Posts
Tomorrow on the plane I'm going to read:
The Costs and Benefits of an Excellent Education for All of America's Children. It is a monograph by Levin, Belfield, Muenning, and Rouse (2007).
If I enjoy it, I'll post some comments. But here is what grabbed my attention. The teaser states, "Each high school graduate in the United States means a net economic benefit to society of $122,000."
For information like that, I'll read a 26 page report.
Here's the link:
http://www.cbcse.org/media/download_gallery/Leeds_Report_Final_Jan2007.pdf?lk=6898814-6898814-0-35417-EANlNwA4D9VYbweEqf13usVhme5XzMxm
Your turn...
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Formative Assessment
The following post was inspired by the article:
Learning a click away in Danville High School class
By Noelle McGee
Saturday, February 14, 2009 7:00 AM CDT
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2009/02/14/learning_a_click_away_in_danville_high_school_class
Check out the article above. Bottom line, it is a story about a teacher who has an electronic tool that allows him to embed lots of formative assessment (checking for understanding) in his class. Since doing this, he has noticed that both student engagement and student performance has increased and based on those factors he is adapting his instruction more often and enjoying his job more.
Here’s what the story and the teacher missed. It’s not the tool, it’s the practice. Sure the tool helps. It’s new, it’s novel, it’s fun. But a teacher checking for understanding is a critical best practice that most teachers completely overlook. Not on purpose; but because they get rushed to cover material and become too task centric.
In the R4 Active Teaching Academy, a significant amount of time and practice is spent with teachers to train them on how to embed formative assessment in their lessons and how to do it frequently. The R4 Hyper-Monitoring protocol tracks how often teachers engage in formative assessment, giving teachers the frequent feedback they need to gauge the quality of their instruction.
Without tools, support, training and discussion a typical teacher is observed checking for understanding only about 20% of the time. With tools, support, training and discussion that increases to 70% to 80% of the time. The results? Just as reported in the article; increased student engagement, increased student performance, and increased enthusiasm by the teacher.
Now, thumbs up or thumbs down if this makes sense.
Your turn…
Learning a click away in Danville High School class
By Noelle McGee
Saturday, February 14, 2009 7:00 AM CDT
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2009/02/14/learning_a_click_away_in_danville_high_school_class
Check out the article above. Bottom line, it is a story about a teacher who has an electronic tool that allows him to embed lots of formative assessment (checking for understanding) in his class. Since doing this, he has noticed that both student engagement and student performance has increased and based on those factors he is adapting his instruction more often and enjoying his job more.
Here’s what the story and the teacher missed. It’s not the tool, it’s the practice. Sure the tool helps. It’s new, it’s novel, it’s fun. But a teacher checking for understanding is a critical best practice that most teachers completely overlook. Not on purpose; but because they get rushed to cover material and become too task centric.
In the R4 Active Teaching Academy, a significant amount of time and practice is spent with teachers to train them on how to embed formative assessment in their lessons and how to do it frequently. The R4 Hyper-Monitoring protocol tracks how often teachers engage in formative assessment, giving teachers the frequent feedback they need to gauge the quality of their instruction.
Without tools, support, training and discussion a typical teacher is observed checking for understanding only about 20% of the time. With tools, support, training and discussion that increases to 70% to 80% of the time. The results? Just as reported in the article; increased student engagement, increased student performance, and increased enthusiasm by the teacher.
Now, thumbs up or thumbs down if this makes sense.
Your turn…
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Getting Started: An Introduction
Here I am sitting in another airport terminal at 6:00 AM in the morning. I wish I could say that this was unusual, but it’s not. I’m now a school road warrior. For the past 5 years I have lived on the road, 3, 4 and too often 5 nights a week. Going where schools and principals have needs and problems that they need help with.
There are some perks, because of the travel points, I’m a Hilton Diamond member and a Continental Elite member. That means on a big jet and in a big city, I get upgraded. That happens a couple a times a month, but most of the time I’m on a small plane going to a small town. I also get a lot of free Southwest Airline tickets. Congratulations, you fly a lot, do you want to fly some more?
I’m not complaining, I’m just making the case that I have seen a lot, worked with a lot of principals and schools and have fixed a lot of problems. All that to say, that what I’ve seen, what I’ve learned and what I do may be useful out there.
I have found that school leaders for the most part live on islands. Islands that have been built by isolation, misinformation, wishful thinking and petty jealousies. Hopefully, I can help get some of you off the island, or at least make the island more hospitable.
So here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to write about school leadership and school operations. The focus will mostly be on improvement and what works. But I’ll also write about the tools that I find useful, books that I have read, conversations that I have had and respond to your comments. Who knows where this will go, but I hope that every once in a while, you’ll find something that is useful to you, your school and/or staff.
Time to board now, off to another city and another school.
Your turn…
There are some perks, because of the travel points, I’m a Hilton Diamond member and a Continental Elite member. That means on a big jet and in a big city, I get upgraded. That happens a couple a times a month, but most of the time I’m on a small plane going to a small town. I also get a lot of free Southwest Airline tickets. Congratulations, you fly a lot, do you want to fly some more?
I’m not complaining, I’m just making the case that I have seen a lot, worked with a lot of principals and schools and have fixed a lot of problems. All that to say, that what I’ve seen, what I’ve learned and what I do may be useful out there.
I have found that school leaders for the most part live on islands. Islands that have been built by isolation, misinformation, wishful thinking and petty jealousies. Hopefully, I can help get some of you off the island, or at least make the island more hospitable.
So here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to write about school leadership and school operations. The focus will mostly be on improvement and what works. But I’ll also write about the tools that I find useful, books that I have read, conversations that I have had and respond to your comments. Who knows where this will go, but I hope that every once in a while, you’ll find something that is useful to you, your school and/or staff.
Time to board now, off to another city and another school.
Your turn…
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Random Thoughts on Reduction in Force (RIF's)
This post is in reference to the article:
522 Marion teachers lose jobs
By Fred Hiers
Published: Saturday, February 14, 2009 at 6:30a.m.
http://www.ocala.com/article/20090214/ARTICLES/902140982/0/OPINION
It looks like we are going to see headlines like the one above more often in the immediate future. Not to discount the fact that people losing their job is horrible, it is, I would like to discuss some thoughts that deal with massive budget cuts. Something in which I have relevant experience.
1) Budget Cuts Aren’t Always Bad: They do provide a reason to make needed change. When I faced my second significant budget cut, I referred to the advice that Jim Collins discusses in Good to Great (2001). To paraphrase, the budget process should be about what gets funded fully and what doesn’t get funded at all. If a position, department, and/or process doesn’t support the long term mission of the organization it should be abandoned. I have followed this advice, even when it is difficult, and as a result I have always left organizations in a better state than what I took over.
2) RIF’s and the Lack of Documentation: I can’t tell you the number of times that I have been tasked to assist campuses during massive restructuring where I discovered that administration knew exactly who was going to be let go, and was using that as a reason to stop all documentation. Let me be clear on this. This is the coward's way out and you deserve all the animosity you get if you do this. As an administrator you have both a duty and responsibility to provide your staff with timely support, feedback and documentation. When you don’t do this, your staff will assume that “no news is good news” and won't make prudent changes and contingency plans. So keep documenting, keep coaching, keep leading.
3) Re-interviewing Teachers: I get lots of questions on whether or not I think this is a good idea. It’s an OK idea, but only if everyone, especially administrators and professional support staff also have to re-interview. On the professional totem poll, teachers have the least control over external variables, yet they bear the brunt of the consequences. If you re-interview teachers, also re-interview the counselors, administrators and central office personnel.
4) Last Hired, First Fired: If you use this strategy, I guarantee you will release your some of your best teachers and some of your worst teachers. Last hired, first hired can be a determinant, but only if all other factors are equal.
5) Campus Staff vs. Central Office: If there is a need to RIF campus staff, you should always look to see where staff at central office can be reduced first. This almost never happens and if it does, the cuts are generally superficial. Once after a budget meeting with my superintendent, I went back to meet with my staff to explain how we had to become more efficient, due to declining tax revenue. We cut corners, delayed purchases, reduced pay increases and came up with a plan. When I went back to present the plan to the superintendent, I was introduced to his new secretary. He now had two, it seems that the first one needed an assistant. I put the raises back in!
6) Support Staff vs. Direct Service Staff: Here’s my general rule for prioritizing the importance of staff: 1 – Teacher; 2 – Staff that provides direct support to students; 3 – Staff that provides direct support to a teacher or service provider; 4 - Campus leadership; 5 - Campus infrastructure staff; 6 - District leadership; 7 - District infrastructure staff. If I have to make cuts, I work the list in reverse order.
7) Defense against RIF’s: What can you do to avoid getting RIF’ed? Sometimes nothing. Tough times don’t discriminate. So my advice is to play defense by going on offence. Make yourself as marketable as possible. Cross-train, get multiple certifications, become an expert in something, out work your peers, start keeping performance data – show how your students outperform their peers (if they don’t, get to work), and if you find out your job is at risk, start looking as soon as possible. And finally, try pay down your debt so if the worst does happen, you don’t face immediate financial ruin.
Your turn…
522 Marion teachers lose jobs
By Fred Hiers
Published: Saturday, February 14, 2009 at 6:30a.m.
http://www.ocala.com/article/20090214/ARTICLES/902140982/0/OPINION
It looks like we are going to see headlines like the one above more often in the immediate future. Not to discount the fact that people losing their job is horrible, it is, I would like to discuss some thoughts that deal with massive budget cuts. Something in which I have relevant experience.
1) Budget Cuts Aren’t Always Bad: They do provide a reason to make needed change. When I faced my second significant budget cut, I referred to the advice that Jim Collins discusses in Good to Great (2001). To paraphrase, the budget process should be about what gets funded fully and what doesn’t get funded at all. If a position, department, and/or process doesn’t support the long term mission of the organization it should be abandoned. I have followed this advice, even when it is difficult, and as a result I have always left organizations in a better state than what I took over.
2) RIF’s and the Lack of Documentation: I can’t tell you the number of times that I have been tasked to assist campuses during massive restructuring where I discovered that administration knew exactly who was going to be let go, and was using that as a reason to stop all documentation. Let me be clear on this. This is the coward's way out and you deserve all the animosity you get if you do this. As an administrator you have both a duty and responsibility to provide your staff with timely support, feedback and documentation. When you don’t do this, your staff will assume that “no news is good news” and won't make prudent changes and contingency plans. So keep documenting, keep coaching, keep leading.
3) Re-interviewing Teachers: I get lots of questions on whether or not I think this is a good idea. It’s an OK idea, but only if everyone, especially administrators and professional support staff also have to re-interview. On the professional totem poll, teachers have the least control over external variables, yet they bear the brunt of the consequences. If you re-interview teachers, also re-interview the counselors, administrators and central office personnel.
4) Last Hired, First Fired: If you use this strategy, I guarantee you will release your some of your best teachers and some of your worst teachers. Last hired, first hired can be a determinant, but only if all other factors are equal.
5) Campus Staff vs. Central Office: If there is a need to RIF campus staff, you should always look to see where staff at central office can be reduced first. This almost never happens and if it does, the cuts are generally superficial. Once after a budget meeting with my superintendent, I went back to meet with my staff to explain how we had to become more efficient, due to declining tax revenue. We cut corners, delayed purchases, reduced pay increases and came up with a plan. When I went back to present the plan to the superintendent, I was introduced to his new secretary. He now had two, it seems that the first one needed an assistant. I put the raises back in!
6) Support Staff vs. Direct Service Staff: Here’s my general rule for prioritizing the importance of staff: 1 – Teacher; 2 – Staff that provides direct support to students; 3 – Staff that provides direct support to a teacher or service provider; 4 - Campus leadership; 5 - Campus infrastructure staff; 6 - District leadership; 7 - District infrastructure staff. If I have to make cuts, I work the list in reverse order.
7) Defense against RIF’s: What can you do to avoid getting RIF’ed? Sometimes nothing. Tough times don’t discriminate. So my advice is to play defense by going on offence. Make yourself as marketable as possible. Cross-train, get multiple certifications, become an expert in something, out work your peers, start keeping performance data – show how your students outperform their peers (if they don’t, get to work), and if you find out your job is at risk, start looking as soon as possible. And finally, try pay down your debt so if the worst does happen, you don’t face immediate financial ruin.
Your turn…
Campus Improvement: What Data Do You Need?
Managing Up, Part 5 of 5 – What Data Do You Need?
This is the last entry in this series. Part 1 and 2 were published on 2/16/09. Parts 3 and 4 were published on 2/17/09
I have a friend I’ve been working with for a couple of years now. He may be the one of the best principals in the business at rapidly turning around a campus. He sent me some questions that his assistant superintendent gave him to answer. Here are my answers to the fifth and final set of questions, his were similar.
Q: What data will you track to tell you whether you're making progress in solving this problem?
A: R4 Hyper-Monitoring data; short-term, common assessment data; short-term attendance data; short-term student discipline data; state assessment data; graduation rate data; master schedule; and budget.
Your turn…
This is the last entry in this series. Part 1 and 2 were published on 2/16/09. Parts 3 and 4 were published on 2/17/09
I have a friend I’ve been working with for a couple of years now. He may be the one of the best principals in the business at rapidly turning around a campus. He sent me some questions that his assistant superintendent gave him to answer. Here are my answers to the fifth and final set of questions, his were similar.
Q: What data will you track to tell you whether you're making progress in solving this problem?
A: R4 Hyper-Monitoring data; short-term, common assessment data; short-term attendance data; short-term student discipline data; state assessment data; graduation rate data; master schedule; and budget.
Your turn…
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Campus Improvement: Who is Accountable?
Managing Up, Part 4 of 5 – Who is Accountable for What to Solve the Problem?
I have a friend I’ve been working with for a couple of years now. He may be the one of the best principals in the business at rapidly turning around a campus. He sent me some questions that his assistant superintendent gave him to answer. Here are my answers to the fourth set of questions, his were similar.
Q: Who is accountable for what to solve the problem?
A:
1 - Students are accountable for coming to school; going to class; working on their work; and attending support sessions if they are struggling with their grades.
2 – Teachers are accountable for attending training and planning sessions; improving their pedagogy; following the scope and sequence; and adjusting instruction based on data.
3 – Campus administrators are accountable for monitoring instruction; ensuring a safe and orderly learning environment; creating time to train, review data and collaborate; and effectively identifying and marshaling resources to better support teachers and students.
4 – Central office is accountable for providing a viable scope and sequence; providing short-term common assessments; providing relevant and timely data reports; providing training and/or training budgets; and providing responsive infrastructure and support.
Your turn…
I have a friend I’ve been working with for a couple of years now. He may be the one of the best principals in the business at rapidly turning around a campus. He sent me some questions that his assistant superintendent gave him to answer. Here are my answers to the fourth set of questions, his were similar.
Q: Who is accountable for what to solve the problem?
A:
1 - Students are accountable for coming to school; going to class; working on their work; and attending support sessions if they are struggling with their grades.
2 – Teachers are accountable for attending training and planning sessions; improving their pedagogy; following the scope and sequence; and adjusting instruction based on data.
3 – Campus administrators are accountable for monitoring instruction; ensuring a safe and orderly learning environment; creating time to train, review data and collaborate; and effectively identifying and marshaling resources to better support teachers and students.
4 – Central office is accountable for providing a viable scope and sequence; providing short-term common assessments; providing relevant and timely data reports; providing training and/or training budgets; and providing responsive infrastructure and support.
Your turn…
Campus Improvement: Who Owns the Problem?
Managing Up, Part 3 of 5– Who Needs to Own the Problem?
This will make more sense if you first read the two posts from February 16, 2009.
I have a friend that I have been working with for a couple of years now. He may be one of the best in the principals in the business at rapidly turning around a campus. He sent me some questions that his assistant superintendent gave him to answer. Here are my answers to the third set of questions, his were similar.
Q: Who (teachers, parent, community) needs to know what, to "own" the problem and support the change work?
A:
1 - Teachers need to “own” their practice and the performance of their students.
2 – Campus administrators need to “own” their practice and the performance of their teachers.
3 – Parents need to “own” their need to support and enforce the reality that the education of their child .
4 – Central office need to “own” the fact that change isn’t popular and that managing campuses based on complaints from staff only perpetuates that status quo.
Your turn…
This will make more sense if you first read the two posts from February 16, 2009.
I have a friend that I have been working with for a couple of years now. He may be one of the best in the principals in the business at rapidly turning around a campus. He sent me some questions that his assistant superintendent gave him to answer. Here are my answers to the third set of questions, his were similar.
Q: Who (teachers, parent, community) needs to know what, to "own" the problem and support the change work?
A:
1 - Teachers need to “own” their practice and the performance of their students.
2 – Campus administrators need to “own” their practice and the performance of their teachers.
3 – Parents need to “own” their need to support and enforce the reality that the education of their child .
4 – Central office need to “own” the fact that change isn’t popular and that managing campuses based on complaints from staff only perpetuates that status quo.
Your turn…
Monday, February 16, 2009
Campus Improvement: What is Your Strategy
Managing Up, Part 2 of 5 - What is Your Strategy for Solving this Problem?
I have a friend I’ve been working with for a couple of years now. He may be one of the best principals in the business at rapidly turning around a campus. He sent me some questions that his assistant superintendent gave him to answer. Here are my answers to the second set of questions, his were similar.
