This document discusses complexity and the practice of school psychology. It addresses two key questions people try to answer: purpose and systems. School psychology aims to understand different perspectives and influences on behavior. Frameworks like Cynefin help evaluate programs and policies using both traditional and complexity-informed methods. The document advocates collaborative dialogue over technical solutions and experimenting with promising ideas to continuously learn and adapt. Overall, it presents complexity theory as a "new lens" for approaching change work in school psychology.

1. COMPLEXITY & THE PRACTICE
OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY
BRUCE WALTUCK, M.A., C, C, & C, RHB
Revised May 2018

2. THE 2 QS
•What two questions are every person trying to
answer at every moment of their lives?

3. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY?
•How did you reach this
understanding?
•Do others agree with your
understanding?
•What explains the differences in
responses?

4. WHAT ARE THE SYSTEMS YOU INTERACT
WITH, OR THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF,
THAT OTHERS ARE INTERACTING WITH?

5. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS
OF THESE SYSTEMS?

6. SENSEMAKING
• Patterns
• Coherence
• Distribution
• Structure
• Flows
• Connections

7. HOW DOES WHAT YOU FEEL, LEARN,
UNDERSTAND, AND CAN EXPLORE
INFLUENCE WHAT YOU DO?
• The TWO 'TIONS
• ATTENTION
• INTENTION
• FLUX
• EEER
• ARC

8. SENSEMAKING FRAMEWORKS: CYNEFIN
• SIMPLE/OBVIOUS
• COMPLICATED
• COMPLEX
• CHAOTTIC
• UNORDERED

9. MORE ON CYNEFIN: STRUCTURES &
FLOWS

10. THAT LITTLE SHAPE AT THE
BOTTOM
• COMPLACENCY
• ROBUSTNESS
• RESILIENCE
• OOPSIE

11. EVALUATING PROGRAMS, POLICIES, &
RESULTS
• TRADITIONAL
METHODS
• Summative
• Formative
• COMPLEXITY-
INFORMED METHODS
• Developmemtal

12. DEVELOPMENTAL EVALUATION

13. EBP & PBE

14. THE SINGLE BIGGEST MISTAKE

15. THE PERSISTENT, PERNICIOUS
PRESUMPTION

16. OTHER TOOLS: STACEY MATRIX

17. OTHER TOOLS: KNOWLES' 3 X 3
PROCESS

18. LIBERATING STRUCTURES
TRANSFORM COLLABORATION
• Easy to learn
• Enhance relational coordination and
trust
• Foster lively participation
• Include and unleash everyone
• Individual brilliance and collective
wisdom
• Simple design criteria
• Free to learn and use
• www.liberatingstructures.com
Unwittingly, the conventional
structures used to organize how
people routinely work together stifle
inclusion and engagement.

19. CARL ROGERS GOT IT (FROM “THE
ART OF FACILITATION” BY DALE
HUNTER)
• Free of desire to impose ready-made
truths or control outcomes
• Respectful hearing of all attitudes and
feelings
• Members of a group free to choose
collectively and individually, their own
processes, and work towards their own
goals

20. SEYMOUR GOT IT TOO!
• “We are imperfect people in an
imperfect world.” (pg 361)
• “We expect there will be discernible
variation.” (in the results of schooling)
• [our classrooms are] “far from being
chaotic” [respecting where and what
students are] (pg 364)
• “Power transfers to students and
teachers.” (pg 369)
• “If we started over, would we design the
same thing?” (pg 367)
• “CHANGE THE ASKER-ANSWERER
RELATIONSHIP” (pg 367)
• “TEACHERS, PARENTS, AND
ADMINISTRATORS COOPERATIVELY
PLANNED AND IMPLEMENTED
ACTION FOR CHANGE.” (PG 368)

21. SEYMOUR REALLY GOT IT!
Sarason notes how he was influenced by his
studies with anthropologist Tom Gladwin. . .
 “WHO TAUGHT ME A GREAT DEAL ABOUT
CULTURE AND THE COMPLEXITIES
ENGENDERED BY TRYING TO CHANGE IT.” . .
. Footnote pg. 374

22. AND SO. . .
• We must approach the work of
change through the “new lens” of
complexity
• Work with others in collaborative
dialogue
• STOP the “AS IF…” thinking and
behavior. Do not treat truly complex
situations as if they were
technical/complicated
• Recognize there is no “single best”
solution
• Recognize no expert has a solution
• Try multiple “safe to fail” experiments of
promising ideas, and
learn/adapt/improve continuously

23. THANK YOU!
BRUCE WALTUCK
M.A., COMPLEXITY, CHAOS & CREATIVITY
YES IT SAYS THAT ON THE DIPLOMA
FREETHINC. . . FOR A CHANGE
WWW.FREETHINC.COM
FREETHINC@HOTMAIL.COM