LYS AP Response
Thanks for
giving us something to look for.
It seems that Number 5 (Teachers not Closing the Lesson) is what we need
to keep working on. We just found
an example of “the problem behind the problem.”
SC Response
Again, a
proof point of the power of PowerWalks and the understanding and coaching that
it drives...
The first devastating assumption we make as instructional leaders is the
belief that because our staff works hard and have a good attitude that they
must be implementing the practices that we have agreed to and received
training.
I made this
mistake a number of times in my career.
Changing old practices and implementing new practices is a process. Staff having a good attitude and the
willingness to work hard only facilitates engaging in the process; it does not
mean that they are doing the new practice. In fact, at scale, the only safe
assumption is that they are not doing it yet.
The second devastating assumption is the belief that because you have
seen A staff member do the new
practice, that ALL staff members are
doing the practice.
Again, a
mistake that I repeatedly made early in my career and that all too many
instructional leaders fall for, daily.
This occurs is because we trust our brains, when we should not. Our
brains like to fill in the blanks when it thinks it sees a pattern. When it
does this, without realizing it, the brain lies to you. Here is what this looks like on a
campus. The instructional leader / coach goes to visit a couple of classrooms,
while doing so she observes a teacher doing the new practice (initially a random
occurrence). She also observes three other teachers working hard, but doing the
typical practice. When the
observer later reflects on what she observed, what stands out in her memory is
hard work and the new/novel practice, which she then attribute to the entire
staff.
When a campus
adopts the PowerWalks system of observation and coaching, the two devastating
assumptions are negated. First,
the high volume, specific cueing of PowerWalks provides the specific support
teachers need in order to build new instructional habits and routines. Without this, change is a slow, arduous
and ultimately futile process.
Second, the
high volume of observations and ongoing data analysis prevents your brain from
filling in the gaps with false positives.
As a result, the coaching and support you are able to provide is based
on the reality of the situation, not a happy falsehood.
Once you
realize and then experience this, it becomes exceedingly clear why LYS campuses
and educators consistently outperform their peers.
Keep up the
great effort at your campus and the great results won’t be far behind.
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: NASSP National Conference (Multiple Presentations); TASSP
Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NEASP National Conference; The
Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation)
- Follow
Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation and
like Lead Your School on Facebook
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