Consultancy

Description
Steps
Tips



Back to Methods

Description
Developed as part of the Coalition of Essential Schools' National Re:Learning Faculty Program, and further adapted and reviewd as part of work of the National School Reform Faculty.

A consultancy is a structured process for helping an individual or small group of people think more expansively about a particular, concrete problem or dilemma.

Your consultancy session will be more effective if you bring a one page description of a dilemma or problem related to your practice as a teacher or an administrator, ending with a specific question or issue you would like addressed. If possible, you should also bring additional supporting documents which illustrate or otherwise relate to your dilemma.

Dilemmas deal with issues with which you are struggling, or a nagging hunch that you should be doing things differently, or something that is problematic or not as effective as you would like it to be - anything related to your work that you would like to examine with two-three other praticipants in this meeting. If our past experiences offer any indication, you will be able to rely on the people in your consultancy to provide respectful, thoughtful, experience-based responses to your dilemma or problem.

One caveat. We have learned from experience that consultancies don't go well when people bring problems or dilemmas that they are, in reality, well on the way to figuring out themselves. To get the most out of this experience, bring something that is still an issue for you. It's riskier to do, but we guarantee that everyone will learn more. All consultancy dilemmas and conversations are to be kept in strict confidence, and all materials will be collected and returned to their owners after the consultancies are over.