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“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.”

Vision to Action: Practical Strategies to Support Educational Change describes a process of educational change. It is intended primarily as a guide for principals and teachers involved in implementing new initiatives and can be applied to a variety of situations. The handbook represents current research on learning, teaching and leading with particular emphasis on leading. As you use this resource you will note the wisdom from times past as well as contemporary lessons on organizational development and systems design.

The references are as recent as a May 2006 article on educational reform and as ancient as Tzu’s advice to leaders 2500 years ago. Mostly, however, we draw on the work of teachers as they individually and collectively seek to create dynamic classrooms and schools. “Change is learning — loaded with uncertainty” (Fullan and Miles, 1992) and we know that if change for the better is to occur then it will come from the individual and team work of principals, teachers and the community to learn together those things that will help students to be successful.

Innovation of new ideas and approaches requires ownership and enthusiasm, as well as support over time. Vision to Action: Practical Strategies to Support Educational Change identifies the key elements of change and translates them into guidelines for action and reflection. Indeed, the bias of the handbook is toward action, as we believe that local and region wide change depends upon our courage to act, to solve problems and challenges as we encounter them. In a continuous improvement model, curriculum development or the development of an innovation and the implementation of each are co-evolutionary. As Fullan and Miles note, “The message is not the traditional ‘plan, then do’, but ‘do, then plan…and do and plan some more.” This does not imply that change is random or impetuous. Given that time is our most precious resource, we advocate that teachers and others be extremely thoughtful and focus on actions that will make a lasting difference.