TASA Mid-Winter Conference Wrap-up

The TASA Mid-Winter conference was the largest ever, with over 6000 attendees. It was great to touch base with our old friends and colleagues. It was funny, because a neighboring vendor came up to me and asked, "What are you all selling?"

The question confused me and I asked him what he meant. He replied, "There are more people stopping and staying at your booth than any other booth at the conference."

I laughed and said, "We're not selling anything. That is just people coming by to check in and catch up with Brezina and Brown."

So here are a couple of pictures. What you are seeing in the first three pictures are Brezina and Brown tackling a time sensitive problem for a superintendent

The last picture is just two old friends who used to be neighboring high school principals. Our roots run deep.

Think. Work. Achieve.

A Reader Asks, Brown Answers... Scheduling

A reader asks:

“With the economic stress most districts are facing, budget cuts are inevitable. What tips and tricks can you share in creating a master schedule that maximizes student achievement and is also efficient?”

SC Response
My quick answer is that the schedules that best meet student needs are very flexible and the schedules that best meet adult needs are very inflexible. Add to that the phenomena that the further the principal is removed from the scheduling process the more inflexible the schedule becomes. Now I’m going to pass your question to the recognized top scheduling guy in the nation (no exaggeration), E. Don Brown.

Brown Answers
Your question regarding steps and concepts of scheduling in the midst of budget cuts and district shortfalls is both easy and difficult. The easy part is the singular need to focus all scheduling planning and decisions on meeting the very best interest of students. That means putting aside the traditional concept of making as many adults (teachers and administrators) as happy as possible. The hard part is getting those same adults, those who teach, those who make schedule demands and those who actually design schedules, to accept the task and master the assignment challenge that best meet student needs. When students are the center of scheduling decisions it is amazing how much can be saved while at the same time providing the best learning environment possible for students.

For more specific help and support, you can reach me by calling the LYS office or sending in a comment that includes your contact information.

EDB

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (It's all About the Conversation - Part 4)

In response to the posts related to “It’s all About the Conversation,” a reader writes:

“As an extension to the blog discussion, don't get over focused on data when you first start your PowerWalks (frequent classroom observations). Your data will not be accurate or useful for some time. It will take you time to recognize what you are seeing. Ideally, you get some external coaching. If not, you can still learn the hard way like I did and see if your prediction concerning instructional quality translates to student success on accountability tests. My schools improved, some others' did not. The easier, faster, safer way is to go with external coaching.

While you are honing your power walking skills, at first just address the obvious such as NO INSTRUCTION, OFF TASK STUDENTS, and NO TEACHER PRESENT. Those are easy calls to make and there is no excuse for those scenarios, so pounce on them. Build your power walking skills up over say maybe a year at 25 per week and move on to more sensitive calls in years two. It's OK to have conversations your first year, but make sure many of those conversations are with expert teachers who you will use as mentors to other teachers (HINT: they can be your mentor to improve your instructional awareness, too).

As Cain said, there is almost a Zen like art to this process."

SC Response
Good post, even better advice. Though if you are diligent in getting in classrooms a lot (at least 25 times a week), reflect on what you are seeing, and discuss what you are seeing with other observers and teachers; in a semester you will be amazed at what you are able to piece together and how much more useful you will become to your instructional staff.

A critical piece that the writer dances around is this: Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know.” I was talking to another early PowerWalks adopter (5,000+ documented observations) recently. We were laughing at how it seems that the more we observe, the more we realize just how little we know. Couple that with the fact that when we do figure out something new, it is usually so evident that we are embarrassed to admit that we hadn’t noticed it before.

The initial benefits of PowerWalks (again, frequent classroom observations) are these:

1. Because you are out more you can solve little issues at the source, before they become big problems.

2. Because you are out more you can get resources and support to teachers quicker and more efficiently.

3. Because you are out more you can recognize and reinforce the staff and students who are working their tails off to improve.

4. Because you are out more you can light a fire under the coasters and slackers.

5. Because you are out more you will make better decisions because you know what is really happening.

While you and your campus take advantage of the first level benefits of PowerWalks, you will slowly begin to develop insights that will eventually help your students, teachers and campus. As is it with most things, it takes time for your hard work to hone your book smarts.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Lesson Framing - Part 2)

In response to the post, “Lesson Framing,” a reader writes:

“Great post! You are right to state that lesson framing is not “easy.” Like most of the LYS principles taught and shared by Sean Cain, they are not difficult, they are just down right bold and smooth (kind of like my favorite beer).

Unfortunately, the most simple of concepts are often scary to educators. When Brown, Cain, and Brezina present the data and shows someone how to improve their class, school or district, it is so elementary and foundational, that people are embarassed to change their traditional ways.

Good teaching takes one key ingredient that is not easily found... ENERGY!!!”

SC Response
Bold and Smooth? Like your favorite beer? You may want to consider a career in advertising after to retire from education leadership. I may include that statement on my vita.

You touch on a topic that Brezina, Brown and I often discuss. That is for some people our solutions are too easy. They actually want the answer to be complicated. The work of improvement is already arduous, adding complexity simply makes it impossible.

Just remember one of the LYS mantras, “You will never compete for a championship if you can’t execute the fundamentals.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…

A Reader Writes... (It's all About the Conversation - Part 3)

In response to the post, “It’s all About the Conversation,” a reader writes:

“We have a good boss. He just tells us we need a break and helps us. He has told us the same things you just wrote for this person. I guess you could say our boss thinks a lot like you!!!!”

SC Response
That’s great to hear, mostly the great boss part, but I appreciate the rest. None of us are perfect and having someone who we trust and who is focused on making us better makes it much easier to do our jobs. Plus, having someone who provides useful coaching feedback is a luxury that is afforded to very few of us in our profession. Though initially the process can be rough on your self-esteem, when you begin to see the fruits of your improved labor, you can’t imagine working without it.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Lesson Framing - Part 1)

In response to the post, “Lesson Framing,” a reader writes:

“Lesson Framing? What is the LYS version of this concept in the lesson cycle? If it works, I want to investigate, model and implement!”

SC Response
If it works? You know us better than that. Of course it works.

Lesson Framing is the set up practice of the Fundamental Five. The Fundamental Five are the five essential practices of effective instruction. The short explanation of the practice is that it is the presentation of the essential learning for a particular lesson and how the student will know how they “got” it.

Currently there are close to a 100 campuses that are implementing the Fundamental Five and we are constantly training new schools. If you want more information or some reference campuses to contact (better to hear how powerful the training is from someone in the field), just call the LYS Think Tank at (832) 477-LEAD.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Live from the Mid-Winter Conference

Brezina, Brown and I are all at the Texas Association of School Administrators Mid-Winter Conference. We have a Lead Your School booth in the exhibit hall. If you are attending the conference or just happen to be close to Austin, stop by and visit. It will give us a chance to say “Hi,” and give you a chance to pick up a world famous Lead Your School koozie.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...