Framing Dilemmas and Focus Questions
What is a dilemma?
A dilemma is a puzzle, an issue that raises questions, an idea that has conceptual gaps, something about
process or product that you can’t quite figure out. Dilemmas deal with issues with which you are
struggling with in your work – something that is problematic for you or that hasn’t been as effective as
you would like it to be. Often, a dilemma crosses over many parts of the educational process.
What is my dilemma?
Begin by thinking about your dilemma. Dilemmas deal with issues with which you are struggling or are
unsure about. When selecting a dilemma, you should be able to answer YES to the following:
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Is it something that is bothering you so much that your thoughts regularly return to it?
Is it something not already on its way to being resolved?
Consultancies don’t go as well as they might when people bring dilemmas that they are well on
the way to figuring out themselves. To get the most out of this experience, bring something that
is still puzzling you about your practice. It’s riskier to do, but you will learn more from the
experience.
Is it something that doesn’t depend on getting other people to change?
Who do you hope changes? Who do you hope will take action to resolve this dilemma? If the
answer is someone else, not you, you need to change your focus. You want to present a dilemma
that is about your practice, actions, behaviors, beliefs, assumptions, not someone else’s.
Is it something important?
Will working on this dilemma make a meaningful difference in your practice, student learning,
and others in your profession?
Is it something that you are actually willing to work on?
How do I dig deeper into my dilemma?
Once you have identified your dilemma, do some reflective thinking and writing about it. Some
questions you might write about include:
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Why is this a dilemma for you? Why is it important to you?
If you could take a snapshot of this dilemma, what would you see? Are there samples of
student or adult work or other artifacts that illustrate the dilemma?
What do you assume to be true about this dilemma? How have these assumptions influenced
your thinking about it?
What have you already done to try to remedy or manage the dilemma? What have been the
results of those attempts to remedy/manage it?
How do I express my dilemma in the form of a focus question?
Once you have thought and written about your dilemma, frame a focus question. The focus question
summarizes your dilemma and will guide the Consultancy Group in its discussion of your dilemma.
Try to pose a question around the dilemma that seems to you to get to the heart of the matter. What do
you really want to know?
Framing Dilemmas and Focus Questions
Examples of effective dilemmas and focus questions
Dilemmas
Focus Questions
The principal is interested in implementing PBIS but doesn’t
see the value in following the PBIS framework for
implementation.
What can I do to build purpose and knowledge with my principal to
ensure that the PBIS framework is implemented with fidelity?
The principal supports PBIS implementation, but is not
strong leader in the building.
What can I do to foster a collaborative leadership team to aid
implementation of PBIS in the building?
We keep getting grants to do specific projects with students
and the community, but when the money is gone, the work
doesn’t continue.
How does sustainability actually work? What do I need to do to make
these projects sustainable after the grant funding is gone?
No matter how hard I try to be inclusive and ask for
everyone’s ideas, about half of the people don’t want to do
anything new — they think things were just fine before.
We have a daily block of time to enable us to deliver
interventions for students who need them. This schedule
helps us ensure that no students are missing universal
instruction and allows us to use our resources flexibly. Our
students who need interventions are receiving solid
instruction and are making gains. However, staff is working
to determine how design this time in the most meaningful
way for “non-intervention” students so that they are also
making gains.
How do I work with the people who don’t want to change without
alienating them?
How do I work with teachers to assist them in preparing their
universal instruction extensions for "non-intervention students"
during our intervention time block?