t i o n p o s i t i o n , whose s t a t u s i n t h e t o t a l s t a f f g i v e s a u t h e n t i c i t y t o t h e g r o u p , and a t h i r d i s t h a t t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h the normal o r g a n i z a t i o n o f t h e s c h o o l s h o u l d be c l e a r l y d e f i n e d , so t h a t , f o r example, d o u b t s about t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o f s u b j e c t s e n i o r m a s t e r s a r e c l e a r e d up.
The Committee gave p a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n t o t h e q u e s t i o n o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n o f s t a f f i n d i s t r i c t s c h o o l s , where p a r t i c u l a r d i f f i c u l t i e s a r e f o u n d i n t h e p r o v i s i o n o f some k i n d s o f s p e c i a l i s t s t a f f f o r t h e secondary s c h o o l . The Committee b e l i e v e s t h a t t h e p r i m a r y and secondary s t a f f o f t h e d i s t r i c t s c h o o l s h o u l d be r e g a r d e d as a s i n g l e u n i t and t h a t a l l s t a f f , b u t p a r t i c u l a r l y s p e c i a l i s t s i n p h y s i c a l e d u c a t i o n , a r t , and music where these a r e a p p o i n t e d , s h o u l d be seen as a r e s o u r c e t o be used f o r the whole s c h o o l . T h i s was seen as a way o f o v e r c o m i n g some o f t h e d i s a d v a n t a g e s o f c o u n t r y c h i l d r e n i n the p r i m a r y s c h o o l as w e l l as
i n secondary c l a s s e s . The Committee proposes t h a t one or two d i s t r i c t s c h o o l s be s t a f f e d on a " t o t a l
s c h o o l " b a s i s , so t h a t t h e advantages and d i s a d v a n t a g e s of t h i s p r o p o s i t i o n can be e v a l u a t e d .
CHAPTER 4