The term “Herding Glaciers” describes my belief that impacting significant educational change is a ponderous undertaking. The notion of “herding glaciers” comes from my reaction when educators in Iowa who often told me that working in state education leadership and coordinating with the governor, legislators and education organizations must be like “herding cats”. I would often reply that it felt more like herding glaciers. Change was indeed very slow, but, if the changes came from careful listening and analysis, persistence might result in success and, as with glaciers, the landscape could be changed.
Please do not misunderstand. There are great examples of courageous and effective innovation at the classroom and building level. There are even a few lasting examples of successful district change. However, if we need and expect big changes, we cannot depend solely on local practitioners to invent and implement systemic changes with little support from a larger system. For example, local folks alone can’t change the way all teachers are trained, licensed, developed and supported. We can’t depend on local practitioners to develop and distribute comprehensive and innovative technology solutions. If the world worked that way, then local doctors and clinics would develop the new pharmaceuticals and the local office pool would have developed Microsoft Office.
Herding Glaciers is about developing the collective resolve locally that enables the state and national levels to create the support that individual teachers and principals – and their students – deserve. Many things may need to be re-worked or redesigned, but people with a strong common mission, who are willing to communicate and to collaborate, have a chance to get it done.
Hearding Glaciers – what a great term, and one we all have experienced.
There were some key words in your blog that resonated with me – significant, persistence, systemic, and collective resolve. All are so important as we develop the system for our students’ futures, not ours!