A Reader Submits... Some Concerns

A LYS Teacher submits:

SC,

I just heard an interesting statement from one of your supposed followers that greatly disturbs me. A newly appointed interim principal made the statement that her job was to do what the superintendent tells her and the teachers are to sit at the faculty meetings, ask no questions, make no comments, and carry out given instructions.

Of course I know this is not what LYS is all about, but I wonder what all our new recruits will think. Not to mention the fact that this interim is only supposed to be temporary. I'm fine with change, especially when it's done for the betterment of the student. What I don't appreciate is change for the sake of change.

Perhaps when you revisit districts and campuses, it would be a good idea to spend a little extra time making sure any newbie’s have some of the foundational knowledge instead of relying on others to spread the word.

SC Response

First of all, for the record, I don’t have followers. I participate in a network of driven, student-centered educators that willingly compete in the arena of ideas. As E. Don Brown often reminds us, “If you are not bringing anything to this table, don’t come.”

Now, for the issue that you wrote in about. As you describe it, I might or might not be concerned. Since I don’t know which district you are in or what campus you are on, I don’t have enough facts to have an opinion. After all, leadership is situational and contextual. Depending on the situation and the context, the statements of the interim may have been completely appropriate. In other situations, those same statements would be completely counter-productive.

But I can say this, even without knowing the context or situation, a true LYS’er would never use the Superintendent as the reason for her statement or course of action. Even when under strict orders, the LYS’er takes responsibility for his or her statements and actions. To not do so, communicates means that you are simply the messenger or errand boy. Messengers don’t lead and I don’t know about you, but I don’t follow errand boys.

As for the problem of training and supporting new leaders, this as been an issue I have been focused on for much of my career. It is a vexing concern and one without a simple solution. But part of the answer is strong student-centered (as opposed to adult-centered) informal leadership. That is why the LYS Nation extends from the classroom to the boardroom and beyond.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Come See Us at the TASA/TASB Fall Conference

All right LYS Nation, if you are attending the TASA/TASB Fall Conference in Houston, stop by the LYS Booth and say "Howdy."

I’ll be there, E. Don will be there, there’s a chance that Lesa and Dr. Jim will make an appearance. And of course, as some of the new LYSer’s have dubbed him, “The Brezina” will be holding court. As a former president of the Texas Association of School Administrators, it’s his homecoming.

We’ll be looking for you on the convention floor and we’ll have a supply of the world famous Lead Your School koozies.

Think. Work. Achieve.

REPRINT - TECHNOPHOBIA

The following is a reprint of the post from Tuesday, September 21, 2010. For many readers, it was not delivered as an e-mail update like it was supposed to be.

A LYS Principal submits:

I have decided that in the field of education we are almost all technophobic. Educators were so resistant to putting technology into classroom instruction that Dr. Neely implemented technology implementation in the classroom as one of the observed teacher proficiencies under the PDAS teacher evaluation system. Let’s face it, when the government implements a policy or law, it is because there is a perceived problem, and the acceptance and implementation of technology in education is certainly a problem.

Not convinced? Let's consider the LYS philosophy that the alpha and omega of student expectations is adult modeling. Or, in other words, the most effective way to teach is to model. What do we model as adults for the students? Consider the cell phone. Most school districts either ban the possession of cell phones by students outright, or they allow the possession as long as the cell phones are never seen or heard. What about the faculty? Do you use your cell phone during breaks, during lunch? Is your cell phone like mine, visible on your belt? If the superintendent calls you on your cell phone, do you ignore the phone since school is in session?

Seriously, what are you modeling? Why should students not be allowed to use personal technology devices such as cell phones during breaks and lunch? Are you afraid that students may film a fight and put it on YouTube? If your decision making process is driven by fear, you aren’t leading. The act of using cell phones to record illegal activity can be addressed in policy without banning all cell phones.

Still not convinced? Let's talk about Blogs and Twitter. Many districts universally block all Blogs, including the fine LYS Blog. Can Blogs be misused? You bet, but so can Microsoft Word. But this blocking practice also blocks numerous excellent Blogs that should be available to all students. Concerning Twitter, Twitter wasn't more than 20 minutes old before school districts began amending policies to prevent Twitter. But in the real world, TEA and numerous school boards are now using Twitter as a way to communicate with the public. Yet many districts, again by blanket policy, block access to Twitter and similar sites.

So there you have it, prime examples of our reaction to new technology - form a policy to prohibit the new technology, immediately. We need to re-evaluate our stance on technology. We need to model what we truly practice as professionals. Dare I say that in a short number of years personal electronic devices may find a welcomed place in education, even in classrooms for instructional purposes.

SC Response

I have to say that you are on track. Too many of us in our field take a prison type view on technology access. Don’t let anyone have it, because they might misuse it. We might as well quit teaching kids to read and write. We need to recognize that the need to block the access and use of technology is rooted in fear, lazy practice, or both. Fear that I, the adult, might not be the source of all knowledge in my school or classroom. Lazy in the sense that to ensure that students are not harmed by or misuse the tool requires increased vigilance and ongoing conversation and coaching. Which for too many of us in our field is a dramatic change in typical practice.

As we continue to address the reality of an increasingly flat, universally connected world, I will channel the tone of Dr. Todd Whitaker advice to school leaders. “We need to create policy to support our best and brightest, not to manage the lowest common denominator.”

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Who are We Letting In - Part 3)

In response to the post, “Who are We Letting In – Part 2,” one of the early LYS’ers writes:

This is so spot-on! When given the task of taking over a high school to improve the graduation rate, math scores, drop out rate, AP participation, etc., what you described was one of the first things I did.

We had already set a precedent among the principals. As a middle school principal, I would hear my 6th grade teachers complain about the lack of skills taught by the 5th grade teachers from our feeder school. The principal of that campus happened to be a close friend. Her 5th grade teachers said it must be the problem of our 6th grade team, because they knew they had sent the students to our middle school well prepared. We decided to see what was really going on at both grades. We started by flipping teachers for one day. Our 6th grade teachers taught 5th grade and their 5th grade teachers taught our 6th grade. What a revelation! That opened to door to awesome collaboration.

The first meeting after our "Walk in My Shoes" day was incredible. There was no more finger pointing, but instead a focus to meet throughout the year to improve vertical alignment and support vertical instruction. TAKS scores rose on both campuses.

While I couldn't do all that I wanted when I went to the high school, because of my elementary school / middle school experience, it set the stage for open and ongoing vertical collaboration from all our feeder campuses. Everyone benefited.

We really didn't involve central office. I don't remember asking for permission. We did it and shared the information after we did it. I think central office was relieved they didn't have to plan anything. Our efforts were totally supported and the benefits were easily documented.

SC Response

I was talking to a principal today and the conversation came the point that you just illustrated beautifully. There are two types of leaders. The first type are those who understand the power of networking, collaboration and capacity building. The second type are the ones that for any number of reasons see success as a zero sum game and shun the power of the network. Unfortunately, it has been my observation that there are more leaders of the second type, than the first type. Luckily for me, the LYS Nation gives me strength and encouragement when too many number two’s (pun intended) start to drag me down.

The other thing I like about your comment is that you didn’t need, nor seek central office permission to collaborate with your fellow principals and campuses. The proactive answers that a campus and principal needs to maximize student success are invariably found in the field, at the campus level, by teams of educators. If you are trying to come up with the answers all by yourself, or you are waiting for Central Office or Consultants to save you, the odds are not on your side. And this is coming from the man whose combined experience as a central office administrator, state administrator and consultant now far outweighs my experience as a principal.

The bottom line, talk to your people, talk to your peers, and talk to the educators who have taught or will teach your students.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Submits... Technophobia

A LYS Principal submits:

I have decided that in the field of education we are almost all technophobic. Educators were so resistant to putting technology into classroom instruction that Dr. Neely implemented technology implementation in the classroom as one of the observed teacher proficiencies under the PDAS teacher evaluation system. Let’s face it, when the government implements a policy or law, it is because there is a perceived problem, and the acceptance and implementation of technology in education is certainly a problem.

Not convinced? Let's consider the LYS philosophy that the alpha and omega of student expectations is adult modeling. Or, in other words, the most effective way to teach is to model. What do we model as adults for the students? Consider the cell phone. Most school districts either ban the possession of cell phones by students outright, or they allow the possession as long as the cell phones are never seen or heard. What about the faculty? Do you use your cell phone during breaks, during lunch? Is your cell phone like mine, visible on your belt? If the superintendent calls you on your cell phone, do you ignore the phone since school is in session?

Seriously, what are you modeling? Why should students not be allowed to use personal technology devices such as cell phones during breaks and lunch? Are you afraid that students may film a fight and put it on YouTube? If your decision making process is driven by fear, you aren’t leading. The act of using cell phones to record illegal activity can be addressed in policy without banning all cell phones.

Still not convinced? Let's talk about Blogs and Twitter. Many districts universally block all Blogs, including the fine LYS Blog. Can Blogs be misused? You bet, but so can Microsoft Word. But this blocking practice also blocks numerous excellent Blogs that should be available to all students. Concerning Twitter, Twitter wasn't more than 20 minutes old before school districts began amending policies to prevent Twitter. But in the real world, TEA and numerous school boards are now using Twitter as a way to communicate with the public. Yet many districts, again by blanket policy, block access to Twitter and similar sites.

So there you have it, prime examples of our reaction to new technology - form a policy to prohibit the new technology, immediately. We need to re-evaluate our stance on technology. We need to model what we truly practice as professionals. Dare I say that in a short number of years personal electronic devices may find a welcomed place in education, even in classrooms for instructional purposes.

SC Response

I have to say that you are on track. Too many of us in our field take a prison type view on technology access. Don’t let anyone have it, because they might misuse it. We might as well quit teaching kids to read and write. We need to recognize that the need to block the access and use of technology is rooted in fear, lazy practice, or both. Fear that I, the adult, might not be the source of all knowledge in my school or classroom. Lazy in the sense that to ensure that students are not harmed by or misuse the tool requires increased vigilance and ongoing conversation and coaching. Which for too many of us in our field is a dramatic change in typical practice.

As we continue to address the reality of an increasingly flat, universally connected world, I will channel the tone of Dr. Todd Whitaker advice to school leaders. “We need to create policy to support our best and brightest, not to manage the lowest common denominator.”

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Submits... The Power of the LYS Nation

An Old School LYS’er submits the following:

I know some of you are skeptical about the power of the LYS Nation and the motives of the typical LYS’er, but let me explain just one way how it works (as I have experienced it many times). This summer, my district was thrown a curve ball. At no fault of our own, the major University that we were partnered with decided to pull the plug (immediately and without warning) on the Mandarin Chinese course that our students had been enrolled in for the past two years. The High School LYS’ers can immediately see our dilemma. Now I have a group of seniors who face serious academic repercussions if they can’t finish the third year of their foreign language requirement. And after of month of looking under every rock, we don’t have one viable solution.

I happen to run into Cain at a conference and in the midst of catching up, I tell him about our Chinese issue. It was just one small topic in a larger conversation. We part ways and I go back to solving problems in my district. Two weeks later, I’m at my desk when my phone rings. I answer and with no chitchat Cain asks, “Did you solve your Chinese class problem?”

“No, why?”

Cain says, “Talk to this person,” and I can tell that he hands his phone to somebody.

Long story short, Cain ran into another LYS’er who provides on-line foreign language solutions for small schools, at an airport, in another part of the country. Six minutes on the phone, a week before school, and our nightmare problem resolves itself with minimal cost and no disruptions to our students.

Doubt the power of the LYS Nation and you discount one of the most powerful tools you have at your access.

SC Response

I wish I could take credit for solving the problem but I was just fortunate to be standing in the right place at the right time. But this happens so often that I don’t even question it anymore. Identify the problem, actively look for the solution, and more often than not the solution will find you.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...