A Reader Writes... Keep Doing What You Do

A LYS Assistant Superintendent writes:

SC,

I know that you probably get emails with positive comments cheering you on all the time, but keep up the great work.  I love what you are doing for education!

SC Response

Thank you! Though it doesn’t happen all the time (see yesterday’s post), the vast majority of the comments I receive are positive.  And those comments, like yours, let me know that the work that all of us in the LYS Nation are doing is vital, important, and needs a forum.

Then there are the negative comments from readers who happen upon the blog.  And even more than the positive comments, those comments let me know that we have to keep educating the public about what our mission is in education and that we, educators, have to tell our story. A story of facts, reality, enlightenment, and improving an entire citizenry.

Because the story of our (public educators) daily work is neither the agenda nor the propaganda of those marshaled against public education.

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: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association Conference (Multiple Presentations); LYS / TASSP Advanced Leadership Academy (Keynote) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Locus of Control

Do you have an external or internal locus of control? Meaning, do you see what happens be driven more by what is done to you or what you do?  This has nothing to do with intelligence. Your locus of control drives how you see the world and how you react to it.  Let’s look at school performance and locus of control for educators

Educators with an external locus of control look at schools and reach the conclusion that it is unfair to hold schools accountable due to all the factors schools cannot control.  Poverty, divorce, abuse, language difficulties, disabilities, lack of funding, etc.  And do you know what?  They are right. And they are wrong.

Educators with an internal locus of control look at schools and reach the conclusions that we must hold schools accountable due to all the factors schools control.  Instructional practices, schedules, content, direct student contact, etc. And do you know what? They are right. And they are wrong.

So on a practical level what does this mean? It means that education is a calling that forces educators to face the highest highs and lowest lows.  Sometimes on a daily basis.  It also means that for every educator who subscribes that we can and should do more there is one who subscribes to there is nothing else we can do.  Which means as an instructional leader it is important to chart a course of reality based optimism. This will build your credibity with every teacher on your staff.   

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); 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

Fundamental 5 and Teacher Evaluation Alignment (PDAS)

Yesterday, I wrote that implementation of The Fundamental 5 should not be used for a teacher’s summative evaluation.  Instead, administrators should use the observed implementation of The Fundamental 5 for teacher formative assessment, feedback and coaching.  Essentially supporting a teacher in the honing of daily craft to make summative evaluations less stressful and more rewarding for the teacher. 

To illustrate how this works in practice I will use the PDAS as an example.  The PDAS is the current teacher formative evaluation tool in use in Texas.

When I Frame the Lesson, I make a positive impact on the following PDAS Domains:

Domain I (Student Participation)

Domain II (Learner-Centered Instruction)

Domain III (Evaluation and Feedback)

Domain IV (Management)

Domain V (Professional Communication)

Domain VIII (Improvement of Academic Performance of All Students)

When I Work in the Power Zone, I make a positive impact on the following PDAS Domains:

Domain I (Student Participation)

Domain II (Learner-Centered Instruction)

Domain III (Evaluation and Feedback)

Domain IV (Management)

Domain V (Professional Communication)

Domain VIII (Improvement of Academic Performance of All Students)

When I use Frequent Small Group Purposeful Talk, I make a positive impact on the following PDAS Domains:

Domain I (Student Participation)

Domain II (Learner-Centered Instruction)

Domain III (Evaluation and Feedback)

Domain IV (Management)

Domain VIII (Improvement of Academic Performance of All Students)

When I Recognize & Reinforce, I make a positive impact on the following PDAS Domains:

Domain I (Student Participation)

Domain II (Learner-Centered Instruction)

Domain III (Evaluation and Feedback)

Domain IV (Management)

Domain V (Professional Communication)

Domain VIII (Improvement of Academic Performance of All Students)

When I have my students Write Critically, I make a positive impact on the following PDAS Domains:

Domain I (Student Participation)

Domain II (Learner-Centered Instruction)

Domain III (Evaluation and Feedback)

Domain VIII (Improvement of Academic Performance of All Students)

As the teacher is observed implementing The Fundamental 5 at high frequency and high quality during a Summative Observation, the administrator should find it easy to evaluate that teacher as Exceeding Expectations in the following PDAS Domains:

Domain I (Student Participation)

Domain II (Learner-Centered Instruction)

Domain III (Evaluation and Feedback)

Domain IV (Management)

Domain V (Professional Communication)

Domain VIII (Improvement of Academic Performance of All Students)

The Bottom Line: When administrators use the Fundamental 5 for formative teacher support, as those practices are then implemented with increased frequency and quality, teachers can’t help but to met and exceed expectations on their PDAS summative evaluation.

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: TMSA Winter Conference; ASCD Annual Conference; TEPSA Summer Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

PowerWalks Hero Schools (December 2014)

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 December, the Hero Schools met or exceeded the targets below:

The December Hero School Targets

Big Schools – 175 PowerWalks Observations

Medium Sized Schools – 125 PowerWalks Observations

Small Schools – 65 PowerWalks Observations

Very Small Schools – 40 PowerWalks Observations.

For January, due to holidays and starting a new semester, we will adjust the targets:

The January Hero School Targets

Big Schools – 250 PowerWalks Observations

Medium Sized Schools – 175 PowerWalks Observations

Small Schools – 95 PowerWalks Observations

Very Small Schools – 50 PowerWalks Observations.

For the record, the schools in the LYS nation conducted a total of 5,889 PowerWalks observations this past month.  But enough stalling, here are your twenty-five PowerWalks Hero Schools for the month of December 2014.  Congratulations!!!

Elementary Schools	Junior High & Middle Schools	Alternative Schools	Combined Campuses	High Schools
Rennell ES (CFISD – midsized school): 505	Winona ES / MS (WISD – small school): 522	San Marcos School (JWPCS – very small school): 150		Winona HS (WISD – small school): 331
Winona ES / IS (WISD – small school): 357	Magnolia JH (MISD – midsized school): 131			Mayde Creek HS (KISD – large school): 265
Veterans’ Hill ES (HISD – small school): 237	Big Spring IS (BSISD - small school): 125			Fairdale HS (JCPS – large school): 249
West Avenue ES (NEISD – small school): 187				Morton Ranch HS (KISD – large school): 230
Raymond E. Curtis ES (WISD – small school): 154				Weatherford HS (WISD – large school): 218
Dublin ES (DISD – very small school): 152				Iroquois HS (JCPS – large school): 186
Mary Martin ES (WISD – small school): 146				Weatherford 9th Grade Center (WISD – small school): 78
Stephen F. Austin ES (WISD – small school): 116
Refugio ES (RISD – small school): 80
Hutto ES (HISD – small school): 76
Cottonwood Creek ES (HISD – small school): 73
Marlin ES (MISD – very small school): 72
Ray ES (HISD – small school): 71
Johnson ES (HISD – small school): 69

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: TMSA Winter Conference; ASCD Annual Conference; TEPSA Summer Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

PowerWalks Hero Schools (November 2014)

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 November, the Hero Schools met or exceeded the targets below:

Big Schools – 250 PowerWalks Observations

Medium Sized Schools – 175 PowerWalks Observations

Small Schools – 95 PowerWalks Observations

Very Small Schools – 50 PowerWalks Observations.

For December, due to the Christmas holiday, we will adjust the targets:

The December Hero School Targets

Big Schools – 175 PowerWalks Observations

Medium Sized Schools – 125 PowerWalks Observations

Small Schools – 65 PowerWalks Observations

Very Small Schools – 40 PowerWalks Observations.

For the record, the schools in the LYS nation conducted a total of 9,197 PowerWalks observations this past month.  But enough stalling, here are your thirty-two PowerWalks Hero Schools for the month of November 2014.  Congratulations!!!

Elementary Schools	Junior High & Middle Schools	Alternative Schools	Combined Campuses	High Schools
Mary Martin ES (WISD – small school): 470	Winona ES / MS (WISD – small school): 368	San Marcos School (JWPCS – very small school): 142		Mayde Creek HS (KISD – large school): 906
Winona ES / IS (WISD – small school): 424	Big Spring IS (BSISD - small school): 215	Afton Oaks School (JWPCS – very small school): 57		Morton Ranch HS (KISD – large school): 379
David Crockett ES (WISD – small school): 336	Big Spring JH (BSISD – midsized school): 212			Fairdale HS (JCPS – large school): 322
Rennell ES (CFISD – midsized school): 313	Magnolia JH (MISD – midsized school): 195			Winona ES / HS (WISD – small school): 236
Raymond E. Curtis ES (WISD – small school): 253	Refugio JH (RISD – small school): 135			Weatherford 9th Grade Center (WISD – small school): 113
Veterans’ Hill ES (HISD – small school): 252	Dublin IS (DISD – very small school): 85
Washington ES (BSISD – small school): 214
Ray ES (HISD – small school): 212
Refugio ES (RISD – small school): 181
Dublin ES (DISD – very small school): 176
Cottonwood Creek ES (HISD – small school): 151
Juan N. Seguin ES (WISD – small school): 146
Marcy ES (BSISD – small school): 139
Stephen F. Austin ES (WISD – small school): 139
Hutto ES (HISD – small school): 135
Johnson ES (HISD – small school): 128
Marlin ES (MISD – very small school): 124
Goliad ES (BSISD – small school): 119
West Avenue ES (NEISD – small school): 112

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: TMSA Winter Conference; ASCD Annual Conference; TEPSA Summer Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook