The Fundamental 5 - A Reader's Review

The following is a reader review that was posted on Amazon.com

I ordered this (the book) last week and when it came in the mail yesterday, I just had to read it! Finished it this morning, and although it's highlighted up, my plan is to reread it many times before school begins again in August. My other task is to encourage my teachers to read it and hopefully begin implementing the Fundamental 5 in their classrooms.

Our campus is a Title 1 campus and our state scores have gone down in the last two years. We have to come up with a plan; how can we increase our achievement? What Cain and Laird put in this book is not rocket science. If you've been in education for any length of time, the things they talk about are things that you know. But, have you ever put them together for an extended period of time? That's what the Fundamental 5 is. Combining lesson frames, working in the power zone, frequent, small-group, purposeful talk, recognition and reinforcement and critical writing to create a formula for quality instruction.

What I liked most about this book, as an administrator, is that it is a quick read, but it's jam packed with great information. There is no fluff included, like in some other books I've read. The authors have been in education in various capacities and have seen first hand what they are talking about. They give explicit examples and explain the formula and it's components in a way that even a first year teacher can understand. I'm truly amazed at how much information is packed into this short book! It is one I will be recommending to many!

I have been following Mr. Cain's blog for a while, as he has worked with many campuses and principals that I am familiar with. His work has been proven and comes highly recommended by others in the field.

SC Response

Thank you so much for your kind (and unsolicited words). The book was like a term paper that we had to turn in to every teacher on the planet, which is a much more scary proposition than we initially imagined. Your comment and grade (4 out of 5 stars) simply reminded me how powerful teacher feedback can be. With just a few short paragraphs you encouraged us, validated us, and motivated us to write another book in an attempt to earn your fifth star.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t

Louise ISD is searching for a Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

A Central Texas School District is searching for an Assistant Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

Follow Sean Cain on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Upcoming Event / Presentation Schedule

June 17, TASSP Conference - PowerWalks

June 18, TASB Conference – Improve Now!

June 18, TASB Conference – The Fundamental 5

A Reader Writes... (More on PLC's - Part 1)

In response to the 6/9/2011 post, “More on PLC’s,” a LYS Principal writes:

It occurs to me that teams, or PLC's, are useful for keeping faculty focused on the goals and direction established by the instructional leader. It is also clear to me that PLC's are useful for monitoring student progress and keeping student performance on track.

On the other hand, I think PLC's can be a very dangerous instrument if improperly used. For example, some people view PLC's as a way for teachers to own and direct the school and student outcomes. I am partially OK with that, as long as a tight and firm instructional leader keeps the school moving in a well-defined direction. Sadly, it is clear from discussions with many school leaders that they view PLC’s as a way to remove themselves from the instructional decision making process. I find this to be a very dangerous idea.

Another common theme that I hear repeated by central office types is that a PLC will keep the school moving in the right direction even when the principal changes. This line of reasoning positions the principal as a passenger on the vessel, not the captain of the ship. Interestingly DuFour is very clear about the need for strong leadership and NEVER mentions the PLC as a tool for leadership continuity. The tools for continuity are best found in the works of Maxwell and Collins, not DuFour.

DuFour is a great speaker and has great ideas. I have heard him present and I have read virtually everything he has written. But there is a lot of bad implementation and poor leadership practice that is justified through the flippant use of his name.

SC Response

I remember a discussion that I had a number of years ago with a principal who was trying to implement a nationally know PLC model. She asked what was the “trick” LYS schools were doing. Because based on the “less important” metric of student test scores LYS schools were getting better while her hard working school continued to flounder. When I told her that LYS schools understand that leadership practice is the catalyst for school improvement, she immediately cut me off and said the principals are the problem with schools. As principal, her job is to make sure that her PLC’s meet and empower them to enact the ideas and solutions that they develop.

All I could do is smile and wish her luck. Sadly, luck didn’t work because the school was closed the two years later (after the principal was fired).

PLC’s are powerful tools if:

1. The PLC work is focused

2. The PLC members have the capacity to engage to meaningful work

3. There is an understanding that the PLC operates (with no irony intended) under the illusion of democracy.

Absent any one of the above three criteria ensures that the amount of activity versus the amount of progress is never commensurate.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t

Louise ISD is searching for a Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

A Central Texas School District is searching for an Assistant Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

Follow Sean Cain on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Upcoming Event / Presentation Schedule

June 16, TASSP - Conference Breakfast, hosted by E. Don Brown (LYS travel tumblers for the first 1000 attendees, last year we ran out)

June 16, TASSP – Book Release Event for “The Fundamental 5”

June 16, TASSP – The Fundamental 5

June 16, TASSP – Tech Tools for the 2.0 Principal

June 17, TASSP - PowerWalks

June 18 - TASB Conference, Fort Worth

The Same Question From Three Different Perspectives

I recently had three (almost back to back) conversations with three different educators that revolved around the same theme – what’s next?

A LYS teacher, who has been working very hard to integrate the Fundamental Five into her daily practice asked what she should work on next year. My answer, the Fundamental Five, but with greater frequency and quality. As she continues to work on these practices, her execution will shift from explicit to implicit. At that point, for the teacher, the whole classroom dynamic will seemingly slow down allowing her to recognize and react to changes in student behavior and performance that were previously invisible. This is the path to Jordanesque expertise.

Later that day, an LYS Assistant Principal asked what he needed to do to get a principalship. He has a great reputation and phenomenal leadership skills. And like any ambitious AP he is itching to occupy the big chair. My advice to him was to quit being picky. Opportunity has now knocked on his door twice but the job wasn’t “perfect.” If you wait for the perfect job (the right school, in the right town, at the right time) you could be waiting for a long time. And the assistant principal that takes the less than perfect job that you will not has just leapt over you. Now he or she is accruing actual command experience, instead of thinking or talking about it. And ironically, making him or herself a better candidate for that “perfect job” that you are waiting for.

The next day a Principal mentioned to me that she wanted to for LYS and what did she need to do. The answer I think surprised her. I told her that LYS coaches are vetted and then invited to join the company. The vetting process is simple. First, you have to have a track record of significantly outperforming your peers. Second, you have to bring something unique to the team. Or as E. Don Brown constantly reminds us, “If you can’t bring something new to the table, don’t come.” Simple put, this means is that you have to be successful, innovative and people have to follow you. If you meet the vetting criteria, then you have to live in the philosophy of LYS; students first, always coach, and go to the problem.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t

Louise ISD is searching for a Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

A Central Texas School District is searching for an Assistant Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

Follow Sean Cain on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Upcoming Event / Presentation Schedule

June 15, TASSP – Improve Now!

June 16, TASSP - Conference Breakfast, hosted by E. Don Brown (LYS travel tumblers for the first 1000 attendees, last year we ran out)

June 16, TASSP – Book Release Event for “The Fundamental 5”

June 16, TASSP – The Fundamental 5

June 16, TASSP – Tech Tools for the 2.0 Principal

June 17, TASSP - PowerWalks

June 18 - TASB Conference, Fort Worth

South Texas TASB Conference Review

This past weekend was the South Texas TASB Conference. Though attendance was slightly down for the conference, you would not have known it from our sessions. I don’t know our actual room count, but we had 250 handouts for each session (Foundation Trinity and Fundamental Five) and in both instances we ran out of copies and had standing room only in the room with people also standing outside in the hall so they could listen. We could not have asked for better audiences. Our board members asked great questions, took prolific notes and their discussions were focused and meaningful. They raised the bar extremely high for the rest of our summer presentations.

If you missed us at this weekend, we hope to see you later this week at the TASSP Conference or the North Texas TASB Conference. And don’t forget to get to the room early, because seats go fast. I have included some audience photos that I took right before we were getting started for the first session. Even at 8:25am you can see that it is almost a full house. A big “THANKS” to all of the LYSers (many people are surprised at the number of school board members follow the blog) that attended or took the time to stop by before the session to say “hi.”

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t

Louise ISD is searching for a Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

A Central Texas School District is searching for an Assistant Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

Follow Sean Cain on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Upcoming Events / Presentation Schedule

June 15, TASSP Conference - "Improve Now!"

June 16, TASSP Conference - Conference Breakfast, hosted by E. Don Brown (LYS travel tumblers for the first 1000 attendees, last year we ran out)

June 16, TASSP Conference – Book Release Event for “The Fundamental 5”

June 16, TASSP Conference - "The Fundamental 5"

June 16, TASSP Conference - "Tech Tools for the 2.0 Principal"

June 17, TASSP Conference - "PowerWalks"

June 18, North Texas TASB Conference - "Improve Now!" and "The Fundamental 5"

Top LYS Tweets from the Week of June 5, 2011

Two weeks ago I posted my revised recommended reading list for education leaders. I was asked how many were available electronically. An excellent question so I checked, and even made some purchases. I find it comforting that I can now access my favorite books anytime, anywhere. All of these following books (over 80% of my original list) are currently available in the Kindle store on Amazon.com

· Results Now, by Mike Schmoker

· Corp Business, by David H. Freedman

· The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell

· Switch, by Chip and Dan Heath

· The Fundamental 5, by Sean Cain and Mike Laird http://www.amazon.com/Fundamental-Formula-Quality-Instruction-ebook/dp/B0054R5B5S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1307963640&sr=8-2

· The Moral Imperative of School Leadership, by Michael Fullan

· The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, by John C. Maxwell

· 33 Strategies of War, by Robert Greene

· The Federalist Papers, by Hamilton, Madison and Jay

· It’s Called Work for a Reason, by Larry Wingate

· His Excellency, by Joseph J. Ellis

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now using bootleg technology devices to follow Twitter. If you haven’t done so yet, we want you to join us. To let you see what you are missing, here are the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of June 5, 2011, as tabulated by the accountants at Price Waterhouse.

1. LYS is searching for an Assistant Superintendent for a district in Central Texas. LYS experience and training is a plus.

2. Leadership 101: Protect those that need protection. Help those that need help. Be resolute in meeting your commitments. Be honest.

3. Anti-leadership 101: Be aggressively ignorant. Abandon your constituents. Waste time publicly defending obvious lies.

4. Tonight’s run thought: The reality of the Republican school agenda - Counselors, Nurses and Librarians are a luxury for the poor, not a need.

5. We need to give Gov Perry less money for rent. He needs to make do with the reduced amount we give him, NOT what he thinks he is entitled to. (By Museblogger)

6. Lawmakers want an educated populace in Texas. They just don't want to pay what it costs for it. (By Cheadhorn)

7. From a tactical standpoint, taking away your TPM inflated campus rating may be the best thing the state has done for your campus in years.

8. Tonight’s run thought: With the school library - accountability crippled it; less money makes it a luxury; digital text will kill it.

9. A school board member in our presentation audience has already read The Fundamental 5. She told everyone the book is great and is worth the time to read it. Hooray!!

10. East coast educators argue that high stakes testing will allow students to blackmail teachers. I can't imagine being that ineffective.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t

Louise ISD is searching for a Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

A Central Texas School District is searching for an Assistant Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

Follow Sean Cain on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Upcoming Event / Presentation Schedule

June 15 thru June 17 - TASSP Conference

June 16 (TASSP) - Conference Breakfast, hosted by E. Don Brown (LYS travel tumblers for the first 1000 attendees, last year we ran out)

June 16 (TASSP) – Book Release Event for “The Fundamental 5”

June 18 - TASB Conference, Fort Worth