Introducing the Inflexion Approach
Schools and education systems are complex, dynamic, and constantly evolving. An inflection point represents a decision or event that generates the type of change considered to be a turning point and producing an effect that is well known and widespread. As an organization, we are committed to a future where education aligns with each student’s strengths, interests, and aspirations—a future where education works for all students. We recognize the playing field remains inherently unequal and are committed to transforming systems, structures, and practices with the intent to ensure that every student receives what they need to succeed. As such, our mission is to support the type of decisions capable of producing points of inflection – the type of change capable of producing learning environments where all students are equipped for postsecondary success.
We are Inflexion.
We are a group of people committed to helping educators better prepare all students for life. We give districts and schools a new way to look at themselves—with all their complexity and culture—to find ways to create a learning community with the best systems and supports to ensure all students graduate ready for college, career, and life. We partner with educators to provide strategies and frameworks that simplify and identify opportunities for real and actionable improvement in systems, schools, and classrooms. Our strategic work with educators creates clarity amid the chaos, and empowers school leaders and leadership teams to strengthen and sustain a culture that can support every student’s readiness and educational success.
As an organization, we made the difficult decision to change our name from the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC) to Inflexion. While our commitment to all students and to championing a holistic view of readiness remains the same, our shift to working directly with school and district leaders represents our own inflection point as an organization. As Inflexion, we use the Four Keys (Think, Know, Act, and Go) developed by our founder, Dr. David Conley, as a critical driver in our work with schools. This framework represents a holistic vision for schools and systems to align to, as well as a shared mental model for staff to anchor their understanding of readiness.
The Inflexion Approach is rooted in organizational theory and recognizes the critical role identity plays in developing schools and systems that serve all students well. Specifically, identity informs the types of structures needed to support learning environments capable of ensuring readiness. Identity includes shared values, beliefs, mental models, attitude, and vision. Structure includes the systems, processes, and practices that should be informed and reflect a school’s or system’s identity and support the type of learning environment that will ensure readiness for all. Learning environment includes instructional design as well as professional and program development – all aligned with a holistic vision for student readiness.
In today’s global, connected world, it’s no longer just what you know, but what you can do with your knowledge. This isn’t new, nor is the concept of college and career readiness, yet ‘the system’ remains focused on teaching and assessing content knowledge. At Inflexion, we help districts and schools who are dissatisfied with the status quo and are motivated to discover what really works in classrooms and across campuses. Our experience as educators, researchers, and facilitators places us in a unique position to inform and empower educators toward transforming their strategies for student readiness.
We are excited about our work and look forward to helping create those points of inflection that will result in all students developing a level of readiness for postsecondary success.
TOOLKIT RESOURCES FOR APPLYING THE INFLEXION APPROACH
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