The “iceberg” is a structured way for teams to unpack, understand, and eventually change the ways in which current practices produce—and will continue to reproduce—their current level of student outcomes. It can be used to make visible the invisible workings of any kind of system, from classroom to school and district levels. In all cases, the “event” or “problem” is a data-based statement about the current state of student performance (e.g., “Target students averaged 34% correct on questions that required them to use multiplication skills to solve problems about grade-level math content.”) Each deeper layer of the iceberg should make it increasingly apparent how those results are not a coincidence, but an inevitable output of the school’s current way of doing business – and should illuminate possible leverage points for improvement.

Tips for Effective Use:

Choose a lens (e.g., pedagogical practices, curricular decisions, assessment practices) and keep constant focus on it as you work your way down the layers (see example). Users need to be able to draw a clear cause-and-effect relationship between every layer.

­The Patterns layer should comprise low-inference statements based on data whenever possible (e.g., Only 2 out of 12 classroom transcripts contained a systematic means for teachers to check for every student’s understanding. Three of the four sixth grade teachers report that they do not assess students’ prerequisite math skills at the start of the school year.)

­We’ve found that it is sometimes hard for teams to identify the mental models underlying their own school’s current practice; encourage them to approach the iceberg as an anthropologist approaches another culture, asking “What are the participants in this system acting as if they believe to be true about the world?” Remind teams that the system may be operating on implicit beliefs that are in tension with the professed beliefs of individuals in the system.

­The iceberg can serve as an effective “pre-writing” stage before mapping a system. Jot each bullet from the iceberg on its own sticky note and move them around on chart paper to explore the multiple cause-and-effect relationships at play and identify where a small change could make a big difference. It should be clear to a viewer how the data-based problem statement about student performance is a logical or inevitable “output” of the system as mapped. (Additional patterns, structures, or mental models may emerge through the mapping process; be sure to add them to the iceberg for future reference!)

Iceberg Template (Word)

Iceberg Template With More Writing Space (Word)

Resources:

Senge, P., et. al. (2000).  Schools That Learn: A Fifth Discipline Fieldbook for Educators, Parents and Everyone Who Cares About Education.  New York:  DoubleDay.

Hutchens, D. (2001).  The Tip of the Iceberg: Managing the Hidden Forces That Can Make or Break Your Organization.   Waltham, MA:  Pegasus Communications.

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009 • Tags: Iceberg, Leverage Points, Mental Models. • Category: SAM Resources • 1 Comment »