Practice 1: Shared Vision

Shared Vision: A shared set of goals, commitments, and practices enacted throughout the school. The shared school vision serves as a basis for decision-making and change (i.e., "How does that decision fit with what we believe in?") and gives individuals an enhanced sense of purpose. They make individuals part of a bigger cause, a cause beyond one’s self. Sergiovanni (2001) emphasizes that "the vision of a school must reflect the hopes and dreams, the needs and interests, the values and beliefs of everyone who has a stake in the school: teachers, parents, and students" (p. 149).

Glickman’s (1993) "convenant" for teaching and learning embeds the vision at a deeper level to provide a framework for core learning principles that are manifested in daily school practices. Core learning principles focus on teaching and learning and what teaching and learning should look like in the classroom, and consequently guide decisions about student learning and school practices (Glickman, 1993, 2003).

Professional learning communities develop a shared vision with a focus on student learning and cultivate a culture to support the vision for school improvement (Hord, 1997). Schools with a shared school vision for student learning have more positive results than schools with multiple programs and little coordination (Lee & Smith, 1994; Newmann, Smith, Allensworth & Bryk, 2001).

Action Plan Example 1 for Practice 1:  

Action Plan Example 2 for Practice 1: