Committee of Ten

If you’re a change agent committed to helping your school, keep in mind the African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.” Don’t try to change a school on your own — even if you’re the principal. Start by recruiting your school’s ‘Committee of Ten,’ a group of ten (or so) community members enthusiastic about helping your school make informed progress. Include a full representation of perspectives — your principal, an innovative and a traditional teacher, a student who thrives academically and a student who hates school, a school board member, a respected adult in the community, a parent, etc. Keep the group small enough to be manageable, but big enough to be representative. And remember, “It takes a village to change a school.”

Can you articulate clear and constructive reasons for why change is essential in your school? 

How will you message the role of your ‘Committee of Ten’ to your broader community? How will you deal with skeptics and nay-sayers?

Before you go too far, whose point of view is missing from your change agent team?

Which past efforts to brought lasting and important change to your school, and why? Which failed and why? 

As you gain momentum, how can you integrate more community members into this initiative?

WATCH: Learn more about the original Committee of Ten and how it shaped our current model of Education.