An Adventure in Excellence:	E. Todd
A Community Portrait	Revised, 1999

Rationale for Care Statement:

" . . . . . . . . . "

"Communication is not simply the transfer of information which leads to action. Nor is it simply a message given, a message and a receiver. Rather, it begins with pre-set understandings which make effective communication possible and probable. Sonce effective communication within organizations is critical for the ability to use resources, must be a basis for relying on accepted values, beliefs, and unities which guarantee broad areas of meaning and predictability. The superficial analysis of communication of individuals who are shareholders, employees, executives, or employers reveals only the acting out of meaning already present.

The organization has a deep structure of meaning which contains a cognitive map involving sysbols, meanings, myths, and ideologies. These are the elements which tell people what is important, who is important, and therefore, the "significance" of the communication elements.

Organizations function and gain in time, and as they pass through time acquire a culture of meaning which involves values, beliefs, and critical symbols. New members learn the organizational language that provides the context of meaning. New members or less sophisticated members think of "reality" in objective terms, while more sophisticated members understand reality in symbolic terms. This definitions and re-definition color the meaning of communication so that seldom is effective communication about an objective process or a message. New members find themselves perplexed, and because they are unable to communicate the "meaning of the message" to their peers, their superiors, or their subordinates, the obvious questions arise: Why? Are words useless? Is there ambiguity in the direction of the message?" (Reilly and DiAngelo, Jr., 1990).

Definitions:

" . . . . . . . . ." " . . . . . . . . ." " . . . . . . . . ." " . . . . . . . . ." " . . . . . . . . ."

"Communication is the transmission of information, attitudes, values, and noise by people and their "things" to each other." (@ Todd 1969.)

Consequences: If the human beings whose lives are affected by the school accept these definitions the following consequences will occur at _______________________.

(1.) . . . .

.

.

The Assumptions/Implications section can be substituted for the Beliefs/Actions section of a community portrait.

The following assumptions are the basis for the development of public schools as communicating communities:

1. Each group of human beings whose lives are affected by the public school has either experienced a real communication problem with "the school" or has had a perceived communication problem. In addition, one or more of these groups may have had communication problems with other groups.

2. The transmission of information, attitudes, values, and noise by people and their "things" is done in a visual or non-visual manner.

3. A communication message from one person to another person usually sets off other messages to other persons.

4. The successful development of any specific community portrait of a public school can not occur without the existence of the public school as a communicating community.

5. Individuals and/or groups of human beings communicate with each other for a variety of reasons.

6. Personal communication problems between individuals and/or groups of human beings can cause other problems for "the school."

7. Public schools cannot be removed from the political arena because there are various groups of human beings whose lives are affected by public schools.

8. As a result of the United States being an open society, there is increased attention being given by the media to the problems and successes of public schools.

9. As political communities the public schools are no longer islands unto themselves because of the continuing pressures of internal and external forces. The public schools have become national battlegrounds for resolving pressing societal issues.

10. . . . . .

11. . . . . .

.

.

Each major assumption has one or more curriculum implications for the public schools.

These curriculum implications are as follows:

1. . . . .

2. . . . .

3. . . . .

.

.

A public school has the potential for becoming a communicating community when the following conditions exist:

1. The system of educational ideas evolves from (1) care statements, (2) definitions and consequences, and (3) beliefs and actions of civilized human beings.

2. Porfessional and support personnel are employed not only for their professional competence but also for their potential for . . . .

3. Constant inquiry results in human, physical, and fiscal resources systematically related to each other anywhere and at any time.

4. Instructional/administrative policies and procedures exist to facilitate an effective communication network between afected individuals in a variety of places and at different times.

5. Parents, students, and taxpayers are considered as equal partners in the decision-make process with appropriate roles and communication reponsibilities in this process.

6. The evaluation of teaching and administrative performance includes selected criteria pertinent to the use of adequate communication skills by teachers and administrators.

7. Evaluative procedures and activities are continuously utilized to facilitate the development and maintenance of the institution as a communicating community.

8. There are monthly presentations by faculty members to colleagues of pertinent research affecting various aspects of instructional programs, etc.

9. "Effective communication requires binding and uniting elements of agreement." (Reilly and DeAngelo, Jr. 1990).

10. An effective interacting communication networks between human beings whose lives are affected by the school is enhanced when the system of educational ideas provides the centrality of purpose for decision-making communities.

11. Instructional personnel are cognizant of the effect communication has on the assimilation of knowledge.

12. The administrative staff, instructional staff, support staff, and student body consider effective communication activities as a major responsibility as they work with each other in the improvement of educational programs and curriculum experiences.

13. School-wide policies and/or rules include a clear statement pertaining to due process, right to appeal decisions, etc.

14. The professional staff is aware of the silent curriculum which is the nonverbal communication of attitudes, values, and ideas.

15.The professional staff is aware of the hidden curriculum . . . . .

16.The administrative staff encourages the professional staff, student body, and parents to openly discuss all educational issues appropriate in a legal and ethical context.

17. Faculty, administrators, and support personnel make personal and professional committments to communicate effectively with those persons whose lives are affected by the school.

18. Constant communication improves the professional performance of the faculty, administrators, and support personnel of the school.

19. The school board . . . . .

.

.

.

" . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . ."

Elementary Schools:

(1) . . . .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Secondary Schools:

(1) . . . .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"The curriculum can be defined as the planned educational experiences offered by a school which can take place anywhere at any time in the multiple context of the school, e.g. public schools as accessible and caring communities, as changing communities, as communicating communities . . . (Todd, 1965, 1992, 1996).

"The physical boundaries of communicating classrooms exist only in the minds of those human beings whose lives are affected by the public schools." (Todd, 1956, 1996). "Teaching and learning can take place anywhere at any time." (Todd, 1963). "The world is the classroom." (Todd, 1969). "The universes are the classroom." (Todd, 1981, 1989, 1996).

"The opportunities for demonstrating appropriate communication skills in scholarly classrooms are inseparably linked with the opportunities for students to demonstrate technological literacy during instructional activities carried out in a variety of settings (home, school, public library, etc)." (Todd, 1996).

". . . . . . .

. . . . . . .

. . . . . . ."

". . . . . . .

. . . . . . .

. . . . . . ."

". . . . . . .

. . . . . . .

. . . . . . ."

"Imagine all the people whose lives are affected by the school. . ."

(1) . . . .

(2) . . . .

(3) . . . .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Changes in a school system are often in direct conflict with the changes taking place in the community, thus creating a highly complex and political situation." (Todd, 1969).

"Human beings whose lives are affected by the school recognize and accept the proposition that cultural diversity among these individuals is a valuable resource that should be continually nurtured in the public school environment." (Todd, 1979).

Since there are different groups of human being whose lives are affected by the public school there are political risks for these persons responsible for the development and implementation of the community portrait. These risks are as follows:

 (1.) . . .

.

.