Lean Thinking for Schools seminar held in Temple, Texas

Dr. Shannon Flumerfelt (standing) helps     attendees at Lean Thinking for Schools     seminar.

The Oakland University Pawley Lean Institute, in conjunction with the Temple Independent School District (ISD), held a two-day Lean Thinking for Schools seminar May 27 and 28 in Temple, Texas.

Led by Dr. Shannon Flumerfelt, associate professor of Educational Leadership at Oakland University and director of Lean Thinking for Schools at the Pawley Institute, the seminar provided an overview of Lean principles and their applications to education. It also offered attendees a chance to study these applications within the context of their school.

The seminar, which consisted of a group of 25 instructional administrators and coaches, gave participants a chance to focus more closely on two Lean tools, A3 and value stream mapping, and included simulations and hands-on activities.

According to Flumerfelt, some groundwork in Lean had previously been laid in the district, and the participants had some brief exposure as to how Lean can be used.
“Our goal was to help them to be comfortable, to understand the value of Lean to them as an instructional team and see how Lean can help them to improve,” said Flumerfelt.

Flumerfelt added that by the end of the training, the group seemed very adept at using A3 and were beginning to work with value stream mapping. The group even began using these Lean tools at their next meeting.

“They were a wonderful group of people to work with,” said Flumerfelt. “I hope that we added to their ability to be a high impact team — and I think we did.”

For more information about Lean Thinking for Schools and the Pawley Lean Institute, visit www.oakland.edu/lean.