Putting 2016 in Our Rear-View Mirror

 For my last post of 2016, I’ll share something my Grandfather told me thirty years ago.

“Everyone one has choices.  Your choice is how hard you are willing to work.

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), Learning for a Change Spring Summit (Keynote and 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

Correlation is not Causation

Every education leader should print this statement, “Correlation is not Causation,” and hang it where they can see it every day. You can’t imagine the number of leaders who place their entire organization at risk by blindly chasing coincidence.

In education, Causation is difficult (if not to impossible) to determine.  Which means that no matter how sure you are that something is going to work, you must constantly measure, monitor, reflect and adjust.  Otherwise, at some point Correlation is going to sandbag you.

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), Learning for a Change Spring Summit (Keynote and 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

A Reader Writes... Reducing the Number of Re-testers - Part 1

In response to the 7/26/16 post, “Reducing the Number of Re-testers,” a reader adds:

SC,

One additional item should be added in your list (see below).

1. Get on Pace

2. Teach Better

3. Intervene Quicker

4. Red Shirt Your Freshmen

5. Lead Your Feeder Pattern

As you have advised before, the assignment of teachers to the test subjects needs to be considered.  Too often it is the new, inexperienced, and/or least prepared teacher that is assigned to Algebra I (the most critical high school math course) or English 1 (the most critical high school English course). This means the most at-risk teacher in the department faces the greatest accountability challenge as he/she is learning the trade... A horrible, yet completely avoidable situation.  

Then we see the more experienced teacher being "rewarded" with the "higher level courses".  As a department chair I had a firm belief that the experienced teacher should be teaching both a "high level" and "low level" course.  Share that hard-earned experience where it makes the greatest impact!

SC Response

Preach!

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), Learning for a Change Spring Summit (Keynote and 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