Thursday, March 13, 2014

A Reader Writes... HS Math Lesson Frames - Part 1

In response to the 2/19/14 post, “HS Math Lesson Frames,” a reader writes

SC,

I was so glad to see this question and response because it is exactly what I want to coach my teachers on, especially the closing question.

Thank you, LYS!

SC Response
Glad to be of assistance.  Framing is a practice that as educators we are all aware of, a few of us do regularly, and a handful of us execute masterfully.  And the critical variable between the levels is purposeful practice.  Like the NIKE ad states, “Just Do It!”

...And insist that your teachers actually read (or better yet, reread) the book, TheFundamental 5. 

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: 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

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Student Test Taking Anxiety is 99% on Us

I have heard the horror stories about students freaking out for STAAR.  And I don’t doubt them and here is the reason why. Starting at the beginning of the Spring Semester and continuing until the day of the test, teachers and administrators get more and more stressed out about the test.  The stakes are high, there is too much to teach and we have reams of data showing us that we aren’t anywhere close to having our students ready.  And we transmit and transfer all of that stress straight to our students.  Show me stressed students and I’ll show you adults wound tighter than clocks springs and doing a poor job of hiding it.

That’s the key, we have to mask our stress, stay in positive character and keep the classroom nurturing and rewarding.  I’ll give you two examples of what this looks like in other settings. 

The Disney Cast: At Disneyland, when the cast is in the park, they are always in character. It is the happiest place on Earth.  But behind the scenes, Mickey smokes, Goofy doesn’t like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty is on an improvement plan. And not one guest is aware of any of this. Always stay in positive character while students are in the building.

The Coaching Staff of the Underdog:  The coaches know that they are outmanned, that their team is too small and too slow to compete with the team on the schedule this week. For this coaching staff, a win will be to escape with no injuries.  But that is in the Coaches’ Office.  The players have no idea how dire the situation is.  What they know is that they have a good game plan and if they work hard as a team, execute the plan and don’t turn over the ball they will probably win. Always keep the focus on the positive outcome of executing the plan.

That is our job, stay in character and project confident optimism.  When I hear the test taking anxiety horror stories I think back on a student at an exceedingly high performing Title One school explaining why no one was freaking out about the upcoming state test. “Why should we be worried, we have hope.”

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: 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

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

A Superintendent Writes... Instructional Coaching - Part 1

In response to the 12/5/2013 post, “A Reader Asks... Instructional Coaching,” a LYS Superintendent writes:

LYS Nation,

It is interesting that today's blog would be over teacher coaching and evaluations, because I had this same conversation with principals today and commented that I should write up my thoughts and send them to Sean.  

First, I think Lesa is, of course, right on; coaching teachers should be specific and the principal should listen a lot and not say too much.  The coaching session should end with a measurable objective that will be looked for in the weeks that follow.  The more help a teacher needs, the fewer coaching goals should be set, in my opinion.  If you have a teacher who really needs a lot of help, focus on one thing, the deepest hole if you will.  In my opinion you have to channel your inner Schmoker when coaching teachers; if you try to fill in all holes in one coaching session, you fill in nothing.  

When I am coaching my principals, I first observe what they do.  I have noticed a certain confusion among too many principals concerning what is and what is not coaching. Coaching is NOT mentoring.  Having a 45-minute long principal-to-teacher conversation concerning philosophies of education, variations on strategies, and other such things does NOT constitute coaching; that is mentoring.  Now I suppose a principal can mentor a teacher, but I view mentoring something better done from teacher to teacher.  Long meandering conversations can build personal understanding, can build collegiality, and can be down right fun.  But keep in mind that most teachers (and all teachers who are struggling) don't need that.  A principal who engages in such mentoring practices with a struggling teacher is doing them an injustice, in my opinion.   Back away from that practice and engage in brief, specific, measurable coaching goals based upon solid (frequent) classroom observations.  If the teacher needs a mentor, assign them one.  

Principals, be the Principal.

SC Response
Your closing statement reminds me of my first Principals’ meeting with Dr. Rod Paige.  Yes, that Dr. Paige, but at that time he was my Superintendent. He closed the meeting with this:

“What I want you Principals to understand is that we are now operating under the Navy command model. Right now, as we do this Summer work, the ships are all in port.  I am the Admiral and you will follow my orders and protocols.  In September, the ships will all go to sea and as the Captains of your ship, you are responsible for a successful voyage.  I will not second-guess your decisions you make in command of your ship, because you are in command, even if I am visiting you. 

But be successful, because the oldest rule of the Navy is this - If the mission isn’t successful the Captain goes down with his ship.” 

From that point forward, I never worried about what those who I was not responsible for thought about my decisions.  Because they had the luxury of being neither accountable nor responsible. 

Captains, be the Captain. Principals, be the Principal

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: 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

Monday, March 10, 2014

Top LYS Posts From the Week of March 2, 2014

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now Twitter users.  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 March 2, 2014.

1. If your decisions as a school leader always begin and end with how it impacts student learning you are working in the right direction. (By @blitzkrieg607)

2. Well done is better than well said. (By @CoachKWisdom)

3. Just left the North Dakota ASSP Mid-Winter Conference. Third conference in a row where Sean Cain and The Fundamental 5 (Cain & Laird) were mentioned and highly recommended. (@Paul777Mary)

4. We can eliminate the "dog & pony" show with open classrooms, frequent observations, and continuous feedback.  (By @StapletonEDU)

5. Complaints are avoidance behavior or proof of attempting to improve. Which one depends on how leadership responds. (By @LYSNation)

6. Allowing access to YouTube at school is associated with lower student grades, finds new study. (By @anniemurphypaul)

7. Love The Fundamental 5 (Cain & Laird) and encourage its use. Great Tier One strategies. (By @Snowmanlearning)

8. Finding it hard to concentrate during my planning with multiple announcements on the intercom. I'm sure those teaching aren't amused either. (By @BluntEducator)

9. The two biggest problems with education are: The adults; and the politics. (By @Snowmanlearning)

10. The Fundamental 5 (Cain & Laird) just rocketed past 53,000 copies sold! Thank you, LYS Nation! (By @LYSNation)

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: 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