Strip Away the Complexity

For instructional leaders there is an ongoing, yet hidden, battle between IQ (intelligence) and EffQ (effectiveness).  And in almost all cases, the wrong Q wins.  Let me explain.  Your typical instructional leader is smart.  They see the complexity of problems and create complex solutions to solve those problems. When these smart people were solo operators (teacher, AP and small campus principal) they could execute their complex solutions with a high degree of success.  And this success was often the springboard to the greater position.  Yet, there is the rub.  At a certain point the strength of the high IQ and its complex solutions becomes a weakness. The tipping point from strength to weakness is when the complex solution has to be implemented beyond the direct, overt supervision of the smart person. 

At that point, the 2^nd tier (and beyond) implementer doesn’t understand the interconnectedness of the complexities and begins cutting corners, which quickly renders the solution worthless. 

This is where EffQ changes the game.  Effectiveness, in terms of solutions, is at-scale implementation.  Which means the effective leader takes the complex solution and strips away all the non-vital elements, leaving only an actionable core. An actionable core can be implemented at scale.

Now this can be frustrating for all of the smart, mid-level leaders in the system (and I readily admit, I was one of those people).  These people see how the solution isn’t optimal, how performance is left on the table.  And they are right while being completely wrong.

Because the optimal solution not executed, always loses to the actionable solution decently implemented.

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 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Legendary Leadership Badge (May 2015)

There are those that don’t understand the power of reflective observation.  They mistakenly believe that there is nothing to learn after a few cursory visits to a classroom.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, the most important key to building insight and deeper understanding about teaching and learning is to engage in a steady volume of daily classroom observation.  What we have learned over the past ten years is that after about every 300 classroom observations, the observer will notice, discern, and/or learn something new... something that was previously hidden. It is the “Eureka” moment, and there is nothing else like it in instructional leadership.

In this pursuit, there is the PowerWalks Legendary Leadership Badge that is earned every 300^th PowerWalks Observation. The following instructional leaders have already earned the Legendary Leadership Badge for the 2014/2015 school year (as of 5/31/15).

4 Badges (over 1,200 classroom observation; 1 recipient)

Sean Cain: May 2015, March 2015, January 2015, October 2014

3 Badges (over 900 classroom observations; 1 recipients)

Lorie Bratcher: April 2015, January 2015, October 2014

  

2 Badges (over 600 classroom observations; 5 recipients)

Kathy Horvath: May 2015, February 2015

GayLynn Holt: April 2015, December 2014

Mike Laird: April 2015, March 2015

Michael Clifton: March 2015, October 2014

Sandra Wilson: January 2015, October 2014

1 Badge (Over 300 classroom observations; 73 recipients)

Lori Box: May 2015

Yvonne Cox: May 2015

Edward Husk: May 2015

Elizabeth Scott: May 2015

Courtney Berry: April 2015

Carrie Caruso: April 2015

Lee Crews: April 2015

Jennifer Gillard: April 2015

Mia Hurtado: April 2015

Cedric Ivie: April 2015

Terry Johnson: April 2015

Jaclyn Lisle: April 2015

Denise Majewski: April 2015

Brandy Richard: April 2015

Christine Strickler: April 2015

Michelle Bischoffberger: March 2015

Richard Celestine: March 2015

Kyle Hendrix: March 2015

Derieco Irvin: March 2015

Angie Moore: March 2015

Racheal Rife: March 2015

Eric Sams: March 2015

Scott Schneider: March 2015

Ernest Smith: March 2015

Leslie Ackmann: February 2015

Carmen Bellefant: February 2015

Denise Bird: February 2015

Tonia Cummings: February 2015

Jonathon Gutierrez: February 2015

Kari Eggleston: February 2015

Chris Johnstone: February 2015

Kelli Maikell: February 2015

Kimberly McKnight: February 2015

Edna Parr: February 2015

Martha Pulido: February 2015

Molly Swanson: February 2015

Lisa Weaver: February 2015

Brad Weston: February 2015

Joan Alvey: January 2015

Tracey Bennett: January 2015

Wes Brown: January 2015

Jenn Cooper: January 2015

Ethan Crowell: January 2015

Donny Green: January 2015

Julie Hinson: January 2015

Todd Jones: January 2015

Charles King: January 2015

Lyle Lackey: January 2015

Kim Meador: January 2015

Tim Merki: January 2015

R.J. Rodrigue: January 2015

Patsy Sanchez: January 2015

Michelle Schreiner: January 2015

Melissa Summers: January 2015

Tamika Washington: January 2015

Brenda Blackmon: December 2014

Marianne Buentello: December 2014

Dexter Floyd: December 2014

Cara Jolly: December 2014

Brian Lowe: December 2014

Mike Metz: December 2014

Leslie Thomas: December 2014

Pam Williams: December 2014

Jim Womack: December 2014

Mary-Margaret Crandall: November 2014

Charlie Crisp: November 2014

Rita Faulkner: November 2014

Jenny Morris: November 2014

Twyla Thomas: November 2014

Rankin Hitt: October 2014

Jennifer Phillips: October 2014

Jessica Robert: October 2014

Chris Viator: October 2014

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 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

PowerWalks Hero Schools (May 2015)

In furtherance of a LYS Nation tradition, we will take this time to tip our caps to the campuses that have embraced the most important step in creating and maintaining an action oriented professional learning community.  These are the campuses that have conducted an extraordinary number of formative classroom observations in a given month. In May, the Hero Schools met or exceeded the targets below:

The May Hero School Targets

Big Schools – 200 PowerWalks Observations

Medium Sized Schools – 130 PowerWalks Observations

Small Schools – 65 PowerWalks Observations

Very Small Schools – 30 PowerWalks Observations.

For the record, the schools in the LYS nation conducted a total of 2,447 PowerWalks observations this past month.  But enough stalling, here are your nine PowerWalks Hero Schools for the month of May 2015.  Congratulations!!!

Elementary Schools	Junior High & Middle Schools	High Schools
Southside Primary School (CISD – small school): 391	Cleveland MS (CISD - midsized school): 159	Fairdale HS (JCPS – large school): 324
Northside ES (CISD – small school): 270
Eastside ES (CISD – small school): 267
Veterans’ Hill ES (HISD – small school): 183
Dublin ES (DISD – very small school): 124
Ray ES (HISD – small school): 91
Cottonwood Creek ES (HISD – small school): 65

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

Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool)

Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations)

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Top LYS Twets From the Week of May 24, 2015

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 May 24, 2015.

1. If the Texas Senate cared half as much about public education as it does about gun rights, we would lead the nation in education funding instead of trailing it. (By @pastors4txkids)

2. Research shows stress can be toxic for kids who live in poverty. Reminder of how important school and class climate is. (By @jbriannorton)  

3. “It may seem odd, however the harder students work at learning, the more ‘luck’ they seem to have when taking tests.” (By @DrRichAllen)

4. Teachers do God's work with our children more fully than any of society's servants. They should be esteemed. But in Texas they are attacked. (By @pastors4txkids)

5. No one has ever been fired for too much good teaching and too little test prep. (By @eduleadership)

6. Better to feel strong and secure openly carrying a high quality education in your head rather than a high-powered gun in your holster. (By @pastors4txkids)

7. "Hope and Luck" is not a viable long-term action plan. (By @LYSNation)

8. What could go wrong with college kids carrying guns on campus? It's not like there's a lot of partying and drinking or anything like that. (By @woscholar)

9. @LYSNation, We are grateful for all your terrific support for our mission to mobilize the faith community for public education! (By @pastors4txkids)

10. Excited to find out that I will be presenting with my good friend, @DrRichAllen in NEISD this summer. Get ready for the Thunder & Lightning! (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 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook