What We Can Learn From the Countries With Schools That Outperform Ours

Do we have the best public education system in the world?

Short answer, “No.” 

Long answer, “It's complicated.” 

In the U.S. we are pursuing the seemingly competing goals of: 

1. Teach for equity; and 

2. Teach for excellence. 

We do neither the best, but in combination...

I have to admit the above statement stings, a lot.  I think we should and can be the best at both.  But we won’t get there following the path we are currently on.  We will have to chart a new path. A path defined by embracing more of the things that work and letting go of the practices driven by opinion and a skewed world-view.  Now charting a new path sounds like macro-level change, beyond the scope and resources of the rank and file teacher, principal and even superintendent.  But I don’t believe that is the case.  I truly believe that a handful of focused and motivated individuals can team together and change a system.  This can be the case in our profession.  You and your team can be the trailblazers.

In preparation of this trailblazing endeavor, let’s review what we have learned from the schools in countries that regularly outperform us.      

1. Have students spend more time engaged in academic activities.
- Influencing Agents: Teacher, Campus Administrator, District Administrator  

2. A coaching relationship with students is more productive than a cheerleading relationship.
- Influencing Agents: Teacher, Campus Administrator

3. Improve the quality of teaching candidates.
- Influencing Agents: Campus Administrator, District Administrator  

4. Train teachers like their job is important.
- Influencing Agents: Campus Administrator, District Administrator

 

5. Track students less and when you do track students, do so much later in their academic careers.
- Influencing Agents: Teacher, Campus Administrator, District Administrator  

6. Fund schools based on the needs of the students.
- Influencing Agents: District Administrator, Voter  

7. Have common standards but don’t have too many of them.
- Influencing Agents: Teacher, Campus Administrator, District Administrator, Voter

Compare your campus improvement plan to the seven practices listed above.  If you plan doesn’t address at least three of the practices on the list, I would suggest that you re-work your plan.

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: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Master Schedule Priorities

At LYS we get a lot of questions concerning the building of Master Schedules.  Which is to expected when you are the home of secondary scheduling gurus E. Don Brown and Sherilynn Cotten and elementary scheduling gurus Lesa Cain and Barbara Fine.  Regardless the operational parameters, they can build you the best possible schedule for meeting student needs.

If only it was that easy.  You see at most schools the master schedule is not about students.  In order of priority, here is what drives the building of a master schedule at the typical school:

“A” priority - Ease of creating schedule

“A” priority - Make the adults happy

“A” priority - Protect a pet project

“A” priority - Solve paper problems (trailer course opportunity)

“A” priority - Don’t rock the boat

“A” priority - Do what we have always done

“D” priority - Meet student needs

Compare that to the campus that consistently outperforms its peers (the working definition of a great school).  The Great School master scheduling priorities:

“A” priority - Meet student needs

“B” priority - Adequate time to teach

“B” priority - Adequate time to plan (with team)

“C” priority - Reduce transition events

“C” priority - Build expertise

“D” priority - Minimize transition time

“Z” priority - Ease of creating schedule

“Z” priority - Make adults happy

What priorities drive your master schedule?

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: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Reader Writes... The Astronomical Cost of Comp Time - Part 1

In response to the 6/19/2014 post, “The Astronomical Cost of Comp Time,” a LYS C/I Director writes:

SC,

I have to reply to your comp day example.  We use comp days to compensate staff for attending professional development in our district. This was the practice in the previous district I worked in as well. However, the comp days are designated on our calendar already.  So, instead of professional development during the year when teachers are busy and not focused, we have personalized professional development occur in the summer prior to the next year of instruction.

So, the cost is nothing for us except for the summer professional development costs.  The days they are off students are not in attendance and therefore instructional time isn't lost.

Just another scenario for your comp day time since you note it as the worst option.  I think in the scenario you provide it is possible, but in our comp time scenario, I disagree with it being the worst option.

SC Response

First, you and the district are to be commended for working to find a way to compensate staff for their off contract time spent on furthering the district’s mission.

And I appreciate that the days that teachers can use the comp time is predetermined by district calendar.  I too, did the same thing when I was in your position.  Teachers who attended extra summer training were able to take the entire Thanksgiving Week off, instead of just the last three days.

Seemingly a Win/Win.  But I wouldn’t do it now.  Now I would pay my teacher’s a stipend for off contract Summer Training and use the two days before Thanksgiving for on-going training, student staffings, team instructional planning and the like.  Are teachers distracted at that time of the year? Yes.  But as professionals, I would expect that given a meaningful task or activity the days could still be productive.

I just know that we talk team, we talk collaboration, and we talk on-going training.  But when we have opportunities to put that talk into practice, we have a lot of justifications for it just being talk.

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: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of July 13, 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 July 13, 2014.

1. Congratulations to LYSer, Mike Metz! He is the new Principal at Magnolia Junior High School!! Who will be next? (By @LYSNation)

2. Congratulations to LYSer, Dr. Chris Everett! He is the new Director of Administrative Services at ESC 11!! Who will be next? (By @LYSNation)

3. Congratulations to LYSer, Pamela Chatham! She is the new Principal at Tomball Elementary!! Who will be next? (By @LYSNation)

4. Congratulations to LYSer, Rita Pintavalle! She is the new District Principal for Discipline & Discretionary Grants in Kennedale! Who's next? (By @LYSNation)

5. The fact that talented people are willing to teach not because of the pay but in spite of it is no excuse to let the problem go unaddressed. (By @tgrierhisd)

6. Princeton University study finds students more likely to learn by taking handwritten notes. (By @willrich45)

7. No study shows that teachers work better in isolation. Good enough isn't good enough anymore!! (By @8Amber8)

8. Today's Quote:  "In the current economy, the Big Three for Success are (1) education, (2) information, and (3) motivation." (By @DrRichAllen)

9. Our values are described better by our calendars than by our mouths. (By @josephgrenny)

10. More 15-year-olds have their own Smartphone than live with their own father! (By @tgrierhisd)

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: The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook