A Principal Asks... The Power Zone

A LYS Principal asks the following:

SC,

First, thanks so much for the post on Friday (5/13/13), “On the Edge of Insight.”  It couldn't have come at a better time!  We are having our 2-day Campus Improvement Planning this week, and Fundamental 5 implementation is one of the things we will be discussing.  I am going to take those questions sent in by a fellow LYS Principal and use them as the springboard for our discussions.

Second, some of our teachers (and, in fact, some of our leadership team) are confused as to what the Power Zone really is.  Specifically, considering the set-up in our elementary school, when a teacher "brings her class to the floor", as they so often do, does that constitute the Power Zone or is it the "Lecture Position?"  

My stance is that it totally depends on what the teacher is doing; that "bringing the kids to the floor" does not automatically mean he/she is in the Power Zone.  But, knowing I could be wrong (but never in doubt), I promised I would contact ya'll to see what you had to say on the matter!

Thanks for your input.

LC Response

In the beginning being in the Power Zone is purely physical - is the teacher in close proximity to one or more of her students? As with anything, after that behavior is in place, you begin to look at the quality of what is being done while close to kids. Is the teacher actively engaged with kids, is the teacher actively monitoring kids? If so, then yes, he/she is in the Power Zone. By now you may have brand new teachers just learning so you are shaping their behavior by accepting just being by kids. If teachers have had training and understand how the expectations grow over time, then you are looking for different things in their classroom. Sooooo - long answer long, it depends on your communicated expectation for teachers along a continuum of learning. Hope this is as clear as mud!

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

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