A Reader Writes... (Vouchers - It's Only Choice - Part 1)

In response to the 5/19/11 post “Vouchers - It's Only Choice,” a reader writes:

Interesting commentary…

SC Response

There is no question that I am a school reformer. But I am not in the camp that now labels themselves as such. I believe we have a duty to the taxpayer to efficiently and effectively use their funds. I believe we have a duty to our country to educate all children to the highest level within our means. I believe we have a duty to our staff to put them in the best possible situation to be successful. I believe we should diligently look for ways to improve the delivery of instruction. I believe the model for education designed for previous generations may not be the best model for this generation.

That being said, I think the solutions that will address my beliefs won’t be found hidden within political agendas and corporate earnings reports. At one time I worked with (not for) a major national reform initiative. Their belief system was a follows, “There are some great charter schools, so all charter schools are great. There are some bad traditional public schools, so all traditional public schools are bad.”

When I pointed out that by their logic, I could state, “There are some bad charter schools, so all charter schools are bad. There are some great traditional public schools, so all traditional public schools are great.” Their response was, “You are being contrary. Everyone knows that is not true. Public schools are beyond repair.”

Needless to say, it did not take long for us to part company.

Here is what I know:

1. There are some great charter schools. What they do well should be studied and replicated. There are some bad charter schools. They should be closed down.

2. There are some great traditional public schools. What they do well should be studied and replicated. There are some bad traditional public schools. They should be closed down.

3. With charter schools, there is an inverse relationship between quality of service provided to students and profit motive of the charter holder.

4. Vouchers are simply a tool to further the agenda of those who want to dismantle public schools. The fact that some good, but misguided, people think that they are a good idea does not change this fact.

5. Unions play right into the hands of the anti-school faction by fighting for every hill. When the teacher sound bites are all about adults, the general public believes that we have abandoned educating students as our mission.

I don’t know what the education environment will look like in ten to fifteen years. But I do know that if it is in the hands of the private and corporate sectors the gap between the “haves” and “have-nots” will only grow. That is not what I believe 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/4ydqd4t

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

Top LYS Tweets from the Week of July 10, 2011

Three things to think about as you consider allowing the use of bootleg technology on your campus. First, it is already occurring, both by adults and students. The system is just forcing the early adopters to hide their knowledge and expertise. Second, you need to review and revise campus and district policy in order to turn your early adopters from scofflaws into trailblazers, tutors and mentors. Finally, you need to be prepared to beef up your Wi-Fi access and ensure campus-wide coverage. You may think that what you currently have will suffice, but once everybody is trying to access the system, you will immediately notice the effect of limited bandwidth. The good news is that the fix is less expensive than buying new computers or hardwiring classrooms for more internet connections.

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now using bootleg technology devices to follow Twitter. If you haven’t done so yet, we want you to join us. To let you see what you are missing, here are the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of July 10, 2011, as tabulated by the accountants at Price Waterhouse.

1. Just read "The Fundamental 5" today. Very informative, enlightening book. Look forward to bringing the knowledge to my faculty. (By blitzkrieg 607)

2. Options instead of "test prep." 1 - Teach the scope and sequence. 2 - Embed more reading. 3 - Embed more writing. 4 - Embed more discussion.

3. I'm ok with the idea of paying teachers for exceptional performance. But wouldn't that require at least adequate school funding?

4. I would have no problem with merit pay if it were based on the performance of at-risk students. Having all of my affluent students pass isn't extraordinary.

5. So my at-risk merit pay plan idea isn't fair to GT & AP teachers? Sure it is. They just have to teach a section of at-risk students.

6. So my at-risk merit pay plan isn't fair to teachers at schools with no at-risk students? Sure it is. Just change schools. Less risk = less reward.

7. I find it funny that our Governor and Legislators easily break their commitment to students and schools, but not to the testing companies.

8. I would like for politicians to define the level of performance expected for the level of investment. That is fair.

9. The problem is that they (politicians) won't do that. Because, it (school performance and funding) is not about value. It is about opportunism (on both sides) and greed.

10. You could have a no cost 1 to 1 technology environment on the first day of class if you allowed students to bring and use their smart phones and tablets.

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/4ydqd4t

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

A Reader Writes... (A Look in the Mirror - Part 3)

In response to the 5/24/11 post “A Look In The Mirror,” a LYS Principal writes:

SC,

You know our TAKS scores were not great. But we did have a 130% increase in the number of students who passed all sections of the test!

SC Response

Your campus is a great example of three important concepts.

1. Exceptional performance can be measured in various ways, but it must be measured. Yes, ultimately we want to stand at the top of the mountain. But the pace at which we are completing that journey is also a critical and valid measure.

2. The further you lag behind, the greater the gains that can be expected when you adopt a systems approach. That is the power of the Foundation Trinity and the Fundamental 5. As you and your staff experienced, we are not talking about double-digit gains. We are talking about more than doubling performance.

3. There are no throw away schools and no throw away students. But there are bad systems, poor leadership and overwhelmed adults. Address the adult issues and students will respond.

Congratulations to you, your staff and your students. As you alluded to, you are only about 1/3 of the way to your ultimate goal. But your campus completed the first leg of the journey at world-class speed.

