Posts
An LYS reader submitted the following piece of useful advice:
“I once heard a wise man say...ok, it was Sean....but wise nevertheless.
‘What you ignore, you condone.’
At times, I would get "too busy" to deal with the mundane issues such as what my teachers were wearing....after all I had student achievement to think about. Sean reminded me….by ignoring the behavior, I am condoning the behavior.
Now I take the time to correct the little things...because all the little things add up to compromise the environment and ultimately negatively impact student achievement.
How teachers dress, the clutter and disarray of their rooms, if they are consistently walking in 5 minutes late, “forgetting” to do duty or turn in reports…..these “small” things are big because they speak volumes to colleagues, parents, and kids about what you, as a leader, think is important.”
SC Response:
Send me your mailing address and I’ll send you your koozie.
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.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn…
Saturday, August 8, 2009
A Reader Writes... (Student Dress Code - Part 4)
In response to posts on student dress codes, a reader writes:
“I was watching this high school football game once. A receiver caught a beautiful pass and was virtually uncovered, free to score. A lone opposing player made a fantastic but obviously futile effort to stop the receiver, reaching out and maybe getting one or two fingers on the sprinting receiver. The receiver should have scored, but did not. Instead the kid turns to confront the defensive player, and then it was all over. The defense rained on the receiver.
This reminds me a lot of dress codes and other popular student issues. Beyond making sure students show up safe and decent, what is the educational purpose of a dress code? To teach values? Who’s values? Do you really believe that a kid with a shirt not tucked in can’t learn algebra?
I am all for teaching values, but it seems to me we should put the intense focus on values after we master the fundamentals. Perhaps we focus on ancillary issues because we simply don’t have the courage to improve our fundamentals?
How many schools out there send students to some form of in school suspension for being tardy? Is being on time important? Absolutely. Important enough to deny a child education for a day? Sometimes I think if dumped all of our programs and distracters and put all of our energy into developing the fundamentals of education we would be better off.”
SC Response
I can argue pro or con for dress codes, though my personal preference is pro. I think they are useful for preparing students to meet middle class employment expectations and I think they help build a sense of unity and esprit de corp. That’s one reason why the military, sports teams and gangs dress alike.
On my campus, I want everyone to know that they are a member of my team. That being said, there is a caveat. If adults don’t have a dress requirement that is at least as professional as the students, then don’t have a student dress code. It strikes as the height of hypocrisy to hold students accountable for something that we are not willing to demonstrate and model.
I’ll paraphrase your final question and explain why I think you are on the wrong track. You ask, ‘If we didn’t worry about all the inconsequential staff and just focused on academics, wouldn’t everyone be more productive?’ The answer is no. It has been my experience and observation that campuses led in this fashion quickly get into trouble. I have two theories for this.
1. Organizations operate most effectively under common assumptions, common expectations, common language, and common procedures. There is nothing common in “everything.” Everything is not a system. Everything is chaos.
2. Most adults and every adolescent gets a surge of adrenaline and victory when then get “over” on authority. For example, how do you feel when you speed past a cop on the freeway, and then don’t get pulled over? When there is no expectation in which to get “over,” one has to keep ramping up the deviance to get noticed by authority. Therefore, pick your battle. When you are constantly nagging students about shoelaces, their energy is directed towards deviant shoelaces, not more destructive and dangerous behaviors.
However to reiterate, whatever expectation you have for students, adults must be held to the same or higher standard.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“I was watching this high school football game once. A receiver caught a beautiful pass and was virtually uncovered, free to score. A lone opposing player made a fantastic but obviously futile effort to stop the receiver, reaching out and maybe getting one or two fingers on the sprinting receiver. The receiver should have scored, but did not. Instead the kid turns to confront the defensive player, and then it was all over. The defense rained on the receiver.
This reminds me a lot of dress codes and other popular student issues. Beyond making sure students show up safe and decent, what is the educational purpose of a dress code? To teach values? Who’s values? Do you really believe that a kid with a shirt not tucked in can’t learn algebra?
I am all for teaching values, but it seems to me we should put the intense focus on values after we master the fundamentals. Perhaps we focus on ancillary issues because we simply don’t have the courage to improve our fundamentals?
How many schools out there send students to some form of in school suspension for being tardy? Is being on time important? Absolutely. Important enough to deny a child education for a day? Sometimes I think if dumped all of our programs and distracters and put all of our energy into developing the fundamentals of education we would be better off.”
