No leader is immune to crisis. In this inspiring blog, the author, Susan H Shapiro, uses her first-hand experience to show how the Education Crisis Framework (ECF) enables leaders to act confidently and reflect meaningfully on any crisis, large or small. Combined, this framework calls for leadership development that supports leaders in navigating crisis, acknowledging the importance of care in its reflective phase.
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A School Crisis Response:
Educational leaders often encounter crises in their daily work, but how do we prepare our future leaders for the dynamic thinking needed to survive the changing landscape of turbulence? This question has been on my mind since I was an early childhood leader during the destruction of the World Trade Center on 9/11/01. I was leading a school in New York in Lower Manhattan, near the Trade Center, and had to evacuate the young children. I was also in the first week of my doctoral studies. The profound trauma I experienced that day has stayed with me, both as an educator and researcher, shaping my perspective on leadership preparedness.
My experiences demonstrated the necessity of an action plan and the need for dynamic thinking in crisis leadership. This work culminated in a framework. Rather than just reacting to a crisis, the framework encourages leaders to think reflectively about how to support their communities—and themselves—in the aftermath. It utilizes case studies written by students, parents, and academics reflecting on crises like war, school shootings, and environmental disasters that have impacted their lives. In this climate of global and local crisis, it’s imperative that school leaders think beyond the drills and develop flexible thinking to help survive, prepare and learn from a crisis. This for educational leaders can be achieved by examining authentic examples; the framework provides a resource for both current and future leaders to develop the flexible action and reflective thinking necessary to navigate the unknown.
The Education Crisis Framework (ECF):
The Education Crisis Framework (ECF) is divided into two sections: the Action Model and the Reflective Model. These tools are designed to help school leaders, including those in training, respond effectively and thoughtfully to a crisis.
Inspired by the aviation industry’s “Aviate, Navigate, Communicate” principle, the ECF Action Model provides a clear, prioritized, and sequential crisis response.
The first step is aviate. Just like pilots prioritize keeping the plane in the air, school leaders must focus on the immediate safety of students and staff (Murphy and Tobin, 2011). This involves swift actions such as implementing lockdown procedures, providing medical aid, and coordinating with emergency services.
Next, leaders must communicate. In a crisis, timely and transparent communication is critical. Open dialogue with students, families, staff, and the community builds trust, reduces anxiety, and facilitates a coordinated response (Pavlakis, 2018).
The last step is to navigate. Once the immediate danger has passed, the focus shifts to long-term recovery. This phase addresses the emotional and psychological impact, implements support systems, and develops strategies to build resilience for the future.
Beyond the immediate call to action, effective crisis leadership also requires deep reflection. The ECF Reflective Model provides a framework for analyzing potential crises, both proactively for planning purposes and retrospectively for aftermath analysis. This approach guides emerging and seasoned leaders in prioritizing compassion, community knowledge, and the support necessary for successful recovery. By facilitating these crucial strategies, the model helps school leaders and stakeholders consider not only the safety of the school but also the broader community.
This model is built on four key elements:
The first element is knowledge and expertise. Where leaders depend upon their deep understanding of the school’s unique dynamics and its connection to the wider community is essential for informed decision-making and recognizing available resources.
The next element is community compassion. Crises take an emotional toll. Acknowledging and addressing the emotional and psychological needs of students, staff, and families builds trust and strengthens the community fabric.
Another important feature is “self-compassion”. School leaders often put others first. However, acknowledging their own emotional responses and prioritizing personal health is critical to prevent burnout and ensure they can continue to lead effectively (Duarte et al, 2016).
The last element is community impact. Leaders must understand the reciprocal relationship between the school and the broader community. Recognizing how external factors influence the school and the school’s role in supporting the community enables a more holistic and effective response.
It is critical that a new way of thinking be adopted by school leaders in order to be successful in a climate of crisis. By integrating the ECF Action and Reflective Models, leaders can enhance their capacity to navigate the complexities and uncertainties of any crisis. For me, this framework is more than just a model on a page. It is the culmination of a question that has been with me since 9/11/01, when I had to lead children and staff through unthinkable chaos. I learned first-hand that having a plan of action is essential, but so is the ability to think flexibly and compassionately in the face of the unknown. It is vital that new models such as ECF be used by leaders to help develop the dynamic thinking needed to overcome turbulence and safeguard the resilience of their entire community.
Duarte, J., Pinto-Gouveia, J., & Cruz, B. (2016). Relationships between nurses’ empathy, self-compassion, and dimensions of professional quality of life: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 60, 1-11. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2016.02.015
Murphy, J., & Tobin, K. (2011). Homelessness comes to school. Corwin Press.
Pavlakis, A. E. (2018). Reaching All Families: Family, School, and Community Partnerships Amid Homelessness and High Mobility in an Urban District. Urban Education (Beverly Hills, Calif.), 53(8), 1043–1073. 10.1177/0042085915613547
Shapiro, S. H. (2024). Developing Community-Based School Crisis Response: Case Studies for PreK–12 Classrooms. Routledge.
