Developing an Action Plan The middle school has an inadequate staffing problem in the self-contained units of the special education classes. The middle school needs to become a learning organization. A learning organization is a changing organization. The cybernetic principle seems applicable in resolving the inadequate staffing problem at the middle school. Cybernetics suggests that learning organizations must develop capabilities that allow them to:
a) “Scan and anticipate change in the wider environment to detect significant variations.
b) Develop an ability to question, challenge, and change operating norms and assumptions.
c) Allow an appropriate strategic direction of organization to emerge” (Morgan, 2006, p. 87).
Therefore, the middle
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The departmentalized structure needs to be balanced. The allocation of paraprofessionals in the collaborative classes can be altered to create a balance of support staff in the self-contained units. Furthermore, emerging trends in education has shown favor in integrating centralized and decentralized decisions. It is imperative to maintain order at the middle school operating from a centralized perspective. However, decentralized decisions that involve input from department chairs as well as teachers may be a more successful approach in addressing the inadequate staffing problem structurally at the middle school. So, administrators, department chairs, teachers, and students’ input are changes that could improve the uneven staffing needs of the special education unit at the middle …show more content…
The current operation of the middle school appears to be traditional. The school’s culture is closely identified with the psychic prison culture. Practices seem to be traditional over the years. The self-contained units of the middle school have several students who are intellectually disabled. It appears that based on these students’ disabilities, it seemed that one special education teacher would be sufficient to manage the unit. However, over the years the units are now exposed to more disabilities including emotional disabilities. The culture dynamics of the middle school needs reconsideration. Adequate staffing is now required for the self-contained units with multiple disabilities. Instead of maintaining traditional practices, the operation would benefit significantly from a less trapped culture. So, cultural changes would address the inadequate staffing needs at the middle