Posts
In response to the post relating to, “Teacher Stress – Part 9,” a reader writes:
“Speaking to the statement, ‘I don't see Central Office personnel as bullies. I often think they are disconnected from where the rubber meets the road and they are implementing in order to meet the state and federal guidelines and meet the demands of the board of trustees.’
I personally had to deal with one central office administrator and yes, it was not kind. I was a business person once at the top of my game. I think we do need to think about school as a business because that is what it has become. As teachers we are also meeting these demands that the state requires. And we also see the results of those demands on our students everyday.
As a compassionate human being we see more than the data; we see emotion, disappointments, tears from parents and students, self-esteem issues; happiness, success and health issues. Yes, it does get personal with some of us; whether it is a choice we make or not make; we still see ourselves as compassionate human beings."
SC Response
You almost wrote it, so I’ll finish the statement. We are in the people business.
To be successful in the people business we have to make a personal connection and we have to focus on the task at hand. Our students are expected to master certain things, by a certain time. That is the business. We also have to connect with our students to make things meaningful to them and to ensure that they meet their potential.
But here is where a bucket full of stress is generated. We now know that there are practices, tools, systems and habits that increase student performance. We’ll call this “Best Practice.” The sad truth is that our schools do a very lack luster job of consistently implementing “best practice.” This understanding is so commonplace that when I was recently briefing a Governor and a group of State Senators, the topic they were most interested in discussing was, “The Mythical Best Practices.” In their words, “It doesn’t matter what school we visit, we always see the same thing.”
What is sad is that I couldn’t tell them that they were wrong. But I was able to share with them a framework for fixing it. Then I showed them the data from LYS schools. There is a difference.
Everyone in the system can shoulder the blame for this implementation ignorance and/or failure, from our elected officials all the way down to the classroom teacher. But it is principals and teachers that are most culpable. This is because at the campus level we have the flexibility to deviate from the norm and implement best practice (even when the other campuses around us are not) and we are dealing with the actual student. We see first hand the near immediate effect of better teaching. And when someone points out that we are not getting it done, shame on us. That is because we should have known that fact and corrected it before anyone outside our campus had enough time to figure it out.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
A Reader Writes... (Teacher Stress Quick Hitters)
In response to the post, “Teacher Stress Quick Hitters,” a reader writes:
"Interesting that I was discussing Point 4, “When I don’t agree, I think I love it more,” with another veteran LYS leader (JM) just yesterday.
JM and I agree about 90% of the time. Yesterday, we realized that we have actually learned a lot from each other. Guess why? It is not because of the 90% we agree on. The learning is due to the 10% we disagree on.
We then discussed other administrators we know in our highly dysfunctional district; administrators who are not leaders, essentially anti-LYS’ers. We concluded they purposefully surround themselves with people who agree with them and have zero tolerance for a differing point of view. There has to be a lesson in here somewhere."
SC Response
Do you think?
It is the argument, the adversity, and/or the challenge that hones the critical thinking process. When we agree and/or things are going well, the half thought out idea and lazy practice will suffice. We aren’t forced to dig out the one piece of truth that will make the difference.
It is often pointed out that the old school LYS’er does not talk, act, or think like any other educator. And I believe that this is because they purposely placed themselves in positions where conventional wisdom and common practice had failed miserably. In that setting, they found truths that no one else had the stamina or mental discipline to search for. Then as you pointed out, they are willing to present and defend those truths; up until a better case is made.
When I present to entrenched campuses, it is better than even money that there will be a number of angry people when I finish. Invariably, a Central Office type will ask me if am I concerned by this fact. To which I respond, “Absolutely not. The only thing that concerns me is if I get nothing. I want them to stand up and cheer or get angry. If they truly agree, they should be emboldened to act. If they are truly mad, they have to reconsider their position in order to counter mine. If they can get past the emotion, then we are dealing with critical thinking, which creates an opportunity for growth and learning.”
Give me a team of three people who respect each other, work hard, and rarely agree and we’ll beat the kum-bay-ah crowd every time. Check that, give me the LYS Nation and we’ll change the world.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
"Interesting that I was discussing Point 4, “When I don’t agree, I think I love it more,” with another veteran LYS leader (JM) just yesterday.
JM and I agree about 90% of the time. Yesterday, we realized that we have actually learned a lot from each other. Guess why? It is not because of the 90% we agree on. The learning is due to the 10% we disagree on.
We then discussed other administrators we know in our highly dysfunctional district; administrators who are not leaders, essentially anti-LYS’ers. We concluded they purposefully surround themselves with people who agree with them and have zero tolerance for a differing point of view. There has to be a lesson in here somewhere."
SC Response
Do you think?
It is the argument, the adversity, and/or the challenge that hones the critical thinking process. When we agree and/or things are going well, the half thought out idea and lazy practice will suffice. We aren’t forced to dig out the one piece of truth that will make the difference.
It is often pointed out that the old school LYS’er does not talk, act, or think like any other educator. And I believe that this is because they purposely placed themselves in positions where conventional wisdom and common practice had failed miserably. In that setting, they found truths that no one else had the stamina or mental discipline to search for. Then as you pointed out, they are willing to present and defend those truths; up until a better case is made.
When I present to entrenched campuses, it is better than even money that there will be a number of angry people when I finish. Invariably, a Central Office type will ask me if am I concerned by this fact. To which I respond, “Absolutely not. The only thing that concerns me is if I get nothing. I want them to stand up and cheer or get angry. If they truly agree, they should be emboldened to act. If they are truly mad, they have to reconsider their position in order to counter mine. If they can get past the emotion, then we are dealing with critical thinking, which creates an opportunity for growth and learning.”
Give me a team of three people who respect each other, work hard, and rarely agree and we’ll beat the kum-bay-ah crowd every time. Check that, give me the LYS Nation and we’ll change the world.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Thursday, April 1, 2010
A Reader Writes... (Teacher Stress - Part 9)
In response to the posts relating to, “Teacher Stress,” a reader writes:
"I agree with the writer's comments concerning administrators being "mean and bullies" at face value, however I suspect that if we look deeper there is a perception issue. When I do my PowerWalks and provide you with feedback, what do you call that?
If I have non-negotiable issues, and then I monitor them with classroom visits, what do you call that?
If I coach teachers on my expectations, put them on growth plans if they don't meet those expectations, and terminate them if they can't be coached, what do you call that?
At the schools I have led those actions has often been called, "Picking on teachers," which I suspect could be interpreted as "mean and bullying". I call it clear, consistent, and accountable leadership.
Does your translation of “respect” from administration translate into "Leave teachers alone and trust they will do the right things for kids"? Because I call that incompetent leadership.
Does “respect” mean letting teachers choose what they teach and when they teach it? Again, my definition of incompetence.
So I agree that administrators should respect teachers. I agree that administrators should not be mean bullies. However, in my experiences these definitions are very much a matter of perspective and perception."
SC Response
Well you know that I agree, but then we are products from the same leadership development tree. I think what gets lost in translation when people observe us from a distance is though our communication style is direct, we never advocate being a jerk just for the sake of being a jerk. We never advocate tearing someone down who has not been provided the appropriate tools and resources in the first place. In fact, the old school LYS’ers may be the biggest teacher advocates in the field today.
But it is advocacy focused on ensuring that each teacher is successful in completing the mission of our profession; that is ensuring that every student that we work with is better off because of that work. That means if the system is holding back our teachers, we change the system. That means if teachers need on-going support and training, we secure the support and training. That means if teachers need better tools, we bring them the better tools. And that means if a teacher refuses to embrace the new when it is clearly more powerful and effective than the old, then you deal with that teacher.
The bottom line is if a leader truly respects her staff, she doesn’t force them to continue to work with slackers. That's not mean; it’s respect for the job, respect for the profession, and the ultimate respect for the individuals that are doing the actual work.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
"I agree with the writer's comments concerning administrators being "mean and bullies" at face value, however I suspect that if we look deeper there is a perception issue. When I do my PowerWalks and provide you with feedback, what do you call that?
If I have non-negotiable issues, and then I monitor them with classroom visits, what do you call that?
If I coach teachers on my expectations, put them on growth plans if they don't meet those expectations, and terminate them if they can't be coached, what do you call that?
At the schools I have led those actions has often been called, "Picking on teachers," which I suspect could be interpreted as "mean and bullying". I call it clear, consistent, and accountable leadership.
Does your translation of “respect” from administration translate into "Leave teachers alone and trust they will do the right things for kids"? Because I call that incompetent leadership.
Does “respect” mean letting teachers choose what they teach and when they teach it? Again, my definition of incompetence.
So I agree that administrators should respect teachers. I agree that administrators should not be mean bullies. However, in my experiences these definitions are very much a matter of perspective and perception."
SC Response
Well you know that I agree, but then we are products from the same leadership development tree. I think what gets lost in translation when people observe us from a distance is though our communication style is direct, we never advocate being a jerk just for the sake of being a jerk. We never advocate tearing someone down who has not been provided the appropriate tools and resources in the first place. In fact, the old school LYS’ers may be the biggest teacher advocates in the field today.
But it is advocacy focused on ensuring that each teacher is successful in completing the mission of our profession; that is ensuring that every student that we work with is better off because of that work. That means if the system is holding back our teachers, we change the system. That means if teachers need on-going support and training, we secure the support and training. That means if teachers need better tools, we bring them the better tools. And that means if a teacher refuses to embrace the new when it is clearly more powerful and effective than the old, then you deal with that teacher.
The bottom line is if a leader truly respects her staff, she doesn’t force them to continue to work with slackers. That's not mean; it’s respect for the job, respect for the profession, and the ultimate respect for the individuals that are doing the actual work.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Quick Advice for AP's - Vol. 2
The following is geared primarily for Assistant Principals, but the premise holds true for any campus leader.
Here is a quick tip to make your life and my life easier. When you are working with Brezina and Brown, please question them all you want (the tougher or more complex the question, the better). You can ignore them all you want (though I don’t recommend it). But do not disagree with them. They have seen more, read more, built more, done more, fixed more and led more than you can imagine.
Plus, when you disagree with them, it makes my life more complicated. When one, or both, of them arrive on your campus, it is not by accident. Take advantage of the opportunity.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Here is a quick tip to make your life and my life easier. When you are working with Brezina and Brown, please question them all you want (the tougher or more complex the question, the better). You can ignore them all you want (though I don’t recommend it). But do not disagree with them. They have seen more, read more, built more, done more, fixed more and led more than you can imagine.
Plus, when you disagree with them, it makes my life more complicated. When one, or both, of them arrive on your campus, it is not by accident. Take advantage of the opportunity.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Monday, March 29, 2010
A Reader Writes... (Teacher Stress - Part 9)
In response to the posts relating to, “Teacher Stress,” a reader writes:
"I have been reading your responses and your answers for a couple of days. I have been reluctant to respond. However, as an administrator, I do believe it is a leadership issue and a teacher issue. It is the responsibility of the leadership to build capacity in order to build ownership. I also have to take the advice of my husband, the businessman, who constantly reminds me, "it's NOT personal, it's business". But teachers do not view themselves as a professional business person. They are teachers working with children. It IS a profession. Unfortunately sometimes we just can't get past the emotional part of our jobs because that is what we have invested so much of ourselves. I don't see Central Office personnel as "bullies". I often think they are disconnected from where the rubber meets the road and they are implementing in order to meet the state and federal guidelines and meet the demands of the board of trustees.
We hear often the phrase that teachers need to be flexible. We confuse that with schedule changes and management issues. Those are part of the flexibility issues however it is far more complicated than that. The complexity and complicatedness of education is beyond what we can, as local school administrators and teachers, understand. What we can do is work to make our school the best by doing our best, whatever it takes, and be committed to the leadership and peers we work with on a daily basis. We cannot change the system. It is what it is. Systems grow and change daily. All we can control is our attitudes, our classrooms and ourselves. So....working on those is a fulltime job."
SC Response
I have one small bone to pick in an otherwise near perfect post. I think we can change the system. I think that by focusing on what we can control and incrementally, yet continuously, improving on that, we can generate results that force others to take notice. Some of those who notice then take action which begets even more action.
You had a young AP from another district who watched how you ran your school. When she got her chance, she worked full speed to build the campus that she envisioned. That vision was partially shaped by your example. Now others are trying to copy her success.
You helped move the flywheel just a little bit. Over time that moves the entire system.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
"I have been reading your responses and your answers for a couple of days. I have been reluctant to respond. However, as an administrator, I do believe it is a leadership issue and a teacher issue. It is the responsibility of the leadership to build capacity in order to build ownership. I also have to take the advice of my husband, the businessman, who constantly reminds me, "it's NOT personal, it's business". But teachers do not view themselves as a professional business person. They are teachers working with children. It IS a profession. Unfortunately sometimes we just can't get past the emotional part of our jobs because that is what we have invested so much of ourselves. I don't see Central Office personnel as "bullies". I often think they are disconnected from where the rubber meets the road and they are implementing in order to meet the state and federal guidelines and meet the demands of the board of trustees.
We hear often the phrase that teachers need to be flexible. We confuse that with schedule changes and management issues. Those are part of the flexibility issues however it is far more complicated than that. The complexity and complicatedness of education is beyond what we can, as local school administrators and teachers, understand. What we can do is work to make our school the best by doing our best, whatever it takes, and be committed to the leadership and peers we work with on a daily basis. We cannot change the system. It is what it is. Systems grow and change daily. All we can control is our attitudes, our classrooms and ourselves. So....working on those is a fulltime job."
SC Response
I have one small bone to pick in an otherwise near perfect post. I think we can change the system. I think that by focusing on what we can control and incrementally, yet continuously, improving on that, we can generate results that force others to take notice. Some of those who notice then take action which begets even more action.
You had a young AP from another district who watched how you ran your school. When she got her chance, she worked full speed to build the campus that she envisioned. That vision was partially shaped by your example. Now others are trying to copy her success.
You helped move the flywheel just a little bit. Over time that moves the entire system.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Sunday, March 28, 2010
A Reader Writes... (Teacher Stress - Part 8)
In response to the posts relating to, “Teacher Stress,” a reader writes:
“What I am realizing in my district is that when you try to create effective change at an entry level administrator level, such as assistant principal, the leaders above you are sometimes more threatened than the teachers. They are afraid of the success that might come from this change, so they will squash it so that they don't look bad. I am seeing way too much stagnant leadership being allowed to flounder. As long as they (principals) don't make waves, the status quo will remain. What a pitiful reality.”
SC Response
Again, I wish that I could say that what you describe does not occur, but we all know better. And having some knowledge about your capabilities and your district, your assessment is somewhat valid. But I do have some advice for you and others like you who are trying to effect change in subordinate positions.
First, the most direct path for creating student success and building positive leadership experience is to attack identified problems at full speed, adjust your tactics based on your short term results, and outwork everybody. You, your students and your team will soon begin to move ahead of the pack. Just know that everyone will not be happy with your success. It is the “A’ama Crab” theory. Your success will make them insecure and jealous and they will attempt to pull you back to the crowd. However, don’t hold it against the crab; it is his or her nature and a waste of your time. Your job is to remain focused on the goal.
Second, Jim Collins (Good to Great) points out that it is possible for sub-units to be disciplined and focused even when the whole is not. By doing so, you make things better for those you serve and often serve as a lever, or positive example, for the whole organization. This means that you can’t give up just because your operations are small, because your impact can often be great. And as I mentioned above, expect and ignore the crabs.
Finally, you may find yourself completely at odds with your boss and/or the organization. If you repeatedly find that you cannot reconcile your energy, passion and vision with that of who you work for, the problem is your's, not your boss'. When this is the case, continue to do your job, but start looking for a boss or organization more in line with what you believe in. The bottom line is the golden rule; who has the gold makes the rules. But you do get to choose whose gold you take.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“What I am realizing in my district is that when you try to create effective change at an entry level administrator level, such as assistant principal, the leaders above you are sometimes more threatened than the teachers. They are afraid of the success that might come from this change, so they will squash it so that they don't look bad. I am seeing way too much stagnant leadership being allowed to flounder. As long as they (principals) don't make waves, the status quo will remain. What a pitiful reality.”
SC Response
Again, I wish that I could say that what you describe does not occur, but we all know better. And having some knowledge about your capabilities and your district, your assessment is somewhat valid. But I do have some advice for you and others like you who are trying to effect change in subordinate positions.
First, the most direct path for creating student success and building positive leadership experience is to attack identified problems at full speed, adjust your tactics based on your short term results, and outwork everybody. You, your students and your team will soon begin to move ahead of the pack. Just know that everyone will not be happy with your success. It is the “A’ama Crab” theory. Your success will make them insecure and jealous and they will attempt to pull you back to the crowd. However, don’t hold it against the crab; it is his or her nature and a waste of your time. Your job is to remain focused on the goal.
Second, Jim Collins (Good to Great) points out that it is possible for sub-units to be disciplined and focused even when the whole is not. By doing so, you make things better for those you serve and often serve as a lever, or positive example, for the whole organization. This means that you can’t give up just because your operations are small, because your impact can often be great. And as I mentioned above, expect and ignore the crabs.
Finally, you may find yourself completely at odds with your boss and/or the organization. If you repeatedly find that you cannot reconcile your energy, passion and vision with that of who you work for, the problem is your's, not your boss'. When this is the case, continue to do your job, but start looking for a boss or organization more in line with what you believe in. The bottom line is the golden rule; who has the gold makes the rules. But you do get to choose whose gold you take.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Readers Write... Teacher Stress Quick Hitters
In response to the posts relating to, “Teacher Stress,” the LYS Nation has sent in the following:
1. “Amen, brother.”
2. “We know that the writer is writing about us, and we are willing to own that.”
3. “Tell the LYS Nation they are on a roll.”
4. “When I don’t agree, I think I love it more.”
5. “I love the blog -- it’s amazing how many of us face the same situations/challenges at schools all over!”
SC Response
In order:
1. Back at you.
2. It’s possible, but there are numerous districts that are in similar situations.
3. Just told them.
4. Same here.
5. Thus the need for the LYS Nation. Working together the job is tough. Try to do it alone and you are just throwing yourself into a meat grinder.
Keep sending in your comments and reflections, it may take a couple of days but I’ll get to you.
Finally, congratulatory shout outs to three members of the LYS Nation.
1. CM was just named to her first principalship
2. KB just assumed her first principalship
3. LT will be opening her second new campus as a principal next year.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
1. “Amen, brother.”
2. “We know that the writer is writing about us, and we are willing to own that.”
3. “Tell the LYS Nation they are on a roll.”
4. “When I don’t agree, I think I love it more.”
5. “I love the blog -- it’s amazing how many of us face the same situations/challenges at schools all over!”
SC Response
In order:
1. Back at you.
2. It’s possible, but there are numerous districts that are in similar situations.
3. Just told them.
4. Same here.
5. Thus the need for the LYS Nation. Working together the job is tough. Try to do it alone and you are just throwing yourself into a meat grinder.
Keep sending in your comments and reflections, it may take a couple of days but I’ll get to you.
Finally, congratulatory shout outs to three members of the LYS Nation.
1. CM was just named to her first principalship
2. KB just assumed her first principalship
3. LT will be opening her second new campus as a principal next year.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
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