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One of the things I coach schools on is the need for “instructional urgency.” I talk about its importance and that I do not see it in well over 95% of the campuses the first time I visit. Yet, most every campus I visit is surprised when I point it out to them. What they have generally done is equate stress with urgent. They are not the same. If fact, as I hope you will see from the example to follow, I believe that a lot of campus stress is caused by the lack of urgency. There are a number of indicators that I use to determine the level of urgency, but here is the easiest one to observe and fix.
Once teachers start teaching, they generally do a good job of keeping the class on task and moving forward. But this creates a blind spot that hides the problem. Slowly and steadily, the start of instruction comes later and later and the end of instruction comes earlier and earlier. This effectively shrinks the instructional day. Take for example a 47 minute Algebra 1 class. If it takes 5 minutes from the tardy bell to start teaching and then 5 minutes before the end of class, everyone starts to clean up, what has been created is a 37 minute Algebra 1 class. This is not an uncommon event.
Take those 10 minutes and multiply them by the typical 8 period day and 80 minutes each day are spent in the classroom either getting ready or shutting down.
80 minutes a day, equals 400 minutes a week. 400 minutes a week, equals 14,400 minutes for an entire school year. Using our 8 period day example, 14,400 minutes is the equivalent of 38 instructional days (about 2 months).
The campuses with a high level of instructional urgency work to capture every usable second. Everyone else just gives away days.
So the question is, no matter what the current academic rating of your campus, what could teachers and students do with an extra 2 months of instruction?
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Have a System and Start Running
I was recently talking with a first year principal, what was working, what wasn’t, etc. The conversation eventually led to two critical practices that are almost never shared with rookies, and as such, effectively lengthens their learning curve. Here are the practices:
First, have a system. By system, I mean a focus, structure, and a body of general practices and procedures that you want implemented effectively and consistently. It does not have to be overly elaborate and it does not have to be in a formal document. But you have to know what you want to do and how you expect it to get done. And most importantly, you have to be able to communicate your intent and be able to train people, based on your system.
Without a system, three things occur. 1- You become the source of all knowledge (and no one is that smart). 2 – All you can do is put out fires all day long. 3 – The agendas of the informal leaders on the campus will overwhelm your agenda.
Use the coaching community as an example. Have you ever heard a new head coach in any sport say, “I don’t have a clue what I’m going to do. I’m just going to make up a new plan everyday, based on what the world throws at us.”
No, they say, “We’re going to implement my system, and once the team understands it, we will complete at the highest level.”
Second, start implementing immediately. A cancer that attacks education leadership is this concept that new leaders should take at least a semester (and generally two) just to observe and get an understanding about what is really going on, before doing anything substantive. Few ideas are more misguided. You are there to improve performance and get the most out of the organization. You do that by action, not by letting the auto-pilot assume command. Do you need to assess? Of course, but you do that on the fly.
Again, when’s the last time you heard a new coach say, “I’m just going to let everybody keep doing what they were doing for a season. Then I’ll really start working to improve.”
So to sum up, have a system, start immediately and assess on the fly.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn…
First, have a system. By system, I mean a focus, structure, and a body of general practices and procedures that you want implemented effectively and consistently. It does not have to be overly elaborate and it does not have to be in a formal document. But you have to know what you want to do and how you expect it to get done. And most importantly, you have to be able to communicate your intent and be able to train people, based on your system.
Without a system, three things occur. 1- You become the source of all knowledge (and no one is that smart). 2 – All you can do is put out fires all day long. 3 – The agendas of the informal leaders on the campus will overwhelm your agenda.
Use the coaching community as an example. Have you ever heard a new head coach in any sport say, “I don’t have a clue what I’m going to do. I’m just going to make up a new plan everyday, based on what the world throws at us.”
No, they say, “We’re going to implement my system, and once the team understands it, we will complete at the highest level.”
Second, start implementing immediately. A cancer that attacks education leadership is this concept that new leaders should take at least a semester (and generally two) just to observe and get an understanding about what is really going on, before doing anything substantive. Few ideas are more misguided. You are there to improve performance and get the most out of the organization. You do that by action, not by letting the auto-pilot assume command. Do you need to assess? Of course, but you do that on the fly.
Again, when’s the last time you heard a new coach say, “I’m just going to let everybody keep doing what they were doing for a season. Then I’ll really start working to improve.”
So to sum up, have a system, start immediately and assess on the fly.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn…
A Reader Asks... Rigor and Engagement
A reader asks,
“SC, if a teacher has high engagement and high rigor, do instructional strategies matter as much?”
SC Answer
Great trick question! The answer is … It depends.
If it a typical classroom with typical students, high engagement and high rigor are typically the result of superior teacher practice. I would observe that teacher closely for a while in an attempt to determine what he or she is doing that is atypical. If I could identify that, then the practice(s) could be shared with the staff and disseminated throughout the school (frequent data based observations are good).
On the other hand, if it is a higher level class with motivated students (for example, an AP course) then strategies matter a lot. These students will perform even with sub-par instruction. In order to maximize their performance (as with any student) requires superior instruction. In fact, you should demand superior instruction in these classrooms due to the simple fact that these teachers generally do not have to devote time, energy and brain power on managing typical distracting student behaviors.
Just a reminder though, high rigor does not mean harder. High rigor means deeper and more complex. For example, “How is my answer to this question different from what you have previously been taught or believed? Based on your experience, which do you think is more valid and why? Finally, how will my answer impact your daily practice and in turn how will that impact your students?” Feel free to submit your answer to the blog (really).
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“SC, if a teacher has high engagement and high rigor, do instructional strategies matter as much?”
SC Answer
Great trick question! The answer is … It depends.
If it a typical classroom with typical students, high engagement and high rigor are typically the result of superior teacher practice. I would observe that teacher closely for a while in an attempt to determine what he or she is doing that is atypical. If I could identify that, then the practice(s) could be shared with the staff and disseminated throughout the school (frequent data based observations are good).
On the other hand, if it is a higher level class with motivated students (for example, an AP course) then strategies matter a lot. These students will perform even with sub-par instruction. In order to maximize their performance (as with any student) requires superior instruction. In fact, you should demand superior instruction in these classrooms due to the simple fact that these teachers generally do not have to devote time, energy and brain power on managing typical distracting student behaviors.
Just a reminder though, high rigor does not mean harder. High rigor means deeper and more complex. For example, “How is my answer to this question different from what you have previously been taught or believed? Based on your experience, which do you think is more valid and why? Finally, how will my answer impact your daily practice and in turn how will that impact your students?” Feel free to submit your answer to the blog (really).
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
A Reader Writes... (Do Something / Do Nothing - Part 2)
In response to the comment “Do Something / Do Nothing,” a reader writes:
“Sean, on point three, I have learned that the only unforgivable decision is no decision. Make a good decision and I will cheer you on. Make a bad decision and I will expect you to learn from it. Make no decision and I will fire you.”
SC Response
Your comment is very similar to what I believe and how I coached my staff. The genesis of the belief began when I was an AP. Working with my teachers, I would tell them that they were ones that were the closest to the problem. The solution they developed would not only be the most expedient, it would most likely be the most appropriate. After all, they possessed the timeliest information. As long as they acted in the best interest of the student, I would work to support their decision and protect them for making it. They just had to understand that the decision could be overturned anywhere upstream and to not take it personal. On the other hand, to simply watch as a situation unfolded and to not make a decision was inexcusable.
As I progressed in my career, I realized that the raises that come with the promotions are some of the compensation for having to make tougher and more complex decisions. We are not paid more for the easy stuff; we are paid more for the hard stuff.
If you are a teacher or AP who has a difficult time making decisions, keep practicing. If you are a principal or assistant superintendent that who has a difficult time making decisions, step up or step aside. And for the record, deciding who to blame, is not a meaningful decision.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“Sean, on point three, I have learned that the only unforgivable decision is no decision. Make a good decision and I will cheer you on. Make a bad decision and I will expect you to learn from it. Make no decision and I will fire you.”
SC Response
Your comment is very similar to what I believe and how I coached my staff. The genesis of the belief began when I was an AP. Working with my teachers, I would tell them that they were ones that were the closest to the problem. The solution they developed would not only be the most expedient, it would most likely be the most appropriate. After all, they possessed the timeliest information. As long as they acted in the best interest of the student, I would work to support their decision and protect them for making it. They just had to understand that the decision could be overturned anywhere upstream and to not take it personal. On the other hand, to simply watch as a situation unfolded and to not make a decision was inexcusable.
As I progressed in my career, I realized that the raises that come with the promotions are some of the compensation for having to make tougher and more complex decisions. We are not paid more for the easy stuff; we are paid more for the hard stuff.
If you are a teacher or AP who has a difficult time making decisions, keep practicing. If you are a principal or assistant superintendent that who has a difficult time making decisions, step up or step aside. And for the record, deciding who to blame, is not a meaningful decision.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Monday, October 5, 2009
A Reader Writes... (Do Something / Do Nothing)
In response to my points on the choice of doing something or doing nothing, a reader writes:
“SC wrote that your choices are,
1. Do Something
2. Do Nothing
I put this to the test today. I was sick of the tardy situation and was tired of waiting for our committees to come to a decision. Everyone wanted to "work out the details" and maybe start in a week or two. That seemed like doing nothing to me. So I did something.
I had no solid plan, no contingency, but I acted. So how did it go? Not perfect, but pretty good. By the end of the day the kids were getting it. I had a 70% solution (I have done this kind of thing before) and executed it at full speed. No one seemed to notice the holes. As we progress forward from what we accomplished today, we will fill in the holes.
General Patton would be proud!”
SC Response
Congratulations! Former coaches and former military personnel (such as you) get it. Action creates opportunity. What makes action even more powerful in school settings is unlike sports and war, there rarely is organized opposition and even when there is, the opposition is more focused on avoiding discomfort than defeating you. So my advice is this, identify a problem and attack it. Even if you have a vaguely defined plan, your action increases your likely hood of success.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“SC wrote that your choices are,
1. Do Something
2. Do Nothing
I put this to the test today. I was sick of the tardy situation and was tired of waiting for our committees to come to a decision. Everyone wanted to "work out the details" and maybe start in a week or two. That seemed like doing nothing to me. So I did something.
I had no solid plan, no contingency, but I acted. So how did it go? Not perfect, but pretty good. By the end of the day the kids were getting it. I had a 70% solution (I have done this kind of thing before) and executed it at full speed. No one seemed to notice the holes. As we progress forward from what we accomplished today, we will fill in the holes.
General Patton would be proud!”
SC Response
Congratulations! Former coaches and former military personnel (such as you) get it. Action creates opportunity. What makes action even more powerful in school settings is unlike sports and war, there rarely is organized opposition and even when there is, the opposition is more focused on avoiding discomfort than defeating you. So my advice is this, identify a problem and attack it. Even if you have a vaguely defined plan, your action increases your likely hood of success.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
A Reader Writes... (Leadership / Lonely - Part 5)
In response to the posts on, “Leadership / Lonely,” a reader writes:
“As far as rookies are concerned I can relate because I am the stereotypical rookie. I have only been in the admin game for two years but I have had success because I listen and learn from you "salty dogs." That's a Marine term for experienced. However, I never want to lose my rookie fire. I show up earlier, work harder, organize much more meticulously, collaborate more effectively, and walk the school more often than other AP's in my district who have been passed over and reassigned.
Like Sean, I would rather act and make a mistake than freeze up and get shot in combat. Keep the fires burning rookies; we are the future of Texas Education!”
SC Response
Great comment! There are a couple of points that I want to extend.
1. To ignore the experience of those before us is full-hardy, yet to blindly follow their lead is equally dangerous. The reason why is that those before us played a different game than what is being played right now. I for one was a principal under TAAS. I never had to face TAKS accountability as a principal. So we use the experience of those before us to speed up our learning curve. To help us recognize pitfalls and patterns earlier. Then with the extra time, we can then extend the practice and more quickly enter into unexplored areas of instructional craft and student achievement. Again, why external coaches are so valuable. Your “out-of-touch” boss gives you directives; ignore them at your own peril. Your “out-of-touch” coach gives you suggestions; ignore them at your discretion.
2. You are right, great rookies do move faster than the rest of us. That is a big part of the value you bring to the organization. If we needed the “go slow; be prudent; been there, done that” person on the team, we would have hired the person with more experience.
3. There are great tactical and strategic advantages to constantly moving forward. I believe there is more to be gained by pushing yourself and your team, than by waiting and reacting. In the thick of the work, we often second guess ourselves and think that we should go slower. But in hindsight, we often recognize that the critical mistakes were the lack of speed and decisive action.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“As far as rookies are concerned I can relate because I am the stereotypical rookie. I have only been in the admin game for two years but I have had success because I listen and learn from you "salty dogs." That's a Marine term for experienced. However, I never want to lose my rookie fire. I show up earlier, work harder, organize much more meticulously, collaborate more effectively, and walk the school more often than other AP's in my district who have been passed over and reassigned.
Like Sean, I would rather act and make a mistake than freeze up and get shot in combat. Keep the fires burning rookies; we are the future of Texas Education!”
SC Response
Great comment! There are a couple of points that I want to extend.
1. To ignore the experience of those before us is full-hardy, yet to blindly follow their lead is equally dangerous. The reason why is that those before us played a different game than what is being played right now. I for one was a principal under TAAS. I never had to face TAKS accountability as a principal. So we use the experience of those before us to speed up our learning curve. To help us recognize pitfalls and patterns earlier. Then with the extra time, we can then extend the practice and more quickly enter into unexplored areas of instructional craft and student achievement. Again, why external coaches are so valuable. Your “out-of-touch” boss gives you directives; ignore them at your own peril. Your “out-of-touch” coach gives you suggestions; ignore them at your discretion.
2. You are right, great rookies do move faster than the rest of us. That is a big part of the value you bring to the organization. If we needed the “go slow; be prudent; been there, done that” person on the team, we would have hired the person with more experience.
3. There are great tactical and strategic advantages to constantly moving forward. I believe there is more to be gained by pushing yourself and your team, than by waiting and reacting. In the thick of the work, we often second guess ourselves and think that we should go slower. But in hindsight, we often recognize that the critical mistakes were the lack of speed and decisive action.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
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