Investing in You / Investing in Your School

I meet with Principals every day who are at their wits end trying to keep school performance just above state and federal minimum standards. Everyone wants to know the short-cut to success. 

What tutoring program works best?

How do I hire better people?

How do I get rid of weak staffers?

What discipline program to use?

Is there a better curriculum?

There are no short-cuts.

There is only the daily on-going hard work, sweat equity and reflection on and with the right processes, tools and practices.  And there is the rub.  There is hard work and sweat produced on every campus, most every day. But it is diffused, misguided, penny-wise/pound-foolish work and sweat.

Take for example the practice of observing classrooms for formative purposes.  We know that if school leaders will invest just 30 minutes a day observing classrooms (this can be any combination from five, 5-minute observations to one, 30-minute observation), that over time good things begin to occur. A short list includes: improved student behavior, improved teacher craft, improved resource allocation, improved problem solving, and most importantly, improved understanding of pedagogy and the classroom dynamic.

Implemented correctly, the ROI on this leadership practice is as close to a guaranteed positive as you can get.

We also know that when presented the option of making the small daily investment of visiting classrooms for formative purposes or searching for shortcuts / scapegoats, only about 25% of principals engage in the first choice. 

Now, what will you invest in?

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: Texas ASCD Summer Conference, The National Principals Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote) 
• 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