Friday, September 14, 2012

The Superintendents' Corner: Our Failed Testing Policy


A LYS Superintendent sent in the following.

I have written before about the failures of the high stakes testing and punitive accountability programs. Within the current operating framework, two questions are difficult to answer.  

1. If schools are failing, why do we need to generate harder exams every few years?  

2. If exam scores are improving but our students are still "failing", why do we think our current framework of testing and accountability will ever produce the student product we are seeking?  

However, if we step outside our current framework, these questions have logical answers.  

It could be that the tests get harder because students continue to perform better on tests AND students are still not adequately prepared for all aspects of life after public school.  So far, we have approached the problem believing that testing performance and college-career readiness are somehow entangled.  

But a simpler solution to the conundrum could be that public schools serve no one well.  Standardized testing is driving the creation a standardized product.  Obviously, schools are failing to produce a standardized product that satisfies all stakeholders. With the best of intentions we have failed to acknowledge that all people are not the same. All people do not have the same goals, needs, or desires in life.  Yet we have embraced a public education system that forces all students into the same vehicle driven by the standardized testing engine.  This is not good for our children, it is not good for business, and it is not good for our country. 

Why? The standardized education product created by standardized education testing is irrelevant because it connects to nothing and no one. As such, this negatively impacts everything from funding to engagement to scores to dropout rates.

Without trying to have it both ways, I will add that I do think there is a role for standardized testing in public schools. But it is simply one measure, not the “be all end all,” that our elected leaders have made it.

Michael Seabolt

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/Fundamental5 
  • Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook
  • Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
  • Upcoming Presentations: Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote), Advancing Improvement in Education Conference (Multiple Presentations), TASSP Assistant Principals’ Workshop (Featured Speaker), North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals (Keynote), American Association of School Administrators Conference (Multiple Presentations), National Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations)
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Brezina Writes... A Lesson From My Coach


Robert Brezina shares a leadership lesson he learned from one of his mentors.

One thing I learned (and experienced) from Coach Lombardi is as the leader you have to know your people really well. As I watched Vince work with his players (principals, your players are your teachers) he would know them so well that he could push each one of them to within the razor’s edge of his breaking point.  Then when he got you to that point, he backed off. But through that process you had grown a good percentage and he would work with you to sustain that growth.  Then a few weeks later, he would begin the push again.  This process never stopped.

Obviously, this worked very well for him. The better you know your people the further you can take them.  But you have to put in the time; there are no short cuts to this.

SC Response
You won’t find me arguing with the leadership practices of the man they have named two trophies after.  One made entirely of granite and the one that is the most prized trophy in all of sport.

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/Fundamental5 
  • Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook
  • Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
  • Upcoming Presentations: Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote), Advancing Improvement in Education Conference (Multiple Presentations), TASSP Assistant Principals’ Workshop (Featured Speaker), North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals (Keynote), American Association of School Administrators Conference (Multiple Presentations), National Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations)
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

A LYS Principal Shares... Happy and Thriving


An old school LYS Principal shares:

SC,

I read two articles today by Kim Marshall on his Marshall Memo (http://www.marshallmemo.com) #417. I thought the articles were right in the LYS Nation’s “wheel-house”.  Kim said he didn’t have a problem with you reposting, just let the LYS Nation know he was the source.

Article 1: How Important Is Happiness On and Off the Job?

In this Harvard Business Review interview, Harvard psychology professor Daniel Gilbert talks with Gardiner Morse about his research on happiness. Some key points:

• Most people do better work when they’re happy. Some managers think their employees will work better if they’re a little uncomfortable, a bit anxious about their jobs, and point to cranky artists and geniuses who do amazing work. For the vast majority of people, that’s baloney, says Gilbert. “I know of no data showing that anxious, fearful employees are more creative or productive.” Contented people don’t sit around staring at a wall, he says. People hate being bored. They are happiest when they’re working toward goals that are challenging but attainable.

• Rewards work better than threats and punishments. One boss might say, “If you don’t get this to me by Friday, you’re fired.” The employee will get it done, but after that, will never do more than what’s required and may even sabotage the organization. A smarter boss would say, “I don’t think most people could get this done by Friday. But I have full faith and confidence that you can. And it’s hugely important to the entire team.”

• People are more resilient than they think. “When bad things happen, we weep and whine for a while and then pick ourselves up and get on with it,” says Gilbert. “One of the most reliable findings of the happiness studies is that we do not have to go running to a therapist every time our shoelaces break. We have a remarkable ability to make the best of things.” We find silver linings, rationalize, and adjust to the new realities. Pete Best, who was replaced by Ringo Starr as the Beatles’ drummer in 1962 just before the band surged to international fame and is now a session musician, said, “I’m happier than I would have been with the Beatles.”

• Social contact is central to happiness. “We are by far the most social species on Earth,” says Gilbert. “If I wanted to predict your happiness, and I could know only one thing about you, I wouldn’t want to know your gender, religion, health, or income. I’d want to know about your social network – about your friends and family and the strength of the bonds with them.”

• The quantity of good experiences is more important than the quality. “Someone who has a dozen mildly nice things happen each day is likely to be happier than somebody who has a single truly amazing thing happen,” says Gilbert. “So wear comfortable shoes, give your wife a big kiss, sneak a French fry. It sounds like small stuff, but the small stuff matters… But you have to do them every day…”

• There are some basics to happiness. “The main thing is to commit to some simple behaviors,” says Gilbert, “meditating, exercising, getting enough sleep – and to practice altruism… And nurture your social connections. Twice a week, write down three things you’re grateful for, and tell someone why. I know these sound like homilies from your grandmother. Well, your grandmother was smart.”

• But happiness is complicated. People who have children are typically less happy on a moment-to-moment basis than people without children, but there are rewards. “What kind of happiness should we want?” asks Gilbert. “Do we want lives free of pain and heartache, or is there value in those experiences? Science will soon be able to tell us how to live the lives we want, but it will never tell us what kinds of lives we should want to live. That will be for us to decide.”

• Happiness differs more from moment to moment than it does from person to person. “This suggests that it’s not the stable conditions of our lives, such as where we live or whether we’re married, that are the principal drivers of happiness,” says researcher Matthew Killingsworth, who has tracked the happiness levels of 15,000 people in 83 countries via an iPhone app that asks them to say what they’re doing and rate their happiness at random moments during the week. “It could be the small, everyday things that count the most. It also suggests that happiness on the job may depend more on our moment-to-moment experiences – our routine interactions with coworkers, the projects we’re involved in, our daily contributions – than on the stable conditions thought to promote happiness, such as a high salary or a prestigious title.”

“The Science Behind the Smile”, an interview with Daniel Gilbert by Gardiner Morse in Harvard Business Review, January-February 2012 (Vol. 90, #1-2, p. 84-90), no e-link available

Article 2: Four Keys to a Thriving Workforce

In this important Harvard Business Review article, business professors Gretchen Spreitzer (University of Michigan) and Christine Porath (Georgetown University) echo Gilbert’s contention (in the article above) that happy employees are a net plus: “They routinely show up at work, they’re less likely to quit, they go above and beyond the call of duty, and they attract people who are as committed to the job,” they say. “Moreover, they’re not sprinters; they’re more like marathon runners, in it for the long haul.”

But Spreitzer and Porath take the concept of employee happiness a step further. It’s not about contentment, they say – that has the connotation of complacency. A better word to describe the ideal employee is thriving. These people are not just satisfied and productive – they’re energized and engaged in creating the future.

Studies of people who meet this description reveal the following:
- Better overall performance;
- Less burnout;
- More commitment to the organization;
- Greater job satisfaction;
- Lower absenteeism;
- Significantly fewer doctors’ visits.

Spreitzer and Porath have identified two components of thriving people: (a) vitality – the sense of being alive, passionate, and excited, radiating contagious energy, making a difference; and (b) learning – gaining new knowledge and skills and creating a virtuous cycle of continuous improvement and belief in their potential for further growth. These two qualities reinforce each other, with passion driving the desire to learn and learning fueling passion.

So how can organizations maximize the number of thriving employees? Spreitzer and Porath say their research has uncovered four interconnected mechanisms:

• Providing decision-making discretion – “Employees at every level are energized by the ability to make decisions that affect their work,” say the authors. “Empowering them in this way gives them a greater sense of control, more say in how things get done, and more opportunities for learning.” The challenge for managers is continuing to empower employees even after they make mistakes; in fact, mistakes are one of the best opportunities for leaning.

• Sharing information – “Doing your job in an information vacuum is tedious and uninspiring,” say Spreitzer and Porath; “there’s no reason to look for innovative solutions if you can’t see the larger impact. People can contribute more effectively when they understand how their work fits with the organization’s mission and strategy.” The business world is full of stories of companies that have energized employees by sharing key information, having frequent “huddles” to review interim data, and keeping score of progress.

• Minimizing incivility – One boss said an employee had done “kindergarten work.” Another manager said, “If I wanted to know what you thought, I’d ask you.” Studies have shown that half of employees who have experienced uncivil behavior at work intentionally decrease their efforts, a third decrease the quality of their work, and two thirds waste time avoiding the aggressor. In short, incivility keeps people from thriving, and leaders need to make civility a core value in their management and hiring.

• Offering feedback on performance – “Feedback creates opportunities for learning and the energy so critical for a culture of thriving,” say Spreitzer and Porath. “By resolving feelings of uncertainty, feedback keeps people’s work-related activities focused on personal and organizational goals. The quicker and more direct the feedback, the more useful it is.” If feedback takes place in a culture of civility and respect, it is energizing and promotes learning and growth.
Creating the conditions that produce thriving employees requires concerted effort, conclude Spreitzer and Porath, but it’s not expensive or time-consuming. Working on all four levers is important, since they reinforce each other: people are more likely to take the initiative and work at maximum capacity if they are empowered to make decisions, know the big picture, are not afraid of being ridiculed for making mistakes, and get constant feedback on how they are doing.

“Creating Sustainable Performance” by Gretchen Spreitzer and Christine Porath in Harvard Business Review, January-February 2012 (Vol. 90, #1-2, p. 92-99),

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/Fundamental5 
  • Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
  • Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
  • Upcoming Presentations: Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote), Advancing Improvement in Education Conference (Multiple Presentations), TASSP Assistant Principals’ Workshop (Featured Speaker), North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals (Keynote), American Association of School Administrators Conference (Multiple Presentations), National Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations)
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

A LYSer Shares... Our Anti-Public School Leaders


A LYS Assistant Superintendent share the following:

Clearly, our Governor does not want a school person to be appointed to the Commissioner’s position.  We now have a lifetime politician, with no training in how schools operate, function, meet teaching/learning requirements, or how to support our teachers.  However, he was the Railroad Commissioner and knew about the same in dealing with oil and gas as he does education!  We need someone with an education-based skill set like Mike Moses. Is this truly a fresh approach?  Or is it yet another political appointee that will further the agenda of Governor Perry and his friends? 

Perry has no instincts of what school is all about. I can see him asking, “Commissioner Williams, what do you think about education?”

And our new Commissioner will reply, “Well, I think everyone should have one.” 

I am fearful of our future.  Beware of Perry, Dewhurst, Patrick and the voucher people. 

SC Response
I have no problem admitting that I gave up on Perry a long time ago. It is quite clear by his actions that not only does he want to dismantle public education, he also has no respect or appreciation for educators who have dedicated their entire careers to improving the lot of all children, regardless of their background.  I know little about the new Commissioner, but to believe that he is the most qualified person for the position is difficult to swallow.  Without question this appointment is a purely political move and as educators our only recourse is to quit voting for Perry and his anti-public school allies.

What I find most disturbing about our current situation is that fifteen years ago, one of my mentors, Dr. Richard Hooker, predicted this with almost 100% accuracy. Now I have to admit, to both him and the world, that he was right and I was wron...

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/Fundamental5
  • Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
  • Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
  • Upcoming Presentations: Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote), Advancing Improvement in Education Conference (Multiple Presentations), TASSP Assistant Principals’ Workshop (Featured Speaker), North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals (Keynote), American Association of School Administrators Conference (Multiple Presentations), National Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations)
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Monday, September 10, 2012

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of September 2, 2012


I was training a new campus on the PowerWalks system last week when an Assistant Principal made an antiquated correct statement.  You see, as many of you know the PowerWalks system is web based.  Which means observers enter their observation data on either their smart phone or tablet.  When I was explaining this to the group, the AP asked if an observer could use a paper copy of the observation form? 

I said “Yes, but unless you are one of those people who likes to take copious notes in the classroom, most people enter their data electronically.” And then I asked him, “Are you a big note taker?”

He said, “No. But since we don’t allow students to have cell phones on campus, I don't want to set a poor example.”

That way of thinking is old school correct.  When I was a principal, I had the same rule on my campus.  No for kids meant no for adults.  We endeavored to model every student expectation.  However, in my day, cell phone were barely phones.  Now cell phones are computers.  They are quite literally more powerful than the computers in the classroom and the campus library combined.  So instead of modeling not using bootleg technology, instead model how to use bootleg technology appropriately.  The AP’s heart was in the right place, but his frame of reference was at least five years behind the times.

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 September 2, 2012.

1. Visited Tosch Elementary today. Examples of framing the lesson in every classroom. New positive behavior program in evidence. Greatness... (By @LindaHenrie1)

2. Shared the Fundamental 5 with 9th & 10th grade students today. Asked them to hold us accountable for providing a rigorous instructional program! 11th/12th next! (By @brandyjbaker)

3. Great organizations hold themselves accountable to exceedingly high internal standards.

4. No matter how much we might wish to the contrary, bad practice + an excuse still equals bad practice.

5. The power of coaching is the conversation.

6. Your organization will never be great if staff summative evaluation is based on surprise, fear and punishment.

7. As principals we earn our money when we coach our people up. Any idiot can fire someone.

8. It absolutely amazes me at the number of educators who show up to a meeting with nothing to write on or with.

9. The rural / urban school difference: Shots fired near an urban school - take cover. Shots fired near a rural school - it's dove season.

10. The Fundamental 5 (Cain & Laird) just shot past 17,000 copies sold. Thank you LYS Nation!

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/Fundamental5 
  • Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
  • Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
  • Upcoming Presentations: Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote), Advancing Improvement in Education Conference (Multiple Presentations), TASSP Assistant Principals’ Workshop (Featured Speaker), North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals (Keynote), American Association of School Administrators Conference (Multiple Presentations), National Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations)
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation