Building Teacher Capacity: Designing Frameworks

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Email is the worst. It doesn’t matter what your field is, there is unanimity on the challenges of email. How do we balance it? What is the right time frame for responding? How can I keep up with it?

One of the biggest challenges is responding to a heated email. Which teacher or administrator course did we take that taught us how to respond to conflict or contentious communications? 🤔 None ever.

It doesn’t matter how good you are, too. You will receive an email that is less than glowing and fraught with emotion. It’s just a matter of time.

What you can do to prepare though is to have a framework ready to respond. This framework will be your Mjoliner for my Thor fans. ⚒️

If one of your goals is to empower staff, creating frameworks can take you one step closer. Frameworks streamline operations while reinforcing a culture of dignity and empowerment. So it is a win-win!

I recently met with my new teachers for our monthly check-in. Knowing that the grace period is nearing an end, I figured it would be a great time to establish a framework for how to respond to challenging emails. I want my new teachers to be a rocking success and this is just one way I can help support that goal.

In this week’s post, we will explore why frameworks are not only helpful but also can improve culture. Then, I’ll review a quick process that I learned from Jimmy Casas on creating frameworks. Hopefully, by the end of this post, you will feel empowered to begin creating frameworks for your staff.

Framing the Framework

Frameworks play a crucial role in guiding individuals through complex tasks, building confidence, and ensuring consistency. Whether it’s responding to an email, tackling a challenging peer situation, or addressing a discipline issue in the classroom, well-designed frameworks provide clarity and autonomy for teachers.

If one of your goals is to empower staff, creating frameworks can take you one step closer. Frameworks streamline operations while reinforcing a culture of dignity and empowerment. So it is a win-win!

While I have been a personal fan of creating systems for myself to keep me organized, the thought of creating a framework collaboratively with staff never occurred to me until I saw Jimmy Casas present last year at a conference.

Jimmy Casas, an educator and leadership coach, emphasizes the importance of establishing a culture where individuals feel supported and empowered.

When solid frameworks exist, we can build trust and foster risk-taking.

He argues that systems should not merely tell people what to do but instead inspire them to do their best work by giving them clear processes and autonomy within those guidelines (Casas, 2017). This sounds like a dream, right?

When there are clear guidelines in place confidence increases and uncertainty reduces. Without frameworks, educators and other professionals may feel overwhelmed by the complexity of their responsibilities, leading to inconsistency or frustration (Hicks, 2019).

As administrators, we want to ensure we are not contributing to teacher stress, but helping them empty some of the stress from their buckets.

When solid frameworks exist, we can build trust and foster risk-taking. Trust creates a culture where staff feel confident in taking risks and making decisions autonomously (Casas, 2017). When teachers and staff are equipped with clear, values-based frameworks, they’re better able to handle challenging situations with consistency and empathy.

Creating thoughtful frameworks is essential for supporting educators in navigating their complex roles. Great leadership involves creating systems that inspire and support people to be their best selves (Casas, 2017). For educators, well-designed frameworks not only help them manage daily challenges but also reinforce a culture of dignity and respect in their schools.

Designing a Framework: 5 Key Elements

Designing a framework is not as foreboding as it may seem. In all honesty, it can take as little as 30 minutes. So get your hard hat on, let's start reviewing how you can create a framework so that your teachers thrive.

1. Clear Purpose and Outcome

A framework must start with a purpose and a clear understanding of the desired outcome. The purpose and outcome should also be tied to the school's overarching core values and vision.

For example, if respect is a core value, then any framework for responding to emails should be built on principles of respect and transparency.

2. Creating the Steps

One of the reasons why I liked Casas’s approach to frameworks was that it was collaborative and empowered staff. First, you have staff together and explain the purpose of the meeting. For example, we need to work together to create a framework for responding to challenging emails while remaining true to our vision.

You then have people individually reflect on what process they would follow to complete this task. Next, they find a partner and collaborate. Then the partnership goes to a quad. After the quad discusses and comes to a consensus on a framework, all quads come back together as a whole group to co-create the framework you will use.

3. Steps with Flexibility

While it’s important to outline specific steps, frameworks should allow some flexibility in application. There may be instances when all the steps might not be appropriate for the context. This is where some professional judgment will come into play.

Rigid frameworks can be counterproductive, stifling creativity and critical thinking. Even for our black-and-white thinkers or type-As out there, a framework can not be static or too strict.

A framework for challenging peer situations, for instance, might include guiding questions such as, “How can I maintain the dignity of this interaction?” or “What are the goals of this conversation?” These questions would help guide the educator through the established framework.

4. Examples and Scenarios

One thing that I found particularly helpful when creating a framework with my new teachers was having sample emails they could have received. This grounded our work.

Once the framework is created though, you could even have some exemplars or sample responses that could help teachers visualize the framework in action.

5. Reflection and Revision

Just as frameworks help navigate complex situations, they should also allow space for reflection and growth. In a culture of continuous improvement, staff can regularly review and refine frameworks based on their experiences.

You should also review your frameworks at least once a year to ensure everyone recalls them and that new staff is made aware of them.

One Last Thought

If we can gather the brain power of an entire school and create a framework that helps all of us do and be better, then why don’t we do it more often? The argument of not enough time is not acceptable.

If we are truly seeking to develop the capacity of all educators and ensure an environment where we are living true to our values and vision while also embodying excellence, then we must make the time.

The framework process may not always be easy, especially when you have naysayers in the group. However, I will tell you, that when it is finally made and you see the fruits of your labor, you will be thankful.

So whether it is for your new teachers or veterans, get them together and see what they can create. I promise you, you will be amazed.

References

Casas, J. (2017). Culturize: Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes. Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.

Hicks, D. (2019). Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People. Yale University Press.