Posts
Another LYS reader shares a favorite Cainism…
“Here is my favorite Cainism…
‘Students do not abide by the dress code because teachers refuse to model a professional dress code standard after the first week of school. That is why we have to babysit teachers at times.’
(Spoken with vigor and anger at a leadership development academy in a large urban district and I loved it).”
SC Response
Just a little context. In this district there is a standardized dress code for students. Many teachers use this dress code as an add-on harassment when they are documenting student misbehavior. Much like the expired inspection sticker ticket that is added on top of your speeding ticket. Couple this with the fact that as a whole, the instructional staff dresses rather shabby, day in and day out.
Here was my frustration and anger. Non-compliance with the dress code was the number one discipline referral. Yet, not one middle-class teacher (and though it may not feel like it, as educators, we are the middle class) was willing to model the dress expectation for a student population made up entirely of poor students. When I pointed out that the most powerful way to teach something is to model it, I was told that I just didn’t understand. It seems that in that district, as adults, they didn’t have to conform to student rules.
Then came my statement. For those of you who know me personally, you can see that I still was trying to maintain somewhat of a professional demeanor. Because rule number one for me and my team was and is, “If you are not willing to model what you expect, then don’t hold people accountable for meeting the expectation.”
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Friday, July 31, 2009
A Reader Writes... (Morning Homework / Support Lab - Part 2)
In response to the posts on “Morning Homework / Support Lab,” a reader writes:
"Why couldn't this time also be utilized for administrators to work with teachers? I believe as instructional leaders we have to model what we want from our teachers and what better way than to work with them on best teaching practices. I see so many teachers who are struggling to implement some of the strategies we are asking them to utilize...who are definitely in the category of can't versus won't-I think we need to do a more effective job in assisting those teachers in the early stages, than to watch and wait while the impacts are directly felt by their students. Just a thought..."
SC Response
I can’t disagree with the idea that administrators should be involved on some level. How big of a role, of course, would vary from campus to campus. In fact, if I was a teacher who needed an internship project or an AP wanting some better experience, I would take this project and run with it. After all, how often in a career do you get the opportunity to create a solution that fixes a problem that confounds every school?
What you describe seems more like a formal class with opportunities to teach actual lessons (is that what you were thinking?). I never envisioned the morning support labs in that fashion. That doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen, but it would ramp up the level of complexity.
But even in a more informal instructional setting, administrators would be able to view first hand what concepts students and teachers are struggling with; connect with students and teachers on a different level; and break down the "us vs. them" mentality between teachers and administration that exists on many campuses.
I also agree with your last point. As a profession, we are often guilty of waiting for disaster before we actually try to do anything meaningful. When we do a better job of addressing the little issues, the big problems never seem to occur.
My advice, now that you are aware of a deficiency and an opportunity, is come up with an interim solution, implement it, and then make as needed adjustments on the fly.
That’s just one idea, LYS readers, where are the rest of them?
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
"Why couldn't this time also be utilized for administrators to work with teachers? I believe as instructional leaders we have to model what we want from our teachers and what better way than to work with them on best teaching practices. I see so many teachers who are struggling to implement some of the strategies we are asking them to utilize...who are definitely in the category of can't versus won't-I think we need to do a more effective job in assisting those teachers in the early stages, than to watch and wait while the impacts are directly felt by their students. Just a thought..."
SC Response
I can’t disagree with the idea that administrators should be involved on some level. How big of a role, of course, would vary from campus to campus. In fact, if I was a teacher who needed an internship project or an AP wanting some better experience, I would take this project and run with it. After all, how often in a career do you get the opportunity to create a solution that fixes a problem that confounds every school?
What you describe seems more like a formal class with opportunities to teach actual lessons (is that what you were thinking?). I never envisioned the morning support labs in that fashion. That doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen, but it would ramp up the level of complexity.
But even in a more informal instructional setting, administrators would be able to view first hand what concepts students and teachers are struggling with; connect with students and teachers on a different level; and break down the "us vs. them" mentality between teachers and administration that exists on many campuses.
I also agree with your last point. As a profession, we are often guilty of waiting for disaster before we actually try to do anything meaningful. When we do a better job of addressing the little issues, the big problems never seem to occur.
My advice, now that you are aware of a deficiency and an opportunity, is come up with an interim solution, implement it, and then make as needed adjustments on the fly.
That’s just one idea, LYS readers, where are the rest of them?
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Thursday, July 30, 2009
A Reader Writes... (Morning Homework / Support Lab)
In response to the post, “Morning Homework / Support Lab,” a reader writes:
“Cain pointed this out to me a while back, and I must admit I was embarrassed to have not seen it myself. It is so incredibly simple, yet profound. When you have a captive audience, make the most of it.
In order to make this work it seems to me you need two things. One, you need teachers willing to volunteer or you have to be willing to assign these morning sessions as duty. The problem with duty assignment is, as Covey says, people volunteer their best. Of course you could come up with some financial incentives, but that will run into your second need.
Second, you need people who are intrinsically motivated to work with kids. Paying teachers may get them there, but getting their hearts and minds is another issue (of course this is true during the instructional day too, so this may be a non-issue). It seems to me you would not get much at all from adults assigned to this as morning duty.
And I suppose we can top this off with a third issue: the leadership had best be there too. You can’t lead from the rear, so if you ask others to be out front, be prepared to be there yourself. I think Cain is on to a good idea here, but I am fishing for ways to effectively implement this. Anyone?”
SC Response:
Again, LYS readers, chime in if you have some ideas.
First, like we discussed, don't beat yourself up because you can't see everything. No one can, hence the value of fresh eyes and external support.
Second, I think you may be over-thinking this. There are a couple of obvious answers. You could just schedule it as duty. I think there are staffers who would volunteer to come in early if they could leave early. I know I would have. I think another option would be to use counselors, department chairs and AP’s. With extra pay comes extra responsibility. But what I would do is toss this project to my department chairs. Empower them to schedule it, staff it and make sure it runs smoothly. After all, student success in their core area is their responsibility. And, if they don’t think it is their responsibility, you need a new department chair.
Third, I don't think that motivated adults is critical in the beginning. In fact I wouldn't even worry about it. Just make sure they show up and there are kids who need support. As the students respond and improve, so will adult attitudes.
Third, you are absolutely right. Leadership has to take an active interest in monitoring and supporting this. If we don’t, things will quickly return to exactly what we have right now – nothing.
This is the time to set this up, with implementation no later than the than the 3rd day of school. Some of you may wonder, “Who needs support by the third day of school?” How about every student who failed a class last year, every new student to the school, and every student who forgot to do their homework the night before, just to begin.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“Cain pointed this out to me a while back, and I must admit I was embarrassed to have not seen it myself. It is so incredibly simple, yet profound. When you have a captive audience, make the most of it.
In order to make this work it seems to me you need two things. One, you need teachers willing to volunteer or you have to be willing to assign these morning sessions as duty. The problem with duty assignment is, as Covey says, people volunteer their best. Of course you could come up with some financial incentives, but that will run into your second need.
Second, you need people who are intrinsically motivated to work with kids. Paying teachers may get them there, but getting their hearts and minds is another issue (of course this is true during the instructional day too, so this may be a non-issue). It seems to me you would not get much at all from adults assigned to this as morning duty.
And I suppose we can top this off with a third issue: the leadership had best be there too. You can’t lead from the rear, so if you ask others to be out front, be prepared to be there yourself. I think Cain is on to a good idea here, but I am fishing for ways to effectively implement this. Anyone?”
SC Response:
Again, LYS readers, chime in if you have some ideas.
First, like we discussed, don't beat yourself up because you can't see everything. No one can, hence the value of fresh eyes and external support.
Second, I think you may be over-thinking this. There are a couple of obvious answers. You could just schedule it as duty. I think there are staffers who would volunteer to come in early if they could leave early. I know I would have. I think another option would be to use counselors, department chairs and AP’s. With extra pay comes extra responsibility. But what I would do is toss this project to my department chairs. Empower them to schedule it, staff it and make sure it runs smoothly. After all, student success in their core area is their responsibility. And, if they don’t think it is their responsibility, you need a new department chair.
Third, I don't think that motivated adults is critical in the beginning. In fact I wouldn't even worry about it. Just make sure they show up and there are kids who need support. As the students respond and improve, so will adult attitudes.
Third, you are absolutely right. Leadership has to take an active interest in monitoring and supporting this. If we don’t, things will quickly return to exactly what we have right now – nothing.
This is the time to set this up, with implementation no later than the than the 3rd day of school. Some of you may wonder, “Who needs support by the third day of school?” How about every student who failed a class last year, every new student to the school, and every student who forgot to do their homework the night before, just to begin.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Grant Rules
I was recently sitting in a meeting with a district and grant auditors. It was nothing out of the ordinary, just routine monitoring. However, one little comment by the auditors made me realize I had to get some information out to you, the LYS reader and leader.
The auditor said, “Expect a lot more monitoring if you are using stimulus money. And by more, that could very easily mean multiple on-site visits each year, for up to two or three years after the funds have been used.”
Now that thought is enough to petrify anyone who has never dealt with auditors, and reason to pause for those of us who have. But don’t panic. I have some rules to follow that will solve 99% of audit issues and concerns. So without further ado, here are “Sean’s Grant Rules to Live By.” Did you hear the trumpets?
1) On all grant documents and reports, make sure you put numbers and letters in all the places numbers and letters are supposed to be. Blank spaces invite questions.
2) Believe in what you are doing. Hedging your bet or appearing unsure and wishy-washy, is like blood in the water for auditors.
3) Know why you are doing it. Make your case and be confident. And “it sounded like a good idea and other districts are doing it,” is not a case.
4) Build capacity. The grant will go away. Work to make your people more effective and efficient. If you hire people and then let them go, you aren’t better off. If you plan to keep the people after the grant is gone, then you are saying that you could hire them now out of local funds, you just don’t want to.
5) Get results. Real results, that are tied to student performance. Just training people without performance accountability is a waste of time and money.
6) Keep good records. I’ve have friends that have suffered huge career setbacks because a staffer they were responsible for was a shoddy record keeper.
7) Spend the money. In the world of grants, not spending the money is actually worse than not getting the results. Be frugal with the local funds.
Follow these rules and if you do get audited and something is questioned, you will at least be in a defendable position.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
The auditor said, “Expect a lot more monitoring if you are using stimulus money. And by more, that could very easily mean multiple on-site visits each year, for up to two or three years after the funds have been used.”
Now that thought is enough to petrify anyone who has never dealt with auditors, and reason to pause for those of us who have. But don’t panic. I have some rules to follow that will solve 99% of audit issues and concerns. So without further ado, here are “Sean’s Grant Rules to Live By.” Did you hear the trumpets?
1) On all grant documents and reports, make sure you put numbers and letters in all the places numbers and letters are supposed to be. Blank spaces invite questions.
2) Believe in what you are doing. Hedging your bet or appearing unsure and wishy-washy, is like blood in the water for auditors.
3) Know why you are doing it. Make your case and be confident. And “it sounded like a good idea and other districts are doing it,” is not a case.
4) Build capacity. The grant will go away. Work to make your people more effective and efficient. If you hire people and then let them go, you aren’t better off. If you plan to keep the people after the grant is gone, then you are saying that you could hire them now out of local funds, you just don’t want to.
5) Get results. Real results, that are tied to student performance. Just training people without performance accountability is a waste of time and money.
6) Keep good records. I’ve have friends that have suffered huge career setbacks because a staffer they were responsible for was a shoddy record keeper.
7) Spend the money. In the world of grants, not spending the money is actually worse than not getting the results. Be frugal with the local funds.
Follow these rules and if you do get audited and something is questioned, you will at least be in a defendable position.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Morning Homework / Support Labs
Visit enough schools and what will quickly become apparent is that we waste 30 minutes to an hour of possible instruction time in the morning, everyday. The math is staggering, this represents up to 180 hours of instruction annually. That is the equivalent of 30 instructional days. Huge numbers of students arrive to school early and then wait for the adults to decide that it is time to work. So, I want everyone to repeat after me,
“School Starts When The Students Arrive, Not When The Adults Start Working”
Embrace this fact and start using the morning "wait" time for something productive. Here is an easy solution to implement.