SC Response
I can argue pro or con for dress codes, though my personal preference is pro. I think they are useful for preparing students to meet middle class employment expectations and I think they help build a sense of unity and esprit de corp. That’s one reason why the military, sports teams and gangs dress alike.
On my campus, I want everyone to know that they are a member of my team. That being said, there is a caveat. If adults don’t have a dress requirement that is at least as professional as the students, then don’t have a student dress code. It strikes as the height of hypocrisy to hold students accountable for something that we are not willing to demonstrate and model.
I’ll paraphrase your final question and explain why I think you are on the wrong track. You ask, ‘If we didn’t worry about all the inconsequential staff and just focused on academics, wouldn’t everyone be more productive?’ The answer is no. It has been my experience and observation that campuses led in this fashion quickly get into trouble. I have two theories for this.
1. Organizations operate most effectively under common assumptions, common expectations, common language, and common procedures. There is nothing common in “everything.” Everything is not a system. Everything is chaos.
2. Most adults and every adolescent gets a surge of adrenaline and victory when then get “over” on authority. For example, how do you feel when you speed past a cop on the freeway, and then don’t get pulled over? When there is no expectation in which to get “over,” one has to keep ramping up the deviance to get noticed by authority. Therefore, pick your battle. When you are constantly nagging students about shoelaces, their energy is directed towards deviant shoelaces, not more destructive and dangerous behaviors.
However to reiterate, whatever expectation you have for students, adults must be held to the same or higher standard.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Thursday, August 6, 2009
A Reader Writes... (Student Dress Code - Part 3)
In response to posts on student dress codes, a reader writes:
“I can’t resist commenting on this. It only takes one time of sending someone home to change if the first conversation doesn’t work to stop non-compliance. My experience recently is that some of our schools model better adult dress than those in the administration building. We get what we expect and model.”
SC Response
I know this principal and for those of you thinking that HR wouldn’t let you do this, her response would be, “HR can worry about everyone else, I’ll worry about my campus.”
I can also tell you that here staff loves working for her, because they know that she expects everyone to pull their weight, without exception.
Finally, I can tell you that when I was still working for a district, my schools had a more professional dress standard than the rest of the district. HR finally gave up and accepted that fact, telling the few staffers that questioned this, "Cain's crew is just different than everyone else."
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“I can’t resist commenting on this. It only takes one time of sending someone home to change if the first conversation doesn’t work to stop non-compliance. My experience recently is that some of our schools model better adult dress than those in the administration building. We get what we expect and model.”
SC Response
I know this principal and for those of you thinking that HR wouldn’t let you do this, her response would be, “HR can worry about everyone else, I’ll worry about my campus.”
I can also tell you that here staff loves working for her, because they know that she expects everyone to pull their weight, without exception.
Finally, I can tell you that when I was still working for a district, my schools had a more professional dress standard than the rest of the district. HR finally gave up and accepted that fact, telling the few staffers that questioned this, "Cain's crew is just different than everyone else."
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
A Reader Writes... (Student Dress Code - Part 2)
In response to posts on student dress codes, a reader writes:
“Here is the problem with your post:
Even the best schools have awesome teachers who will not abide by the dress code. Setting a high adult standard only works as much as your staff wishes to uphold that standard. During the second week of school look and see how the standard drops across the board. There is no adult standard anymore. And if a principal tries to enforce a dress standard even if it is district policy, there are few if any repercussions that ever happen to employees to choose not to obey it.
Leaders’ toughest tasks seem to be on the simplest of things like dress code and cell phones. As times go on, I expect there will eventually be no professional dress anymore except for central office staff. The world is weaving its ugly head and standards into our schools and board members are embracing them”
SC Response
I’m going to deconstruct your comment and address it point by point.
“Setting a high adult standard only works as much as your staff wishes to uphold that standard.”
I disagree, setting a high adult standard works when leadership is willing to model and enforce the standard.
"There is no adult standard."
There is no adult standard when there is no leadership attention.
"There are few if any repercussions."
Again, this is the choice of leadership. I never punished staff into dress code compliance. I did communicate and model my expectation constantly and when a staff member did not comply, we had an immediate conversation about the impact of his or her decision on the students and campus. Immediate leadership attention has amazing preventative and curative powers.
"Leaders’ toughest tasks seem to be on the simplest of things."
This is your big insight moment. You are absolutely correct. Fixing the little things keeps the system running smoothly. Fixing the little things is what continuous improvement is all about. Remember Collin's insightful quote, "The great triathlete rinses cottage cheese before eating it." A school is like a car, ignore the little things (oil changes, air in the tires, wiper blades) and you will find yourself broke down on the side of the road when you least expect it.
"The world is weaving its ugly head and standards into our schools."
This happens if we let it. Don’t stand for it. You were on one of my campuses. We rose above low expectations and standards in less than six weeks. You know first hand that a talented team can out work, out think, and out achieve a lazy world. Given the choice between easy and right, it is human nature to pick easy. Therefore, ensure that the only option is “right.”
As a principal, you set the tone and expectation on your campus. The average principal lets his or her campus operate under this assumption, “Well most of us try hard, but considering the staff and the students, outside expectations and rules for Our Average School, are not realistic.”
Great principals have campuses that operate under this assumption, “The rest of the district may be a bunch of half-stepping slackers, but here at Our Awesome School, we work differently because we are better.”
It is your choice; do you want to be average or great?
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“Here is the problem with your post:
Even the best schools have awesome teachers who will not abide by the dress code. Setting a high adult standard only works as much as your staff wishes to uphold that standard. During the second week of school look and see how the standard drops across the board. There is no adult standard anymore. And if a principal tries to enforce a dress standard even if it is district policy, there are few if any repercussions that ever happen to employees to choose not to obey it.
Leaders’ toughest tasks seem to be on the simplest of things like dress code and cell phones. As times go on, I expect there will eventually be no professional dress anymore except for central office staff. The world is weaving its ugly head and standards into our schools and board members are embracing them”
SC Response
I’m going to deconstruct your comment and address it point by point.
“Setting a high adult standard only works as much as your staff wishes to uphold that standard.”
I disagree, setting a high adult standard works when leadership is willing to model and enforce the standard.
"There is no adult standard."
There is no adult standard when there is no leadership attention.
"There are few if any repercussions."
Again, this is the choice of leadership. I never punished staff into dress code compliance. I did communicate and model my expectation constantly and when a staff member did not comply, we had an immediate conversation about the impact of his or her decision on the students and campus. Immediate leadership attention has amazing preventative and curative powers.
"Leaders’ toughest tasks seem to be on the simplest of things."
This is your big insight moment. You are absolutely correct. Fixing the little things keeps the system running smoothly. Fixing the little things is what continuous improvement is all about. Remember Collin's insightful quote, "The great triathlete rinses cottage cheese before eating it." A school is like a car, ignore the little things (oil changes, air in the tires, wiper blades) and you will find yourself broke down on the side of the road when you least expect it.
"The world is weaving its ugly head and standards into our schools."
This happens if we let it. Don’t stand for it. You were on one of my campuses. We rose above low expectations and standards in less than six weeks. You know first hand that a talented team can out work, out think, and out achieve a lazy world. Given the choice between easy and right, it is human nature to pick easy. Therefore, ensure that the only option is “right.”
As a principal, you set the tone and expectation on your campus. The average principal lets his or her campus operate under this assumption, “Well most of us try hard, but considering the staff and the students, outside expectations and rules for Our Average School, are not realistic.”
Great principals have campuses that operate under this assumption, “The rest of the district may be a bunch of half-stepping slackers, but here at Our Awesome School, we work differently because we are better.”
It is your choice; do you want to be average or great?
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
A Reader Writes... (1st Year Principal Rules)
In response to the post, “1st Year Principal Rules,” a reader writes:
“A rousing Amen from someone who has been a principal for 22 years! I wish I had these Cain rules my first year!”
SC Response
First, thank you. When great principals validate what you say, it means something (and the principal that sent this comment in, is one of the great ones).
Second, I too wish that I would have known this when I was a first year principal. I often feel that the first part of my career was spent unlearning the platitudes of ineffective leadership that are passed off as the “truth.”
Third, we all have numerous re-starts in our careers, so reviewing the rules before the start of school is a good mental exercise.
Hence, some of my motivation for starting this blog.
1. To share effective school leadership practices.
2. To give other the benefit of the failures and struggles of our learning curve, so they can leap frog past us.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“A rousing Amen from someone who has been a principal for 22 years! I wish I had these Cain rules my first year!”
SC Response
First, thank you. When great principals validate what you say, it means something (and the principal that sent this comment in, is one of the great ones).
Second, I too wish that I would have known this when I was a first year principal. I often feel that the first part of my career was spent unlearning the platitudes of ineffective leadership that are passed off as the “truth.”
Third, we all have numerous re-starts in our careers, so reviewing the rules before the start of school is a good mental exercise.
Hence, some of my motivation for starting this blog.
1. To share effective school leadership practices.
2. To give other the benefit of the failures and struggles of our learning curve, so they can leap frog past us.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Monday, August 3, 2009
A Reader Writes... Student Dress Code
In response to my observation on student dress codes, a reader writes:
“The dress code issue is always one that is fun to discuss. This is the real root of the problem. We always set the conditions of the discussion backwards. We begin with the student expectation, and then measure adult behavior by how much variance from the (student) standard we allow.
This brings into the discussion an entire line of reasoning that basically says ‘adults’ are superior to, and therefore exempt from lowly student rules. “After all, we are adults and should not be treated as children.”
True, but no one ever drops the other shoe. As adults, we should not be treated like children (as they are traditionally treated, which is as a second class citizen at best.) The real message is that we should not treat children that way either.
The proper way to shape this discussion is to establish clear expectations for professional dress within the adult world. What is necessary, and why. Then hold adults accountable to model at all times the appropriate expected behaviors. Student expectations should naturally flow from established adult norms (not the other way around.) From that point forward, we are setting the expectations, and modeling the goal that we expect our students to strive for. This is more than semantics.
Traditionally, the student code is the only established expectation, and all variance from that norm is the fault of adults who hide behind their adult status. It is much better to set the adult norm, at a higher level, and then all variance is that of the students trying to live up to adult expectations (what a concept, we could build a civilization on this).
This is a simple concept. Students will not follow, if we do not lead. It is sad that many teachers (and even sadder that many administrators) absolutely refuse to lead. They depend purely on ‘authority’ to conduct their business. Authority is necessary, but is a poor substitute for leadership. Is it a wonder our students view us through such a negative lens?”
SC Response
Excellent argument and one that overall, I agree with. Here are my three simple rules on dress code.
1. Make the student dress and appearance code as strict as the teachers / campus / district want it to be.
2. Adults must dress at least as professionally as students.
3. Model and enforce the student and adult expectation, without exception.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“The dress code issue is always one that is fun to discuss. This is the real root of the problem. We always set the conditions of the discussion backwards. We begin with the student expectation, and then measure adult behavior by how much variance from the (student) standard we allow.
This brings into the discussion an entire line of reasoning that basically says ‘adults’ are superior to, and therefore exempt from lowly student rules. “After all, we are adults and should not be treated as children.”
True, but no one ever drops the other shoe. As adults, we should not be treated like children (as they are traditionally treated, which is as a second class citizen at best.) The real message is that we should not treat children that way either.
The proper way to shape this discussion is to establish clear expectations for professional dress within the adult world. What is necessary, and why. Then hold adults accountable to model at all times the appropriate expected behaviors. Student expectations should naturally flow from established adult norms (not the other way around.) From that point forward, we are setting the expectations, and modeling the goal that we expect our students to strive for. This is more than semantics.
Traditionally, the student code is the only established expectation, and all variance from that norm is the fault of adults who hide behind their adult status. It is much better to set the adult norm, at a higher level, and then all variance is that of the students trying to live up to adult expectations (what a concept, we could build a civilization on this).
This is a simple concept. Students will not follow, if we do not lead. It is sad that many teachers (and even sadder that many administrators) absolutely refuse to lead. They depend purely on ‘authority’ to conduct their business. Authority is necessary, but is a poor substitute for leadership. Is it a wonder our students view us through such a negative lens?”
SC Response
Excellent argument and one that overall, I agree with. Here are my three simple rules on dress code.
1. Make the student dress and appearance code as strict as the teachers / campus / district want it to be.
2. Adults must dress at least as professionally as students.
3. Model and enforce the student and adult expectation, without exception.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Sunday, August 2, 2009
A Reader Writes... (Morning Homework/ Support Lab - Part 3)
In response to the posts on “Morning Homework / Support Lab,” a reader writes:
“Working with teachers is not a bad idea, but this idea puts us back to focusing on the needs of adults instead the needs of kids. We definitely need to focus on the needs of adults, but I think Cain was pointing out that when the kids are at school, it is prime time to focus on kids.”
