Building a Truly Coherent School

Imagine a school where every lesson, every activity, and every interaction is purposefully connected, forming a seamless educational journey for each child. But what exactly does "coherence" mean, and why does it matter?

Educational researcher Michael Fullan defines coherence as "the shared depth of understanding about the purpose and nature of the work." His research emphasizes that coherence is achieved through intentional, consistent practices across classrooms, leadership structures, and community interactions, underpinned by clear goals and collaborative cultures.

TNTP's last national report, "The Opportunity Makers," further highlights the importance of coherence by identifying schools that have successfully transformed student trajectories through cohesive instructional programs. These "trajectory-changing" schools demonstrate that coherence isn't just beneficial—it's transformative. Coherence equips students to overcome learning gaps, excel academically, and sets them on a trajectory toward lifelong success. By aligning curricula, interventions, and assessments, these schools consistently help students catch up academically, achieving over a year’s worth of academic growth each school year.

Why Coherence Matters: Changing Student Trajectories

Research shows that students who fall behind academically rarely catch up without targeted, coherent interventions. Coherence changes this narrative. In coherent schools, students gain deeper, sustained learning because each educational component reinforces the others, creating momentum and clarity rather than confusion and isolation. As a result, students experience profound academic growth, enhanced self-confidence, and greater motivation to learn. Ultimately, coherence provides the foundation that allows students from diverse backgrounds and starting points to reach their full potential, fundamentally altering their educational and life outcomes.

Three Pillars of a Coherent Elementary School

Drawing from "The Opportunity Makers" and Fullan’s "Coherence Framework," three pillars emerge as essential for building coherence in an elementary setting:

1. Coherence in Class Every student engages with challenging, grade-level material, even when receiving intervention support. Coherent schools strategically use the same high-quality materials and curricula for both core instruction and targeted support sessions. For example, pre-teaching key concepts in small groups allows students to engage more confidently in the broader classroom. This alignment ensures that students consistently experience rigorous, connected learning.

2. Coherence Across the School Clear and consistent communication from leadership establishes a shared understanding of goals and priorities. Leaders remove distractions and provide focused professional development and collaborative opportunities for teachers. The leadership is not merely directive but participatory—principals become "lead learners," modeling continuous improvement alongside their teachers. Such collaborative cultures significantly reduce variability in teaching quality within schools.

3. Coherence with Families and Communities Parents and caregivers clearly understand their child’s academic status and how they can support learning at home. Schools regularly communicate student progress and offer practical strategies families can use outside school. When caregivers know precisely how to help, they reinforce the school's efforts, creating a supportive loop that enhances student achievement.

Dreaming Bigger: A School-Wide Coherent Curriculum

Imagine further—a school that doesn’t purchase separate curricula for math, English, science, social studies, music, physical education, and art, but instead adopts a unified, modular curriculum intentionally designed to connect across all subjects. Such a curriculum would embed cross-disciplinary themes, essential skills, and foundational concepts that weave throughout every class.

Conceptually, this integrated approach ensures that students experience continuity in their learning, allowing concepts learned in one subject to reinforce and deepen understanding in another. For example:

• Students explore ecosystems in science, write persuasive essays about environmental conservation in English, analyze data related to local wildlife populations in math, and study the history and impact of conservation movements in social studies.

• In a unit about community, students might conduct surveys in math class, write letters advocating community improvements in ELA, learn about local government functions in social studies, and develop public speaking skills through presentations and debates.

• A module on global citizenship might have students exploring music and art from various cultures, discussing global events in social studies, and applying critical thinking and communication skills in English and science.

Such a coherent curricular design isn't merely efficient; it fundamentally changes students’ educational experiences, making learning meaningful, relevant, and deeply interconnected.

Building a Coherent Future

Achieving coherence requires schools to engage in an ongoing cycle of improvement: assessing conditions, selecting focused areas for growth, implementing catalyzing practices, and continually measuring progress. As Fullan emphasizes, creating coherence isn't a static achievement but an evolving, participatory process that continuously integrates insights from all stakeholders.

By embracing coherence, elementary schools can transform education from a patchwork of disconnected experiences into a unified journey—where students, teachers, and families clearly see their roles and can confidently work together toward academic success. The result? Every student thrives in a school that truly makes sense.

References:

• Coherence by Michael Fullan

• TNTP, "The Opportunity Makers"