PowerWalks Alignment to T-TESS Domain 3

This is post three of a four post series addressing each T-TESS domain and its relationship and correlations to PowerWalks.

Link to T-TESS Domain 1 Post

Link to T-TESS Domain 2 Post 

Link to T-TESS Domain 4 Post

T-TESS Domain 3: Learning Environment

The research is clear that the environment can have either a positive or negative impact on student performance. Additionally, the components of an effective (leveraged) classroom environment can be observed.  When addressing classroom environment, the sole lens should be the effect of environmental factors on student performance.  The uncomfortable truth is this is not the lens used in the vast majority of schools and classrooms.  Instead, adult comfort and convenience are the primary considerations.  There are three things to consider before attempting to improve the environment in classrooms on a campus.

1. Instruction is always the first priority.

a. Bad instruction in a good environment = bad instruction.

b. Good to great instruction in a bad environment = good to great instruction.

c. Good to great instruction in a leveraged environment = enhanced student performance.

2. What the research teaches us about effective classroom environments is that the least we can do... is the most we can do.

3. It is the rare leader who possesses both the stomach and fortitude to address classroom environment issues, at scale.

See the chart below. The areas highlighted with the color GREEN represent areas of correlation.

T-TESS Domain 3: Learning Environment PowerWalks Modules	Environment, Routines and Procedures 3.1	Managing Student Behavior 3.2	Classroom Culture 3.3
Instructor Location
Pupil Engagement
Lesson Framing
High Yield Practices
Instructional Rigor
Instructional Relevance
Classroom Climate

PowerWalks Alignment and Correlation to Domain 3 

As a teacher gets better at the best practice addressed in the six PowerWalks modules, the appraiser is provided subjective evidence that the elements of T-TESS Domain 3 are being addressed.

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 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Aspiring Principal Workshop (Multiple Presentations) 
• 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

PowerWalks Alignement to T-TESS Domain 2

This is post two of a four post series addressing each T-TESS domain and its relationship and correlations to PowerWalks.

T-TESS Domain 1 Post

T-TESS Domain 3 Post

T-TESS Domain 4 Post

T-TESS Domain 2: Instruction

The use of high volume formative observations that are aligned to best practice (such as PowerWalks), support teachers in increasing both the quantity and quality of delivered best practice.  When teachers are able to execute best practices at high quantity and quality, they are better able to meet summative expectations. See the chart below. The areas highlighted with the color GREEN represent areas of correlation.

PowerWalks Alignment and Correlation to Domain 2  

As a teacher gets better at the best practice addressed in the six PowerWalks modules, the appraiser is provided subjective evidence that the elements of T-TESS Domain 2 are being addressed.

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

PowerWalks Alignment to T-TESS Domain 1

In Texas, a lot of campus leaders are freaking out over the new teacher evaluation system, T-TESS.  Specifically, will the formative observations that they have been doing align with summative T-TESS requirements.  I can’t speak to the lesser formative observation systems that are in use, but I can speak to the best Formative Observation System, PowerWalks.  This series of four posts will address each T-TESS domain and its relationship and correlations to PowerWalks.

T-TESS Domain 2 Post

T-TESS Domain 3 Post

T-TESS Domain 4 Post

T-TESS Domain 1: Planning

The BIG question is, “Can one evaluate teacher planning with a three to five minute classroom observation.” 

The honest answer is, “No.” 

The accurate process for determining if a teacher is meeting the requirements of Domain 1 is the on-going involvement of leadership in the instructional planning process. By the way, the active involvement of leadership in the instructional planning process is a best practice.

However, there are indicators and trends that can be observed and revealed in a high-volume formative observation environment that could allow one to assume that the requisite focused planning has been occurring. See the chart below. The areas highlighted with the color GREEN represent areas of correlation.

T-TESS Domain 1: Planning PowerWalks Modules	Standards & Alignment 1.1	Data & Assessment 1.2	Knowledge of Students 1.3	Activities 1.4
Instructor Location
Pupil Engagement
Lesson Framing
High Yield Practices
Instructional Rigor
Instructional Relevance
Classroom Climate

PowerWalks Alignment and Correlation to Domain 1  

As a teacher gets better at the best practice addressed in the six PowerWalks modules, the appraiser is provided subjective evidence that the elements of T-TESS Domain 1 are being addressed.

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

State of the Blog - The Last 100 Posts (2,100 and Counting)

Hello, LYS Nation.  This is the 2,100^th post to the column, so as has become a tradition, we will review our progress. 

First, the review

The 1^st post was on Monday, February 16, 2009.

The 100^th post was on April 14, 2009.

The 200^th post was on June 10, 2009

The 300^th post was on September 2, 2009

The 400^th post was on December 16, 2009

The 500^th post was on April 7, 2010

The 600^th post was on August 2, 2010

The 700^th post was on December 17, 2010

The 800^th post was on May 17, 2011

The 900^th post was on October 5, 2011

The 1,000^th post was on March 7, 2012

The 1,100^th post was on August 24, 2012

The 1,200^th post was on February 1, 2013

The 1,300^th post was on June 5, 2013

The 1,400^th post was on October 30, 2013

The 1,500^th post was on April 7, 2014

The 1,600^th post was on September 18, 2014

The 1,700^th post was on February 20, 2015

The 1,800^th post was on June 25, 2015

The 1,900^th post was on November 12, 2015

The 2,000^th post was on April 21, 2016

The 2,100^th post is today, October 25, 2016

The top 15 posts, in terms of distribution, have been:

1.     Your Best STAAR Preparation Plan – Section 2 (3/6/2014)

2.     Your Best STAAR Preparation Plan – Section 1 (3/5/2014)

3.     Maximize Your Instructional Time (8/20/2015)

4.     Student Test Taking Anxiety is 99% on Us (3/12/2014)

5.     Campus Security Checklist (12/18/2012)

6.     Be the Best Me in the Classroom (11/14/2014)

7.     Closing the Lesson – It’s All About the Plan (10/22/2014)

8.     How To Turn “Pencil on Paper” Activities Into Critical Writing (10/28/15)

9.     New From the Lead Your School Lab... The Fundamental 5 Classroom App (8/26/2014)

10.  A Reader Writes... Lesson Framing – Part 1 (10/11/2013)

11.  A Reader Asks... HS Math Lesson Frames (2/19/2014)

12.  The Five Fundamentals of Classroom Environment (8/19/2015)

13.  A Principal Asks... Should We Frame a Test (11/6/2013)

14.  Your 6-step STAAR Preparation Strategy (12/14/2012)

15.  Make the Last Month Count (4/25/2015)

There are now international readers and e-mail subscribers, with the following 49 countries represented: Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Cook Islands, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Venezuela, and Vietnam

A little blatant self-promotion

First, if you like the blog and you haven’t signed up for the e-mail subscription, please do so.  I find that it’s easier to write to people than it is to write to web hits.

Second, if you like the blog and find it useful, tell three other people.  This blog is a much more powerful resource for school improvement when it is a dialogue.

Third, if you have not sent in a comment yet, please do so.  Education research points out that the act of critical writing actually makes the learner smarter.  Let the blog assist you in sharpening your saw.

Finally

Thank you so much for reading and responding.  This network, which started out as a way for just a handful of principals to stay connected has turned into a small nation of board members, central office administrators, campus leaders, and teachers who are focused on redefining student success.  Who knows what we will discuss in the next 100 posts.

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

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of October 16, 2016

If you are not following @LYSNation on Twitter, then you missed the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of October 16, 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. After a long week I keep coming back to one quote I heard at the LYS Leadership Academy, "If not us, then who?" It kept me going! (By @hawkeshub) 

2. "In public education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” -1954 (By @NAACP)

3. When a student makes a poor choice (which we all do), it's the conversation, not the consequence, which makes all the difference. (By @justintarte)

4. "Complacency is powerful in that it is sneaky and often not apparent, taking years to cause long term damage" –C. Moore (By @clwilkens)

5. The Fundamental 5 (Cain & Laird), never gets old! Common sense, wisdom, and best practices for learning! (By @aprilamoney)

6. Nothing beats the Power Zone (The Fundamental 5). Putting your eyes on student work as it happens is the best form of assessment possible. (By @vhsaldana)

7. Lecture has its place... but consider if your class was recorded, how often would student voices be heard? (By @justintarte)

8. In effective schools, everyone plays a leadership role. (By @vhsaldana)

9. The more complicated you make your "vision" for your school, the less likely it will ever be achieved. (By @gcouros) 

10. When you have a more compassionate mind and cultivate warm-heartedness, the whole atmosphere around you becomes more positive and friendlier. (By @DalaiLama)

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