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I was meeting with two LYS school leaders (Suzy Meyers and Gail Ownby) yesterday and the conversation turned to data, assessments and the 30 days left until the state tests. Suzy has some areas of concern on her campus and needed a way to get timely data and ensure that classes are both catching up and moving forward at the same time and at an accelerated pace. Here is the action plan we developed.
1. Move to 1-week common assessments in the contents areas of greatest concern.
2. Have only 5 to 7 questions on the assessments.
3. Have the questions presented in order from greatest concern to least concern.
4. Allow only 20 minutes for the assessment (Fluency is a critical testing concern that most schools overlook).
5. As soon as the teacher takes up the assessment, have the students get in groups of three to four. Assign one of the assessment questions to each group. Have the group solve the question and make sure that everyone in the group understands how to get the correct answer.
6. When the groups reach consensus on their answers, have a group spokesperson explain to the whole class how to solve the question.
7. Reinforce everyone for his or her effort and hard work.
8. Grade the assessment, adjust the warm-ups for next week and repeat the cycle.
Why rely on hope and luck when you don’t have to?
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Follow Sean Cain on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
Attend the LYS Presentation at the National Conference on Education
Attend the LYS Presentation at the TASA Winter Legal Conference
Visit the LYS Booth at the NASSP Conference
Attend the LYS Presentation at the Texas Middle School Association Conference
In response to the 12/2/2010 post, “Poisonous Staff – Part 3,” the original writer sends in another update:
For yet another follow up, my relationship with the faculty member I first wrote about is now quite strong. In fact, I see the beginnings of a good administrator in this person. If your principal is getting push back, here is my advice:
1. Most leaders do not communicate enough. E. Don Brown once told me 40% of the principal’s time should be spent communicating vision and expectations to teachers, parents, and other administrators. I have yet to hit the 40% mark, but the closer I get it the more effective I become. You have to be like a broken record, always on message, to hit 40%.
2. Most leaders do not communicate effectively. As a leader you need to have expert knowledge of what you are trying to implement on your campus. I have seen principals asked straight questions regarding the reasons why a plan was being started and not being able to give a solid, level, rational answer. That might be OK for an AP, but not the principal. The idea ends up sounding like just another other program or a “not based on the current education reality” ESC endeavor. You simply lose credibility if you can't talk the walk. I am not talking about justifying, I am talking about expert level knowledge that inspires confidence in others and gets them onboard.
3. Be patient. Learn to influence others. Weak leaders fall back on, "Well, if you are not on board you are not a team player and maybe you need to move on," with the veiled threat of, "I will document you and move you along". This is a bad first, second and/or third move. It may become needed, but many leaders play this card much too soon and much too often. Remember Brezina’s rejoinder, “You can't fire them all.” Influence trumps power almost every time.
SC Response
There is a hidden component of constant communication. The communication needs to be tight, concrete, measurable and actionable. There are tons of people who can talk up a storm. But lots of pretty talk and no action, adds up to, No Action.
The LYS Nation talks different than the rest of the education world. We don’t discuss the power of trying to engage in the abstract idea of work. We simply say what we are going to do, do it; say what we are going to do next, do it; and so on. When I was a principal, the mantra on my campus was, “Get them in school. Get them in class. Get them in college.” Each step was measurable, each step was actionable and each step kept us on a specific path. We were hedgehogs before hedgehogs were cools. One reason why you are getting closer to the 40% mark is because you are starting to talk less, but say more.
As for influence trumps power, you could not be more right. In fact, power doesn’t make a leader, power makes a petulant brat. Influence is the currency of leadership. And the less formal power you have, the more you are forced to build true leadership skills. Think Covey’s conscripts vs. volunteers. I’ve yet to meet the petulant brat that can engage both the heart and the head of anyone.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Follow Sean Cain on Twitter@LYSNation
Attend the LYS Presentation at the National Conference on Education
Attend the LYS Presentation at the TASB Winter Legal Conference
Visit the LYS Booth at the NASSP Conference
Attend the LYS Presentation at the Texas Middle School Conference
In response to the 12/3/2010 post, “Update from the Field – Texas Charter School Conference,” a reader writes:
I love George Sanders and miss him terribly! If you recall, he actually started with us as an aide. I hired him! I hope I taught him a few things. He is another quality person we couldn’t hang on to. I am so proud for him.
SC Response
He didn’t stay forever, but he made a heck of an impact when he was with us. George was the person that every leader should hire every time. Look for the person that is going somewhere. Get three great years out of them and let them move up. When they outgrow your organization, as George did, you are still better off, because they lifted up everyone around them. Hire for smarts, hire for ambition, hire for hard work and then just try to not slow them down.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Follow Sean Cain on Twitter@LYSNation
Hear the LYS Presentation at the National Conference on Education
Hear the LYS Presentation at the TASB Winter Legal Conference
Visit the LYS Booth at the NASSP Conference
Hear the LYS Presentation at the Texas Middle School Conference
In response to the 11/28/2010 post, “Game On! Schools Write – Part 2,” an assistant principal writes:
I agree with teamwork, 100%. But, I have a question. What if you are designated as a change agent for your school’s vision and your Principal is no longer willing to support the change as originally agreed to? How can you continue to implement change without involving him or her directly? If you make it appear as if it is her idea how do you eventually get the credit you deserve and need to show that you nurtured the change and made it a reality? Teamwork?
SC Response
The idea of change is much more pleasant than the work of change. There are many “leaders” who talk a good game, but have neither the courage nor conviction to walk the walk. If you find yourself working for such a person, your options are limited. You can revert back to the status quo, knowing that there are students that will be underserved (I never mastered this). You can focus on making your sphere of influence better off and ignore those areas where you have no authority (I’ve done this). You can find a better leader to work for (I’ve done this). You can damn the torpedoes and charge ahead at full speed. Do know this option is job, and possibly career suicide. I’ve done this and there are repercussions, so you had best be successful.
In general, my advice is that you have to manage up as much as you manage down. If you have a skittish boss, paint the picture of the benefits and keep providing progress updates. Let your boss know well in advance if you have hit any speed bumps and what you have done to address the situation. And if the boss tells you, “No,” “no” remains the answer until you find a new solution or a new boss.
As for credit, I don’t have a good answer. Things are either better or they are not. If my kids do better than yours, I’ll show you how I did it. If your kids did better than mine, I’ll outwork you until I rectify that situation. I’m always searching for answers; credit, though nice, has rarely been part of my motivation equation.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Follow Sean Cain on Twitter@LYSNation
Attend the LYS Presentation at the National Conference on Education
Attend the LYS Presentation at the TASB Winter Legal Conference
Visit the LYS Booth at the NASSP Conference
Attend the LYS Presentation at the Texas Middle School Association Conference
I recently took a group of new LYS administrators to visit another LYS campus. The campus is led by Dr. John Jenkins, one of the top five urban school principals that no one has ever heard of. His campus, in the middle of barrio could easily be mistaken for some sort of prep school. The building shines like a jewel, the landscaping is well maintained, there is no graffiti, the staff looks sharp, and the students are focused and engaged in the instruction. Right now, Jenkins and his staff run the LYS model as well as anyone.
One of the visiting school leaders asked Dr. J why his campus runs so smoothly, in spite of the adverse setting in which it operates.
Jenkins replied, “It’s simple. I focus on the two things I’m in charge of, the attitude of my students and their academic success. I don’t worry about all the other stuff.”
That is a bulletin board quality quote. The world throws a bunch of stuff at us that we can’t control. Don’t worry about that stuff. Instead focus on the things that you can control, the things that you will make a little bit better each day. As you get better at the things you can control, the things that you can’t control often begin to solve themselves.
That is the context behind the LYS tagline.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Follow Sean Cain on Twitter@LYSNation
Hear the LYS Presentation at the Nation Conference on Education
Hear the LYS Presentation at the TASB Winter Legal Conference
Visit the LYS Booth at the NASSP Conference
Hear the LYS Presentation at the Texas Middle School Association Conference
