Friday, September 30, 2016

Lead From the Front

The following is a note that a LYS Superintendent sent to his Principals just two weeks into this new school year. 

Campus Leaders and Colleagues:

Here are the most up-to-date results of PowerWalks, by building, to this point so far:

The Elementary School is leading the way with 177 PowerWalks.

The Middle School is in second with 142 PowerWalks.

High School 1 has 90 PowerWalks.

High School 2 has 65 PowerWalks.

The Alternative High School has 1 PowerWalk.

These are good starting numbers, but remember, frequency matters! We need to be in classrooms and not offices. Office Jockeys will not have the powerful practices in their classrooms at the quality and quantity that our students need and deserve.

As we go forward, know that our Central Office Directors and myself will visit at least 10 classrooms per month, on each campus. Fridays are traditionally are weakest instructional days, so those will be the days that I will be coming through. We will not improve by luck. We will improve through focused cueing, support and coaching.

Have a great weekend and thank you for your hard work and a great start of the school year.

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

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Enemies to Instruction

We just wrapped up the two-day TASSP/LYS Leadership Academy, a fantastic experience with almost 250 campus-based school leaders participating and networking. One of the presenters was the Maverick Superintendent of Wyoming and LYSer, Fletcher Turcato.  In his presentation he talked about Enemies of Instruction. His premise, which I agree with, is that we allow too many infringements to teaching and learning because we don’t assign enough value to the infringement.  My example is that we ignore the mosquito, because it is just a small irritant, something to work around or through.  But the mosquito is not a small thing; it represents malaria, zika and a host of other diseases that will kill you.

So what are the Enemies to Instruction? It depends on the campus.  For example, it could be the 5-Minute Passing Period when 3 minutes will suffice. It could be the Open Campus Lunch Policy where 5% of students are late getting back to school every day.  It could be the Weekly In-School Pep Rally. It could be the Annual Charity Can Drive. The point being, if teaching and learning are being negatively impacted, identify the enemy and eliminate it. That is leadership. Or ignore the enemy, avoid the conflict, and leave student performance on the table. Which is leadership failure.

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

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

The Current Educator is Just Better

I do not question the fact the being an educator today is tougher than it has ever been. Public education policy being dictated by dedicated Anti-Public School Advocates. Reduced funding, salaries that do not keep up with inflation, and trolls that lurk and attack at any and every paranoia fueled slight.  Yet in the face of this, the quality of delivered instruction is higher than ever.  More students, with greater diversity, achieve at now historic levels.

There are a number of factors driving this success: accountability, better tools, better practice, etc. But I don’t believe these are the most critical factors.  Instead, I believe the critical variable is the sea change in teacher expectation of student success. Compared to 25 years ago, this change is nothing less than miraculous.

Today’s educator honestly expects every one of his/her students to achieve at least at a floor level of success.  And when a student does not, this bothers the teacher.  It bothers the teacher enough to change practice and/or intervene. The loss, for whatever reason, weighs heavy.

Juxtapose this to my first conversation with my principal, my first year teaching.  He said, “Mr. Cain, if too many of your students FAIL your math class, you are a bad teacher. Also, if too many of your students PASS your math class, you are a bad teacher.

Which means that when I first started teaching not only was there an acceptable failure rate, academic casualties were just part of the game.

I reflect on that one fact a lot.  And remind myself that no matter how fondly I look back on my teaching career... Today’s educators are flat out better.

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

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

The Glorious Sound of Gritching

Too many school leaders (from Principal to Board Member) have an unrealistic view of the human condition.  They mistakenly believe that the best indicator of effective and productive staff is the lack of complaints.  This would be wrong.

Today’s educational arena is in constant flux.  Standards change, accountability increases, the knowledge base expands, practices evolve, political policy devolves, funding constricts, etc.

To adapt, survive and thrive in this environment requires constant change, both incremental and large scale.  Change is difficult, uncomfortable, and scary.  Even the “freaks” who like change (of which I am one), like their change in certain areas of their life and then require near perfect consistency and conformity in other parts of their life.  It is what allows them to thrive in the high change environment.  For example, every day is a new challenge for me, there is next to no predictability and I love it. On the other hand, my backpack is packed “just so.” Everything I need to be productive during the day is exactly where I need it to be.  Even if they are trying to be helpful, if anyone else packed my backpack, I would be darn near dysfunctional for two days.  So my love of change is conditional.

When children face the difficult, uncomfortable and scary, they slow down, shut down and quit.  When adults face the difficult, uncomfortable and scary, they gripe and complain. “Gritching,” as my Mother described it. You know, “Griping” and..., well you can figure out the rest.

So this is where the unrealistic view of some leaders, especially those removed from the action and the messy endeavor of leading people in the field, comes into play.  These leaders mandate the “Change” and demand results. But when they hear the inevitable complaints they assume that the change is being mismanaged and they halt implementation.  That is a serious mistake. 

When we implement change, our staff are forced out of their comfort zone and routines.  If they were children they would quit.  Since they are adults, they “gritch.”  In fact, it is a truism that if you are attempting to implement change on your campus or in your district and there is no gritching, the change is not being implemented. Because...

Gritching is the lubricant that allows us to deal with the friction of change.

The sound of gritching is a glorious noise; it means the organization is moving in a new direction.  When you hear it, run towards it. Because that is a staff that is trying and needs your coaching, support and empathy, in other words... LEADERSHIP.  If you hear gritching and stop, that is poor management.  And if you are upstream in the chain of command (central office) and punish field leaders (principals) when you hear staff complaints, just know you are the primary reason why the organization is entrenched with the status quo.

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

Monday, September 26, 2016

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of September 18, 2016

If you are not following @LYSNation on Twitter, then you missed the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of September 18, 2016 when they were first posted.  And if you are on Twitter, you might want to check out the Tweeters who made this week’s list.

1. Each kid walking down the hall deserves eye contact and a simple hello. We'd never ignore an adult walking by; let's not miss this opportunity. (By @justintarte)

2. As a master schedule builder I already have a notebook for next year after reflecting on ideas for improvement. (By @ryanlabay23)

3. Champions play as they practice. Create a consistency of excellence in all your habits. (By @CoachKWisdom)

4. The consequences of Education Savings Accounts within our education system are real and damaging. (By @RYHTexas)

5. Public education is a shared ownership - vouchers are not. (By @BobbyJRigues)

6. When I was a kid, my math teacher said, "You won't always have a calculator with you."  He was wrong. (By @principalspage)

7. Observation should NOT equal summative evaluation... It is formative in nature. (By @DennisDill)

8. Your physical presence in classrooms is what will make a difference. Not that you’ve read every single article that has ever come your way. (By @MalachiPancoast)

9. Be involved with an activity outside of teaching with kids. If you can't, go to their game/event. Deep relationships go beyond academics. (By @WeinsteinEdu)

10. There is nothing we can do about the past, but there is a lot we can do about the future. (By @clwilkens)

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: LYS / TASSP Advanced Leadership Academy (Keynote); The 2016 Texas Charter School Conference (Multiple Presentations); The 4th Annual Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote) 
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook