Brezina Writes... Update from the World Tour

Fresh from his speaking engagement at Cambridge, Mr. Brezina has interrupted his European "fact finding" mission to submit the following:

Every thing is going well in the UK. Lots of interest in what the LYS schools are doing. There should be several new people visiting the blog.

Cheerio, yall.

BB

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Gant Wisdom 1 - Part 8)

In response to the post “Gant Wisdom 1- Part 5,” a reader writes:

“Wow! That is where I want to be, I'm just not there yet. I think I have one hole in the dike plugged and another one springs a leak!”

SC Response
You’re closer than you think. Schools like yours (ultra high performing Title 1 campuses) are a lot like a non-BCS conference football team. You don’t have the best athletes year in and year out, but with a solid system and expert coaching you kids are always competitive. Then with the right break at the right time, during any given year you are in the hunt for a national championship. In other words, your campus is aggressive and scrappy (two of my favorite adjectives). It is due to that scrappiness and aggression that true instructional innovation generally comes from campuses such as yours (even in your own district, what was the last useful innovation that came from a high SES campus). You, your staff and your students don’t have the luxury of standing pat.

So keep plugging away; your campus is already one of the elite in your district. Your focus keeps your campus in the position to capitalize on the one break that will elevate it to the ranks of world class, at least until the next school year starts.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Gant Wisdom 1 - Part 7)

In response to the posts relating to “Gant Wisdom 1,” a reader writes:

“Sean,

Your closing question to the post, “are you a manager or a leader,” provides an interesting paradox.

If you read this blog and continue to 'choose' management, then you need to find different reading material to fill your time because you're just 'playing leader.’ If you read this and connect to the things you share then you already know you're a leader.”

SC Response
I know that there is a lot of preaching to the choir that goes on in this blog. But I also know that there is a steady stream of readers who are trying new ways of leading their teams that are contrary to the existing culture of their campus and/or district. Thus my question was poised to either reaffirm their course of action or to have them question what role they actually serving.

But you are right, if you are not willing to push the envelope and work everyday to purposefuly create a better future for your students and your campus, then you are not going to get much from this blog. And you are darn sure never going to be a card carrying member of the LYS Nation.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Gant Wisdom 1 - Part 6)

In response to the posts relating to “Gant Wisdom 1,” a reader writes:

"Sean, our Principal cluster group was having a discussion about morale, similar to the concept discussed earlier this week. We agreed that the best way to improve staff moral was to have success in improving student achievement.

Our teachers love their work when they see the payoff of their effort in the improved results their students have on weekly checkpoints and district assessments. Giving staff recognition and reinforcing their effort for this success is how you build staff moral.

Sure, we try to be nice and do some fun stuff but that is not what builds staff cohesiveness. It is improving student achievement that brings staff together, working for a common vision and goal."

SC Response
Those of you who have worked with me or have heard me speak know that I often say, “Never worry about morale.” And I can not emphasize how must I mean that. “Chasing” morale is a “lose / lose” proposition. At least morale, as most educators define it, which is the idea that it is leadership’s responsibility to ensure that the staff “like” their job. Work is work. If you like your work, that’s just an extra bonus.

Now I do subscribe to the importance of a military type definition of morale. Morale defined in a manner that centers on the staff's belief in the quality of leadership, belief in the importance of the mission, and the belief that the training that has been provided provides the staff with the tools and expertise to have a chance at successfully completing the mission. This type of morale is important and is the responsibility of leadership. And staff that have high levels of this type of morale often achieve great things.

When I can’t define the mission and can’t identify the tools and training that my staff need to complete the mission (which by my definition is the recipe for poor leadership), then I have to resort to the smoke and mirrors of making you “feel” good. It is the "win" that feels good, not what I do for you; the hard work, stress and pressure just make the win that much more satisfying.

Great comment by the way.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Gant Wisdom 1- Part 5)

In response to the posts relating to “Gant Wisdom 1,” a reader writes:

"I could not disagree more with the assertion that a familial atmosphere is only for adults. I work in a school that operates like a family in that we support each other in difficult times, laugh, cry, and get angry with each other like families do. It is in this trusting environment that we make the best decisions regarding our students. We hold honest conversations in regards to instruction, performance, environment, and a myriad of other topics on a daily basis. Every person on staff has an understanding of their role in the family - and an even greater appreciation for what each individual brings to the whole.

Our teachers definitely talk about the things we do that make them feel supported, and in the same breath will say that they are held accountable for every move they make and that kids are first, even when it makes their life miserable! We have worked to build what Michael Fullen calls the loose-tight system. We are relaxed and family oriented when it comes to our attitudes with each other and we act with the precision of the military when it comes to our instruction, content and performance."

Your turn...

Data Use

There are two basic types of data to work with in a school, student data and teacher data. Using student data is the first stage of data analysis and if you aren’t using data on your campus this is where to start. Student data will indicate where the low hanging fruit can be found. For example, I was working with a campus and in the midst of doing some item analysis, we discovered that students were overwhelmingly missing science questions that dealt with application. That problem was solved by getting students in the lab for more hands-on activities.

However, student data will only take you so far. The next stage of data use revolves around teacher data. It is the team analysis of this data that is the foundation of a truly vibrant professional learning community. To begin this process, leadership must provide teachers with three tools. The first is a common scope and sequence, the second is short-term, common assessments and the third is classroom observation data. These three tools allow teachers to identify which teachers make the biggest and most consistent gains with the campus’ most academically fragile students and which components of pedagogy seems to make the biggest impact in the classrooms.

Armed with this information and time to plan, learn and adapt, an instructional staff can go from sub-par to extraordinary in less than a year.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…