Q: What is your strategy for solving this problem?
A: This principal has clearly defined his expectations for both staff and students. He mandated the use of a common scope and sequence in each core subject. He mandated the use of short-term common assessments in each core subject. He secured significant staff training for teachers and administrators. He hyper-monitors instructions. Walk-thru data and common assessment data are shared with staff on a frequent basis. Adjustments are made based on data and team planning.
Q: Why did you choose this strategy?
A: He chose the strategy because he knows it works. This principal is following a basic R4 rapid improvement plan that he used successfully at another struggling campus (he was hired by his new district, based on the success he had at his previous campus).
Q: What others did you consider?
A: None. He was hired to replicate his prior success in a similar fashion
Q: Can you clearly explain your "theory of action" i.e. how you think this strategy will solve the problem you've identified?
A: Yes. The greatest variable that affects student performance is adult practice. Since we control our practice, the pace at which we change dictates the speed at which student performance improves. On this campus, the luxury of leaving students behind to decrease the adult levels of discomfort that are caused by changes in adult instructional habits is no longer a viable action. This can be summed up with the following statement: “We change, they succeed. We don’t change, they fail. We won’t let them fail.”
Your turn…
I have a friend I’ve been working with for a couple of years now. He may be one of the best principals in the business at rapidly turning around a campus. He sent me some questions that his assistant superintendent gave him to answer. Here are my answers to the second set of questions, his were similar.
Q: What is your strategy for solving this problem?
A: This principal has clearly defined his expectations for both staff and students. He mandated the use of a common scope and sequence in each core subject. He mandated the use of short-term common assessments in each core subject. He secured significant staff training for teachers and administrators. He hyper-monitors instructions. Walk-thru data and common assessment data are shared with staff on a frequent basis. Adjustments are made based on data and team planning.
Q: Why did you choose this strategy?
A: He chose the strategy because he knows it works. This principal is following a basic R4 rapid improvement plan that he used successfully at another struggling campus (he was hired by his new district, based on the success he had at his previous campus).
Q: What others did you consider?
A: None. He was hired to replicate his prior success in a similar fashion
Q: Can you clearly explain your "theory of action" i.e. how you think this strategy will solve the problem you've identified?
A: Yes. The greatest variable that affects student performance is adult practice. Since we control our practice, the pace at which we change dictates the speed at which student performance improves. On this campus, the luxury of leaving students behind to decrease the adult levels of discomfort that are caused by changes in adult instructional habits is no longer a viable action. This can be summed up with the following statement: “We change, they succeed. We don’t change, they fail. We won’t let them fail.”
Your turn…
Campus Improvement: What is the Problem You are Trying to Solve
Managing Up, Part 1 - What is the Problem You are Trying to Solve?
I have a friend I’ve been coaching and collaborating with for a couple of years now. He may be one of the best principals in the business at rapidly turning around a campus. He sent me some questions that his assistant superintendent gave him to answer. Here are my answers to the first set of questions, his were similar.
Q: What is the problem you are trying to solve?
A: The problem that this principal is trying to solve is to the bridge the chasm between best instructional practices and current campus instructional practices. This disconnect is reflected in student performance.
Q: What does this have to do with improving teaching and learning?
A: This has everything to do with improving teaching and learning. As adult practice improves, student performance improves. The correlation is that direct and is almost immediate.
Q: What data (qualitative & quantitative) have you used to understand the problem and create urgency for change?
A: This principal has primarily used R4 Hyper-monitoring data, short-term common assessment data, benchmark data, state assessment data and graduation rate data.
Your turn…
I have a friend I’ve been coaching and collaborating with for a couple of years now. He may be one of the best principals in the business at rapidly turning around a campus. He sent me some questions that his assistant superintendent gave him to answer. Here are my answers to the first set of questions, his were similar.
Q: What is the problem you are trying to solve?
A: The problem that this principal is trying to solve is to the bridge the chasm between best instructional practices and current campus instructional practices. This disconnect is reflected in student performance.
Q: What does this have to do with improving teaching and learning?
A: This has everything to do with improving teaching and learning. As adult practice improves, student performance improves. The correlation is that direct and is almost immediate.
Q: What data (qualitative & quantitative) have you used to understand the problem and create urgency for change?
A: This principal has primarily used R4 Hyper-monitoring data, short-term common assessment data, benchmark data, state assessment data and graduation rate data.
Your turn…
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