A Reader Writes... (Instructional Discussions - Part 2)

In response to the post, “Instructional Discussions,” a reader writes:

“Here is one key concept in response to your post that the LYS philosophy stresses that people have such a hard time comprehending: We need to FORCE teachers to be "coaches," not lecturers, and model for them what true instructional coaching is. When I went through the LYS Leadership Development Academy, Cain talked it, preached it, and always modeled it. Our staff had no doubt what instructional coaching was.

As we all transformed from lecturers to actively engaged coaches, success permeated our inner city secondary campus. Coaching is the word and the concept. But it is too simple for the majority of educators to grasp.”

SC Response
You are right. You also hit on one of the six keys to rapid change. Once you train your people, you have to make them implement the training. That sounds draconian, but it really isn’t. Because over 90% of making someone “do” something involves coaching, observation, feedback, timely support, encouragement and problem solving. When that is in place, the “doing” occurs more effectively and efficiently. As you pointed out, this is what we lived everyday, in real time and in real classrooms, at the Leadership Development Academy.

Now juxtapose that to the traditional model in place at most campuses.

1. Campus administration stays in their silos.

2. Central office never ventures out from Downtown.

3. Teachers hunker down in their classrooms.

4. Meaningful training occurs infrequently (if at all).

5. Some level of administration mandates improved performance.

6.Teachers continue to do what they feel is most effective.

7. Finally, the weakest link gets the blame for the failures of the campus. Depending on the campus, the weakest link is usually identified as "those students" or "those teachers."

As you can see (and many of you have lived through), the shift to LYS philosophy is dramatic. Since most educators have only been exposed to the traditional system, they do not believe that the LYS’er is there to coach, up until someone proves to be uncoachable. Understandably, their initial response is to fight and pushback. Hence, the “make them implement" rule. But with LYS, “make” is all together different.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... Another Cainism

Another LYS reader shares a favorite Cainism…

“Here is my favorite Cainism…

‘Students do not abide by the dress code because teachers refuse to model a professional dress code standard after the first week of school. That is why we have to babysit teachers at times.’

(Spoken with vigor and anger at a leadership development academy in a large urban district and I loved it).”

SC Response
Just a little context. In this district there is a standardized dress code for students. Many teachers use this dress code as an add-on harassment when they are documenting student misbehavior. Much like the expired inspection sticker ticket that is added on top of your speeding ticket. Couple this with the fact that as a whole, the instructional staff dresses rather shabby, day in and day out.

Here was my frustration and anger. Non-compliance with the dress code was the number one discipline referral. Yet, not one middle-class teacher (and though it may not feel like it, as educators, we are the middle class) was willing to model the dress expectation for a student population made up entirely of poor students. When I pointed out that the most powerful way to teach something is to model it, I was told that I just didn’t understand. It seems that in that district, as adults, they didn’t have to conform to student rules.

Then came my statement. For those of you who know me personally, you can see that I still was trying to maintain somewhat of a professional demeanor. Because rule number one for me and my team was and is, “If you are not willing to model what you expect, then don’t hold people accountable for meeting the expectation.”

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Chef Wayne, or How Do You Interview?

First, a disclaimer. In general, living on the road is a combination of the mundane, punctuated by random irritation. After the first two weeks, all illusions of glamour have disappeared. However, sometimes there are perks…

Recently, I the was guest of Chef Wayne, the Executive Chef of the Chart House, in San Antonio, for a tasting menu dinner. The Chart House is one of the top three restaurants in the city and the whole experience for incredible, but that is not the point of the story. Here’s the point. We were test subjects.

Chef Wayne was in the process of hiring a new chef for the kitchen and we were part of the try-out. So what is a chef interview like? At a 5-star restaurant, with a boss like Chef Wayne, it goes a little something like this. The interviewee is provided with all the fresh ingredients to cook a meal (it this case: appetizers, soup, salad, side dishes, main course, and dessert). The chef then tells the candidate, “Impress me.”

The interviewee then begins cooking. The Chef is judging him on organization, timeliness, taste and presentation. If the Chef is impressed, the interviewee is hired. If the Chef isn’t impressed, the interviewee hits the bricks.

Talk about being results oriented. What if we were able to hire teachers in a similar manner? "Here’s the class, here’s the lesson plan and resources, now teach a mini-lesson and impress me."

I would ask, what if we could hire administrators the same way? But, in some places we already are. The Leadership Development Academy (LDA) in San Antonio is a one year interview for aspiring assistant principals and principals. These aspiring leaders are working everyday with the toughest kids in San Antonio, with this mandate: teach the toughest of the tough and show that you have what it takes to move to the next level. And it works.

Some staff are being plucked from the program to fill leadership positions as they open up, some staff are on the “A” list to move up soon, and some staff have shown that though they were willing to talk the talk, they are either unwilling or unable to walk the walk.

Bob Brezina, taught me to hire based on potential, retain based on performance. Chef Wayne and the LDA take this to the next level; hire based on performance, retain based on performance.

So what happened to the chef who was being interviewed? In a unique turn of events, he was asked to come back and interview again the next night. As those of us in the dinner party can attest, he nailed the crab stuffed mushrooms, pear and goat cheese salad, lobster bisque, potatoes, grilled sea bass and chocolate soufflé. However, he fried the spinach. Evidently, you don’t fry spinach in Chef Wayne’s kitchen.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your Turn…