Friday, December 2, 2011

The Marine Writes... Teacher Nests - Part 7

In response to the 9/30/11 post, “Teacher Nests – Part 5,” the Marine writes:

SC,

I remember someone teaching me that as long as student performance was accelerating that teacher location was secondary. However, in my experience as a school leader, rarely have I observed a teacher raising student achievement with his or her butt glued to a chair at the desk.

SC Response

I too remember that and I also remember you learning how to teach with no teacher furniture in your classroom. The sacrifices of the Great are rarely understood or attempted by the Good.

Sadly, I do have to concur with your observation. And I will add an observation. The teachers that argue the loudest that this is not the case seem to be the ones that spend the least amount of time in what LYS describes as the Power Zone.

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
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
  • Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
  • Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

Thursday, December 1, 2011

PowerWalks Hero Schools (November 2011)

As is now a LYS Nation tradition, we will take time to tip our caps to the campuses that are taking the most important step in creating and maintaining an action oriented professional learning community. These are the campuses that have conducted an extraordinary number of formative classroom observations in a given month. This month the cutoff numbers are as follows:

  • Big Schools – 400 PowerWalks Observations
  • Medium Sized Schools – 250 PowerWalks Observations
  • Small Schools – 125 PowerWalks Observations
  • Very Small Schools – 75 PowerWalks Observations.

So without further adieu, here are your thirty-eight PowerWalks Hero Schools for the Month of November. Congratulations!!!

* = Two Months in a Row

Elementary Schools

Junior High and Middle Schools

Alternative Schools

Combined Campuses

High Schools

Cottonwood Creek ES (HISD)*

Farley MS (HISD)*

Afton Oaks (JWJPCS)*

Louise Schools (LISD)*

Hutto HS (HISD)*

Hutto ES (HISD)

Hutto MS (HISD)

Grandbury (JWJPCS)*

Poth Schools (PISD)*

Luling HS (LISD)*

Johnson ES (HISD)

Luling JH (LISD)*

Hayes (JWJPCS)*


Marlin HS (MISD)*

Ray ES (HISD)*

Lake Air IS (WISD)*

Waco Alternative School (WISD)*


University HS (WISD)

Luling ES (LISD)*

Tennyson MS (WISD)*



Waco HS (WISD)*

Blake Manor ES (MISD)





Decker MS (MISD)





Oak Meadows ES (MISD)*





Presidential Meadows ES (MISD)





Alta Vista ES (WISD)*





Bell’s Hill ES (WISD)*





Brook Avenue ES (WISD)*





Crestview ES (WISD)*





Dean Highland ES (WISD)





Hillcrest ES (WISD)





JH Hines ES (WISD)*





Kendrick ES (WISD)*





Lake Waco ES (WISD)*





Mountainview ES (WISD)





North Waco ES (WISD)*





Provident Heights ES (WISD)





South Waco Es (WISD)





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
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
  • Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
  • Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A Reader Asks... How About a Video

A LYS Principal asks:

SC,

Any chance of seeing your presentations on video? In Seattle, we're mighty far away!

SC Response

Not yet. But mostly due to the fact that we have been so busy we haven't had time to work out the logistics of the endeavor.

You can try to catch us at one of the national conferences. In the Spring of 2012, I'll be presenting at the NASSP Conference and the NASB Conference. Also, in early Spring I’ll be the keynote speaker at the Region 16 (Texas) Principals’ Leadership Academy and Conference. Unfortunately, none of these speaking engagements will be on the West Coast, which makes it a little tough for you and your team. But, there is always the book study route...

We also train in states all across the country. We would love to get out to Seattle and work with you and your team, just give us a call and tell us when.

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
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
  • Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
  • Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

A Principal Asks... So What is Your Scheduling Alternative

A LYS Principal asks the following:

SC,

So if eight and nine period days are so awful, what does a good schedule look like?

Seven periods?

I am loaded with electives, what do I do with those folks?

My E/LA department believes and have shown through scores that if they are not blocked that they cannot cover state mandated material in just 46 minutes a day. This forces other classes to be larger and just creates more issues to deal with on a daily basis?

I can see having fewer periods, more time on task, and moving from 46 minutes to more than 50 minutes a period. Is this what you are getting at?

I am at a loss and want to assist my campus in being at the top by doing whatever is required. As they say "everything is on the table".

SC Response

Excellent questions that warrant expertise beyond my pay grade. So I referred your post to the best scheduling person I have every met, former “Principal of the World,” E. Don Brown.

EDB Response

You mentioned “block” in your question. Most have a single view of "extended time learning" and many administrators see the "block" as an increase in staffing cost so it is rarely used any more.

In Texas, where I understand your campus is located, due to state course requirements (4X4 and the distinguished diploma) and testing requirements (was TAKS, now STAAR) most principals see either the block, eight period, or nine period schedule as their only options. There are other options and my favorite is the "Trimester". Some may remember it from your college experience.

The Trimester is just as one would predict. Students are scheduled into three, twelve-week sessions, each session consisting of five courses. This allows students to earn 2½ credits each trimester, 7½ credits each year, and 30 credits for the four years of high school. But most importantly, the Trimester gives teachers time to teach and students the opportunity to focus on mastering a manageable course load.

The kicker is that STAAR does not fit perfectly into the Trimester system. But TAKS didn’t fit perfectly into the traditional semester system, as is still the case with the STAAR. This requires individualized accommodations that can and should be made for students, regardless of the schedule you are running. But sadly most school leaders are not willing to do this extra work for two semesters, so doing it three times a year is out of question. Yet another example of adult convenience trumping student benefit.

Here are some basic facts about the TRIMESTER.

  • Students are enrolled in 5 classes each trimester (3 trimesters x 5 classes = 15 classes or 7½ credits per year.
  • Teachers teach 4 classes each trimester (3 trimesters x 4 classes = 12 classes or six sections per year.
  • Classes are 70 – 80 minutes long (extended learning time periods).

As with any good foundation, there are also several hybrid schedules that can be created from this basic format.

E. Don Brown

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/4ydqd4
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
  • Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
  • Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

Monday, November 28, 2011

Top LYS Tweets from the Week of November 13th, 2011

And we’re back.... I hope everyone had a restful holiday.

While we were gone, an LYS Teacher asked:

SC,

Do you have an electronic version of the Fundamental 5 lesson plan template? I would love to have it to type up and save versus copying and writing.

SC Response

Completely in line our advocacy of use of bootleg technology in schools, The Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Template is now available at the Apple App Store. The tool even maps the rigor and relevance of your planned lesson. Yes, it’s that cool.

Just go to the app store and search for ‘Fun 5 Plans’. If you don’t have an I-Pad or an I-phone, a desktop version and an android app version are in the works.

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now using your own 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 November 13th, 2011, as tabulated by the accountants at Price Waterhouse.

1. All things being equal, A System will invariably win out over No System.

2. Rigor has little to do with your lecture and everything to do with student response and product.

3. (The Fundamental 5) Great read full of sound advice. (By @kimbarker25)

4. I advocate a merit-based system for parking spaces. Those who get to work first merit the best spots.

5. When it comes to doling out parking spaces, why does the office staff always outrank the teaching staff?

6. Awesome "Frame the Lesson" teacher quote: I am their mental filter.

7. Technology is just a tool. Assessment is just a tool. Pedagogy is the vehicle for understanding. Content lines the road. (By @doctorjeff)

8. Dear State Leader: School funding is broken yet you continue to pit good Texans against one another by framing it as "rich" v. "poor." (By @tlonganecker)

9. Is this not contradictory? "There is no screening." And, "We require all students to submit application for consideration." (By @tlonganecker)

10. If you come to a training session late, without something to write on and/or write with, can you really get upset with students who do the same?

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
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
  • Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
  • Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference