A Praxis for Developing a Model of Shared Governance in the Secondary School
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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 75-4234 CALKINS, James Eugene, 1925- A PRAXIS FOR DEVELOPING A MODEL OF SHARED GOVERNANCE IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL. The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Ed.D., 1974 Education, administration Xerox University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 © 1974 JAMES EUGENE CALKINS ALL RIGHTS RESERVEO A PRAXIS FOR DEVELOPING A MODEL OF SHARED GOVERNANCE IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL by James E. Calkins A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree• Doctor of Education Greensboro 1974 Approved by APPROVAL PAGE This dissertation has been approved by the following committee of the Faculty of the Graduate School at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dissertati Advis Committee Members A. Dace of Acceptance py Coiranittee ii ABSTRACT CALKINS, JAMES EUGENE. A Praxis for Developing a Model of Shared Governance in the Secondary School. The work of this study has produced a thorough review of the literature that involves the concepts of shared governance and shared power in the public schools. The implications of humanizing and demo cratizing the administration and the environment of the public schools were extensively reviewed. Antecedents and precedents for current practices were sought in industry and business, the social sciences, the management of junior colleges and colleges, and at other levels of public education. It became clear that there were many sources of logical precedents and antecedents to be applied to models for a public secondary school. These antecedents and precedents were applied to a description and exposition of an operational model of shared governance at Staples High School in Westport, Connecticut. These same sources served further to provide the basis of a theoretical model that was constructed to provide both a theoretical and philosophical basis for the operational model. The operational model was described completely. The format and the operation of the model were delineated in detail. A brief summary of the actions taken by the operational model (SGB) during the course of its existence has been provided. A number of actual bills and other actions taken by the SGB have been included in the appendices. Other pertinent informa tion helpful to obtaining an understanding and appreciation of the theoretical and operational models of this study have been included in the appendices as well. The presentation throughout the study has been supplemented by figures and tables designed to clarify the exposition of the text. To assist a possible innovator in the task of implementing the concept of a shared governance in the public secondary schools, both a calendar of events and a flowchart have been offered as guides to replicating an operational model. Suggestions for handling change and moving people through the dialogic stages of consciousness rais ing explained and used by Freire (1972) have been incorporated in the study. The intention of this study was to seek out a rationale for both a model and concept of democratic organization in the public secondary school, devise a theoretical model for that concept, describe in great detail the operational model related to the theoretical model, and, finally, to show a potential innovator how to replicate the opera tional model. This study has successfully concluded both the recording of the development and the means of replicating a practical experience of shared governance in the management of a public secondary school. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I had hoped to provide a revolutionary document that could be tacked up on the schoolhouse door, and the institution would have been shaken to the core with the vision of its message. Somehow the reality of my vision is more nearly akin to that of the Polish visionary as described by Bennis (1960): who claimed that he could see the synagogue burning to the ground in the town of Lwow (45 miles away). Late the next day, a visitor from Lwow appeared on the scene and discounted the whole story. The local villagers were still proud of their visionary--so what if he was wrong. Look how far he could see (p. ix). I acknowledge with gratitude the efforts of Mrs. Sally Deegan and Mrs. Betty Bardes, who typed this vision. Most of all, I am in the debt of my wife, who patiently added this dissertation to her long list of ordeals. And finally I wish to acknowledge the encouragement and direction of my Irish mentor, Dr. T. Joseph McCook, who, if he had thought of it, would have been the first to say to me: "So what if you are wrong. Look how far you can see!" iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS viii LIST OF APPENDICES ix CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION I Background 1 Purpose 12 Problem 15 Statement of Need 22 Statement of a Belief 28 Procedure . 29 II. ANALYSIS OF THE LITERATURE 32 Philosophical and Historical Considerations .... 34 Related Research 49 Process of Effecting Change .... 54 Rights and Responsibilities 59 Student and Teacher Militancy 65 Antecedents and Precedents 72 Governance in Education 83 Implications of Political Education 97 Summary 101 III. THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS: MODEL CONSIDERATIONS .... 103 Values Clarification 103 Historical Models 110 Post-Secondary Education Models 114 Secondary Education Models 118 A Selected Theoretical Model 119 Implications for an Operational Model 134 iv Page IV. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SELECTED MODEL: ESTABLISHING A PRAXIS 136 Description of the Community 136 Conditions Favorable to Promoting Change 144 The Administrative Structure Prior to the SGB .... 152 Historical Evolution of Student Government at Staples High School 156 Humanizing Staples High School 162 Democratizing Staples High School 170 The Current Administrative Structure 174 V. AN OPERATIONAL DESCRIPTION OF THE STAPLES GOVERNING BOARD 178 The Policies Governing the Staples Governing Board: Overview 178 Exposition of the SGB Policies 179 Amendments to the Policies Governing the Staples Governing Board 192 Structure of the Staples Governing Board 197 Steps for a Bill to Become a Law 202 The Concept of Balance of Power 204 Early Growth and Development 209 Functional Dilemmas of the SGB 228 Accomplishments and Recognition 234 Assessment of the Present Status of the SGB 236 VI. SHARED GOVERNANCE: A BLUEPRINT FOR IMPLEMENTATION . 240 Overview 240 Overcoming Resistance to Change 240 Calendar of Events: Thematic Stage 252 Calendar of Events: Humanization Stage 258 Calendar of Events: Preliminary Modification Stage . 263 Calendar of Events: Modification Stage 267 Calendar of Events: Mediational Stage 272 Calendar of Events: Fusion Stage 277 Additional Suggestions for Implementing the Model . 281 VII. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 287 Summary 287 Conclusions •. 289 Recommendations 293 v Page APPENDICES 296 A. General Information about Staples High School 297 B. Evolution of the Policies Governing the Staples Governing Board 310 C. Reports from the SGB to the Westport Board of Education 329 D. SGB Actions 1970-1973 343 E. SGB Initiated Forms 370 F. Judicial Board of Review 376 BIBLIOGRAPHY 379 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Tallies of SGB Actions - 1970-73 218 2. Categorization of SGB Legislation by Subject 221 vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Mirror effect of vulnerability and dependency 9 2. Mirror effect of authority and power 11 3. Thematic stage 122 4. Humanization stage ' 124 5. Preliminary modification stage 126 6. Modification stage 128 7. Mediational stage 131 8. Fusion stage 133 9. Line and staff administrative structure depicting placement of Staples High School 153 10. Placement of SGB in administrative structure at Staples High School 175 11. The organizational components of the SGB 199 12. Symbols used in flowchart constructing a model of shared governance 251 13. Thematic stage in developing shared governance 255 14. Humanization stage in developing shared governance . 262 15. Preliminary modification stage in developing shared governance 266 16.