1. Pick four locations in the building. It could be four quadrants in the cafeteria; or the gym, the library, a classroom, the auditorium; etc. You don’t need desks, students work on the floor all the time. In fact, an informal feel and tone is often more effective.
2. Have each area represent a content area; ELA, math, science, and social studies.
3. When students arrive, they go to the area where they need to finish their homework, or need to study.
4. Though most students self-select where they will go each day, have a check in system for students that are in danger of failing a class.
5. Let students work in groups if they want to, if fact, have some student tutors to assist.
6. Adults should circulate thru the room (as opposed to standing in clusters, talking to each other), to ensure that student conversations remain academic and to support and explain when necessary.
Now you have implemented a "School, Before School" program that works at any level of campus.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“School Starts When The Students Arrive, Not When The Adults Start Working”
Embrace this fact and start using the morning "wait" time for something productive. Here is an easy solution to implement.
1. Pick four locations in the building. It could be four quadrants in the cafeteria; or the gym, the library, a classroom, the auditorium; etc. You don’t need desks, students work on the floor all the time. In fact, an informal feel and tone is often more effective.
2. Have each area represent a content area; ELA, math, science, and social studies.
3. When students arrive, they go to the area where they need to finish their homework, or need to study.
4. Though most students self-select where they will go each day, have a check in system for students that are in danger of failing a class.
5. Let students work in groups if they want to, if fact, have some student tutors to assist.
6. Adults should circulate thru the room (as opposed to standing in clusters, talking to each other), to ensure that student conversations remain academic and to support and explain when necessary.
Now you have implemented a "School, Before School" program that works at any level of campus.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Monday, July 27, 2009
A Reader Writes... (Credit Recovery - Part 3)
In response to the post, “Credit Recovery / Failure Prevention,” a reader writes:
“The credit recovery issue is like 'shutting the gate after the cows are gone.' You cannot wait one year, two years, or certainly not a third year to implement a freshmen credit recovery strategy. 80% of the third year freshman will have already dropped out before the third year starts. In fact, according to research, only 20% of freshman students who have failed Algebra I and one other core class will ever graduate.
Here are some suggested freshman recovery strategies:
A. Have your best teachers to teach your most "fragile" freshman instead of assigning the "last one hired" to teach freshman.
B. Do not keep freshman classified as freshman for a second year. Almost always they have new administrators and counselors who take most of the year to identify their problems. The second year freshman gets lost in the shuffle and never recovers. We lay the blame on the student, and staff moves on and leaves their mess for the new staff.
C. Assign failing freshman to an Accelerated Learning Team (ALT), or group of highly skilled communicators and highly motivated teachers, who can monitor their academic participation and social progress throughout the day. Allow 2nd year freshman to work daily on recovery with these teachers and do not expect or depend on computer based instruction or extra time after school to make up credits. These students must be taught, monitored, and coached daily by the ALT leaders.
As Sean mentions this is the Achilles Heel and it is compounded by school leaders who initiate a program, regardless of effectiveness, and feel good about it, regardless of the student losses.”
SC Response
Excellent comment with a number of valid points and suggestions. If you have time, send us more on your ALT concept.
The more I assist campuses with this problem, the more I become an advocate for failure prevention. Schools have plenty of data that warns them that students are in academic danger; prior year state test results, progress reports, test grades, missed homework, and attendance are just the most blatant examples. Yet, in the face of this mounting evidence, we generally do one of two things. We either wait, or we blame the student. Let me be a blunt, when we do this, as educators, this means that we are either ignorant, apathetic, or incompetent. None of which is a label I want used to describe me, my staff, of my campus.
That being the case, we have to use data to change the future, not predict it. Three weeks into a grading cycle, when a student is struggling, do something about it, right then. Change the future for that student and the school.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“The credit recovery issue is like 'shutting the gate after the cows are gone.' You cannot wait one year, two years, or certainly not a third year to implement a freshmen credit recovery strategy. 80% of the third year freshman will have already dropped out before the third year starts. In fact, according to research, only 20% of freshman students who have failed Algebra I and one other core class will ever graduate.