SC Response
Thanks for reminding me of my original premise, which I will summarize:
1. Failure prevention is infinitely more powerful that credit recovery.
2. The key to failure prevention is timely intervention.
3. There is considerable down time in the morning, when students are just waiting for school to start.
4. School starts when the students arrive, not when the adults decide to start working.
5. With a little planning, initiative, and flexible staff scheduling, morning homework and support centers could operate daily, before school starts.
6. The morning support would extended the instructional day and help to prevent student failure.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“Working with teachers is not a bad idea, but this idea puts us back to focusing on the needs of adults instead the needs of kids. We definitely need to focus on the needs of adults, but I think Cain was pointing out that when the kids are at school, it is prime time to focus on kids.”
SC Response
Thanks for reminding me of my original premise, which I will summarize:
1. Failure prevention is infinitely more powerful that credit recovery.
2. The key to failure prevention is timely intervention.
3. There is considerable down time in the morning, when students are just waiting for school to start.
4. School starts when the students arrive, not when the adults decide to start working.
5. With a little planning, initiative, and flexible staff scheduling, morning homework and support centers could operate daily, before school starts.
6. The morning support would extended the instructional day and help to prevent student failure.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
First Year Principal Rules
I was recently talking to a rookie principal that is about to begin his first year on the job. He asked me if I had any advice for him. So I gave him my “What your professors and bosses didn’t tell you about being a principal” rules. If you are wondering why I would know the rules and not professors and bosses, the answer is experience. Most education professors haven’t been principals and most bosses don’t remember what they went through during their first year as a principal (after all, it generally was a long time ago). I on the other hand, spend a lot of time with first year principals, on their campuses, working to speed up their learning curve. Here are the rules:
1. The first year of being a principal is the steepest learning curve you will face in your entire career. This is primarily due to the fact that you are now accountable for everything. This forces you to consider every decision in this new light. This slows you down right when you are starting a job that moves faster than any position you have ever had before. Don’t worry though; Year 2 will be much easier.
2. The more dysfunctional the campus, the more autocratic you must be. This is tough, because this is not who you want to be and not what you signed up for. But your first priority is to lead the campus. Set the vision, set the expectation and enforce both. As the staff builds capacity and understanding, you will be able to become more collaborative.
3. Don’t worry about morale. Don’t even get in this fight. You’re new, you represent change. New and change is the recipe for a dip in morale. Instead focus on student performance, especially short-term measures. As the staff sees student performance improve, their morale will bounce back. Performance Leads Morale!
4. You have a honeymoon, use it. As soon as you get on the job, make the changes that need to be made. Don’t wait to assess the situation for a semester, do it now. The staff may not like it, but they all expect something different to happen. And the best time to make a mistake is when your boss expects one or doesn’t yet care.
5. If you want a friend get a dog. The Principal’s job is to lead. If you do it right, someone is always upset with you. Your job is to ensure that student needs are being met and the school is improving. You can aspire to being respected and admired, but don’t fret over whether or not you are liked.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
1. The first year of being a principal is the steepest learning curve you will face in your entire career. This is primarily due to the fact that you are now accountable for everything. This forces you to consider every decision in this new light. This slows you down right when you are starting a job that moves faster than any position you have ever had before. Don’t worry though; Year 2 will be much easier.
2. The more dysfunctional the campus, the more autocratic you must be. This is tough, because this is not who you want to be and not what you signed up for. But your first priority is to lead the campus. Set the vision, set the expectation and enforce both. As the staff builds capacity and understanding, you will be able to become more collaborative.
3. Don’t worry about morale. Don’t even get in this fight. You’re new, you represent change. New and change is the recipe for a dip in morale. Instead focus on student performance, especially short-term measures. As the staff sees student performance improve, their morale will bounce back. Performance Leads Morale!
4. You have a honeymoon, use it. As soon as you get on the job, make the changes that need to be made. Don’t wait to assess the situation for a semester, do it now. The staff may not like it, but they all expect something different to happen. And the best time to make a mistake is when your boss expects one or doesn’t yet care.
5. If you want a friend get a dog. The Principal’s job is to lead. If you do it right, someone is always upset with you. Your job is to ensure that student needs are being met and the school is improving. You can aspire to being respected and admired, but don’t fret over whether or not you are liked.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)