Critical Response
by Dr. Justin Matthews, Armidale Catholic Schools
Dr. Lyn Sharratt's incisive analysis of McKinsey & Company's Executive Summary, alongside her comprehensive 14 Parameter Notes (published in February 2024) highlights a troubling trend in the realm of educational reform: the pervasive failure of school improvement endeavours. Rather than merely attributing these shortcomings to logistical challenges, Sharratt provocatively identifies participant resistance as a central factor thwarting success. This revelation not only sheds light on the imbalance between failures and successes but also raises crucial questions about the sustainability of improvement efforts. By leveraging Sharratt's 14 Parameters (Sharratt & Fullan, 2012), a tantalising prospect emerges: not only the potential to ignite change but also to nurture its enduring vitality, akin to the transformative process elucidated in the concept of "spark and sustain”.
There are school systems, much like the Armidale Catholic Schools (ACS), that have been able to navigate these challenges more successfully than others. The Armidale Catholic Schools not only continued to deliver quality education but have also adapted rapidly to changing circumstances, defying trends by leveraging the 14 Parameters to emphasise a precision focus on learning and teaching. In this article, I delve into the pivotal insights offered by Dr. Lyn Sharratt's analysis and the application of her 14 Parameters, exploring how educational systems can overcome participant resistance and achieve sustainable improvement. Through the lens of successful examples like the Armidale Catholic Schools, I examine strategies that ensure the enduring vitality of school improvement efforts.
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