Here are some suggested freshman recovery strategies:
A. Have your best teachers to teach your most "fragile" freshman instead of assigning the "last one hired" to teach freshman.
B. Do not keep freshman classified as freshman for a second year. Almost always they have new administrators and counselors who take most of the year to identify their problems. The second year freshman gets lost in the shuffle and never recovers. We lay the blame on the student, and staff moves on and leaves their mess for the new staff.
C. Assign failing freshman to an Accelerated Learning Team (ALT), or group of highly skilled communicators and highly motivated teachers, who can monitor their academic participation and social progress throughout the day. Allow 2nd year freshman to work daily on recovery with these teachers and do not expect or depend on computer based instruction or extra time after school to make up credits. These students must be taught, monitored, and coached daily by the ALT leaders.
As Sean mentions this is the Achilles Heel and it is compounded by school leaders who initiate a program, regardless of effectiveness, and feel good about it, regardless of the student losses.”
SC Response
Excellent comment with a number of valid points and suggestions. If you have time, send us more on your ALT concept.
The more I assist campuses with this problem, the more I become an advocate for failure prevention. Schools have plenty of data that warns them that students are in academic danger; prior year state test results, progress reports, test grades, missed homework, and attendance are just the most blatant examples. Yet, in the face of this mounting evidence, we generally do one of two things. We either wait, or we blame the student. Let me be a blunt, when we do this, as educators, this means that we are either ignorant, apathetic, or incompetent. None of which is a label I want used to describe me, my staff, of my campus.
That being the case, we have to use data to change the future, not predict it. Three weeks into a grading cycle, when a student is struggling, do something about it, right then. Change the future for that student and the school.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Great Advice - Patton
As you read this, school leaders across the country are preparing to address their staff when they return for the start of the school year. For a lot of schools and districts, the prior year was a case of a couple of steps forward and a couple of steps backwards. That is one of the problems that manifests itself when you have numerous indicators of success. So the question I often get is, “How do I address the staff when I know there are lots of things that did not go according to plan?”
To answer this question, I crib from George S. Patton. To paraphrase the General, he said,
“Victory is achieved when you declare it.”
This advice makes me face the fact that all complicated endeavors have numerous indicators of relative success and failure (and a full year of school with tens of adults and hundreds of students is a complicated endeavor). It makes me focus on the fact that success breeds success. Therefore, when it is time to sum up the prior year and get ready for the next year, I try to focus on the following theme:
In total, we won last year (at the very least, we are smarter and we lived to fight another day). We will take that victory and we will use it as the jumping off point for even greater victory this year.
So my advice to you, the LYS reader and leader, is to:
1. Declare victory
2. Set the next ambitious challenge
3. Start working at full speed.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Just a reminder for existing LYS readers and an invitation to new LYS readers, Sunday is advice day. Send me your favorite piece of advice and why, along with your mailing address. If I post it, I’ll send you a world famous Lead Your School can koozie.
Your turn…
To answer this question, I crib from George S. Patton. To paraphrase the General, he said,
“Victory is achieved when you declare it.”
This advice makes me face the fact that all complicated endeavors have numerous indicators of relative success and failure (and a full year of school with tens of adults and hundreds of students is a complicated endeavor). It makes me focus on the fact that success breeds success. Therefore, when it is time to sum up the prior year and get ready for the next year, I try to focus on the following theme:
In total, we won last year (at the very least, we are smarter and we lived to fight another day). We will take that victory and we will use it as the jumping off point for even greater victory this year.
So my advice to you, the LYS reader and leader, is to:
1. Declare victory
2. Set the next ambitious challenge
3. Start working at full speed.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Just a reminder for existing LYS readers and an invitation to new LYS readers, Sunday is advice day. Send me your favorite piece of advice and why, along with your mailing address. If I post it, I’ll send you a world famous Lead Your School can koozie.
Your turn…
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