Change With Professional Capital Essay

Fullan, M. (2016). Amplify change with professional capital. Learning forward, Vol 37 No. 1, pg 44- 48, 56. This article was about how to go about affecting change within a school building using the power of groups and people that already exist. There are three elements to the authors concept of professional capital that were defined. The first is human capital which are the people and teaching talents already in place. The second is the social capital which is the quality and quantity of interactions among the people. The third is the decisional capital which refers to the sum of practice and expertise that make the decisions. The key is to integrate all three sources of capital within a school system to create the needed change.

The author presents a much more collective approach to school leadership. There is a greater emphasis on group leadership and decision making within a school system that what people traditionally think. The first thing that I like about this article is the suggestion to enlist the power of the group. The idea that human capital is the main driver for creating a quality school. This concept becomes important as the research states that “the group can more readily change an individual more readily than an individual can change a group” (pg. 46). I love this line because it rings very true. Good teachers can help other teachers out to improve the overall education of a school. However, good teachers do not tend to stay in unproductive schools. As a principal, you need to use the human capital to improve your school. I realize that I am not an expert in all subjects but that does not mean that I can’t go and consult those experts within my school. It is also important to create buy in from a group of teachers so that they can help move along the effects of