A LYS Principal
shares the following:
SC,
I wanted to
share with you what our Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) is doing with our
Fundamental 5 data to help us plan for next year. So far this year, we have
completed over 3,200 Power Walks; not where I wanted us to be; however, it
gives us a goal for next year.
We
disaggregated this data by high-yield teacher practices, high-yield student
practices, lower yield practices, and basic Fundamental 5. We used six
questions to guide our discussion around this data:
1. What do you
see?
2. From the
teacher’s perspective, what are they working on as they implement the Fundamental
5?
3. If we
successfully reached our campus Fundamental 5 goals, what would it tell us
about what the teacher knows, understands, and is able to do?
4. What are the
implications of this work (Fundamental 5) for teaching and learning?
5. What
teaching and learning issues have been raised for you in terms of your own
practice?
6. What
issues have been raised in terms of school wide practices?
It became
apparent to me this year that the quality aspects of the Fundamental 5 lagged
behind where I expected it to be… I dream big though. I definitely need to work
on developing a coaching model around our Fundamental 5 data... yet another
goal! I also know we needed to add more “how to” to really cement the
learning for teachers. We’ve seen a lot of “turn to your elbow partner” and we
wanted to make these interactions more beneficial to our students and teachers…
onto the next level.
However,
what became really apparent to me during our data discussion was that we need
to do a better job of building in sustainment and letting the “why” behind the
Fundamental 5 be a main driver. Our team struggled to fully answer questions
number 2 and 3. No excuses; we failed to focus on the “why”.
“What” we
do at our campus is pretty clear or getting clearer every day. As we continue
to increase the frequency and quality of the Fundamental 5, coupled with “why”
we adopted these instructional practices, I expected that the “how to” will
increase in frequency and quality too.
Thanks for
allowing me to share!
SC Response
When I shared
this with the LYS Coaching Staff and they were blown away and you were the unanimous
choice for Favorite Principal of The Day (obviously, a well know and prestigious
honor). Thanks for sharing!
When you ask,
“What do you see,” the answer to that question addresses the “What and How”
that is occurring. You want to
follow up with “What do you notice?” It is subtle difference/extension question,
but that becomes the precursor answering the “Why” question.
What you are
now experiencing is what only a very small sliver of principals ever get
to experience… Working on the issues that are hidden behind the common issues. This
is where the work gets exciting.
Your campus
is poised to move from delivery centric to receiving centric. This is
where the “What teachers do” is only relevant in terms of how students build on
what was provided.
In Jim
Collins terms, now you have to facilitate the decision of where the bus will go
and why. While continuously working to get better at the skills and practices
that put you in this position.
Don't ease
up!
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: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference
(Multiple Presentations)
- Follow
Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation and
like Lead Your School on Facebook
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