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/4ydqd4t

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

A Reader Writes... (Teacher Nests)

In response to the 3/3/2009 post “Teacher Nests,” a reader writes:

I understand that there are probably teachers who take advantage of their "nesting" areas, but punishing the entire field of teachers isn't the answer. Yes, I love my coffee (as do many). And yes, I use a refrigerator. However, my students are allowed access to the refrigerator for their water bottles.

To say that a person, who spends ten hours a day at their job, can't have a coffee pot and refrigerator for lunch, water, and dinner (sometimes dinner) isn't okay. Think about the teachers who spend hours BEFORE and AFTER school at work.

SC Response

First of all, thanks for browsing through the archives. I appreciate your interest in the prior conversations that we have engaged in on this blog. And I encourage any new readers to do so, also.

My issue with teacher nests has nothing to do with punishing teachers and everything to do with making teachers and classrooms more effective and efficient. Which reduces teacher stress and creates more time for teachers to spend at home. Or, thanks to our governor and legislators, will give teachers a fighting chance to teach and manage 40+ students in a class.

I could (and do) address this issue for hours, but for this post I will just summarize the highlights.

1. It is beyond refute that the environment in which you place the learner can either accelerate or decelerate the pace of learning. Meaning that as a teacher, the classroom environment can either help me or hurt me. My goal is to help the teacher.

2. It is beyond refute that the environment in which you place yourself can help or hinder your ability to complete a task and has an impact on the quality of the completed task. Which means as a teacher, the classroom environment can either help me or hurt me. My goal is to help the teacher.

3. It is beyond refute that a teacher “nest” is positively correlated to an increased classroom clutter and disorganization.

4. It is beyond refute that a teacher “nest” is negatively correlated to time spent in the “Power Zone.”

5. It is beyond refute that time spent in the “Power Zone” is positively correlated to increased “on-task” behavior and decreased discipline issue.

6. It is beyond refute that the teacher is completely in charge of his or her “nest.”

As we all know, my job is to help schools improve performance and to make educators more effective. I understand that some changes are easier than others and that some changes feel like personal attacks. But do know, for me its not personal. I just want you and your students to exceed your expectations.

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/4ydqd4t

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

The Big Easy Writes... (A Look in the Mirror - Part 2)

In response to the 5/24/11 post “A Look In The Mirror,” The Big Easy writes:

SC,

I thought your reflection on the TAKS scores was great advice. I am reminded of a couple of quotes:

"Tough times never last, but tough people do." Robert Schuller.

And several college football coaches have been quoted as saying, after a tough loss, "Don't let a team beat you twice."

The 2011 TAKS is over. What is now important is the next game on the schedule.

SC Response

I’ll take the coaching analogy further. TAKS was a Division II football team. You know, the team that the big schools schedule early in the season to pad their record (I’m talking to you, Cheadhorn).

STAAR is the perennial Top 10 School that is on the schedule next week. What this means is if your campus struggled with TAKS, you are already behind the eight ball. But even if you didn’t struggle with TAKS, you still have no idea if you are truly prepared for STAAR. The point being if you are pouting and licking your wounds due to past failures, or are resting on your laurels due to past success, you are not adequately preparing yourself for the task at hand.

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/4ydqd4t

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

A Reader Writes... (A Look in the Mirror - Part 1)

In response to the 5/24/11 post “A Look In The Mirror,” a LYS Principal writes:

The 'troop rallying' has already begun. During a post-TAKS conference, I reminded an individual teacher not to define herself by just two numbers. I was actually proud of her sincere disappointment at the sub-pop scores in her grade and content area. That reality shocked us all (yes, I cried like a baby when I saw it on the screen for the first time). Even with secure data analysis and valid RTL programming - there can be surprises even for the best of us...

But all said and done - another LYS 'baby' school will stand on its own two feet this year. Proudly, as Recognized WITHOUT ANY exceptions!!!

Way to go Bears - thanks for believing even when you didn't fully understand it all yet - you Rock!

SC Response

Great attitude. Improvement is measured by progress forward and the pace of change. The goal is to get from Point A to Point B. Re-assess and then take off for Point C. And even for a rookie, you understand an important component of continuous improvement, disappointment. When you are satisfied and/or resigned to your fate it is very difficult to find the motivation to push yourself to get better. But when you are disappointed, that means that something is lacking. Which means there is something that you can do to improve your lot.

I had a former employee tell me that she only figured out why I was a great principal to work for, after I was gone. She said, “No matter what we accomplished, you were always vaguely disappointed. Which meant that we couldn’t slow down, we had to keep pushing ourselves. Your replacement kept telling us how we were the best and no one could do what we do. Since we were the best, we slowed down. And now we are in trouble again.”

Now here is my secret. I was always vaguely disappointed. But not with the staff and students, with myself. I could see that we weren’t getting results that I thought were commiserate with our effort. Which meant the system wasn’t efficient, which meant I wasn’t doing my part. Hence their hard work and diminished results reflected on my value to the team. As I said, disappointing. My course of action? More thinking, more working, so my school could have more achieving.

Congratulations on your success in a tough accountability year. I know a lot of your non-LYS peers in your district took significant steps backwards. The perils of believing the TPM hype. You and your campus are poised to be extraordinary in the next couple of years. Don’t lose sight of that.

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/4ydqd4t

Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation