A Reader Asks... Lesson Frame Depth

A LYS Teacher asks the following question:

SC,

How much detail should my Lesson Frame include?

SC Response

The Short Answer: Just enough.

The Slightly Longer Answer: Great question, that a number of teachers struggle with.  Your Lesson Frame needs just enough details so the students know what they will be working on during that particular lesson (OBJECTIVE) and how they will demonstrate that they learned the most important element of that particular lesson (CLOSE). 

In practice, this means that your Objective can be written in one to three sentences and your Close can be written in one to three sentences.  Save the in-depth information for the actual lesson.

Don’t forget that we train campuses on this and the other elements of The Fundamental 5. Call us if we can provide some additional assistance.

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: 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

Lesson Framing is Powerful at Every Grade Level

A LYS Assistant Superintendent submitted the following:

SC,

One of our preschool students drew a picture of himself at school. When his mom asked him what the blue square was hanging beside him, he said that it was the Lesson Frame. Cute!

The instructional and cultural shift in our district is reaching down to the preschool level!

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 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas ASCD Summer Conference; ESC 14 Sumer Conference (Keynote Presentation); ESC 11 Summer Conference (Keynote Presentation); NEASP National Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Reader Shares... The Power of the Fundamental 5

A LYS Assistant Superintendent shares the following:

SC,

I was sitting in on a PLC meeting at one of our campuses as teachers were discussing the continuous refinement of the Fundamental 5 in our classrooms. The conversations were as powerful as any I have been a part of in a PLC, but there were two teacher comments that I have to share with you.

1. "I never thought about Framing my Lesson before this year.  Now, I can't imagine teaching anything without it!"

2. "The Power Zone is more than just walking around. It is walking around your class with a purpose and focus."

SC Response

Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work.  The shared focus of central office, campus administrations and teachers on the daily execution of great instruction in all of your classrooms is not only inspiring, it is beginning to pay dividend that were unimaginable even just last semester.

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 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
• Upcoming Presentations: Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote), TASSP Assistant Principals’ Workshop (Featured Speaker), American Association of School Administrators Conference (Multiple Presentations), National Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations)
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation

The Big Easy Shares... Second Grade Math Exit Ticket

The Big Easy sent the following note and picture:

SC,

I was on an LYS campus last week and a second grade teacher shared some exit tickets that her students had just completed. I’ve included a picture of one of them.

Notice that the student had picked up on the power of the “We will...” and “I will...” statements.

Pretty awesome!

SC Response

More like Freaking Awesome! It’s obvious that the student is using the Lesson Frame. Also, great use by the teacher of an exit ticket. And think about this, this is critical writing in a math class, by a second grader!!!

Thanks for sharing and let the teacher and the principal know that they are doing us proud.

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
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
• Confirmed 2012 Presentations: NASB Conference; TASSP Conference (multiple sessions); Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote)

Top LYS Tweets from the Week of November 13th, 2011

And we’re back.... I hope everyone had a restful holiday.

While we were gone, an LYS Teacher asked:

SC,

Do you have an electronic version of the Fundamental 5 lesson plan template? I would love to have it to type up and save versus copying and writing.

SC Response

Completely in line our advocacy of use of bootleg technology in schools, The Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Template is now available at the Apple App Store. The tool even maps the rigor and relevance of your planned lesson. Yes, it’s that cool.

Just go to the app store and search for ‘Fun 5 Plans’. If you don’t have an I-Pad or an I-phone, a desktop version and an android app version are in the works.

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now using your own 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 November 13th, 2011, as tabulated by the accountants at Price Waterhouse.

1. All things being equal, A System will invariably win out over No System.

2. Rigor has little to do with your lecture and everything to do with student response and product.

3. (The Fundamental 5) Great read full of sound advice. (By @kimbarker25)

4. I advocate a merit-based system for parking spaces. Those who get to work first merit the best spots.

5. When it comes to doling out parking spaces, why does the office staff always outrank the teaching staff?

6. Awesome "Frame the Lesson" teacher quote: I am their mental filter.

7. Technology is just a tool. Assessment is just a tool. Pedagogy is the vehicle for understanding. Content lines the road. (By @doctorjeff)

8. Dear State Leader: School funding is broken yet you continue to pit good Texans against one another by framing it as "rich" v. "poor." (By @tlonganecker)

9. Is this not contradictory? "There is no screening." And, "We require all students to submit application for consideration." (By @tlonganecker)

10. If you come to a training session late, without something to write on and/or write with, can you really get upset with students who do the same?

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
• Get the Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan App at the App Store – Fun 5 Plans
• Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

A Reader Asks... PowerWalks and Fundamental 5 Support

A LYS Principal asks,

SC,

Is there a site or a group of contacts where we, as people that are using Power Walks and attempting to implement The Fundamental 5, can go to share ideas and/or ask questions to those who are also doing one or both?

Specifically, I am looking for some advice on helping my kindergarten teachers with lesson framing in a way that their students (who can’t read) will understand and begin to learn the process of lesson framing. Any suggestions would be great.

SC Response

As of now, there is not a specific site devoted to PowerWalks or the Fundamental 5. However, we have been getting more and more requests for a support site and a regular conference. In the interim, you can follow the LYS Daily Blog (www.lysnation.com) or the LYS Twitter Feed (www.twitter.com/lysnation).

To answer your question, Pre-Kinder and Kindergarten teachers often use pictures in their lesson frames. They also write them in very concrete and student friendly language and post them prominently in the classroom, as the upper grades do. But the PK and Kindergarten teacher is much more animated and overt as he or she reads the lesson frame to the class and refers back to the frame more frequently than an upper grade teacher. Presenting and reviewing the frame often becomes a reading exercise, much like the teacher reading from a book is a reading exercise.

Hope this helps and that everything is going well.

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

Confirmed 2012 Presentations: NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

A Superintendent Submits... The Fundamental 5 - Doctoral Level Discussions

A LYS Superintendent sent in the following field report.

SC,

Hope all is going well. As you know, I’ve been working on my Doctorate. In my cohort, there are school leaders from across the country. Last week my class was discussing how we can help special education and ESL students prepare for state assessments. I drove the discussion to scaffolding the instruction and specifically mentioned Lesson Framing (and quoted the book, The Fundamental 5). Here is a response a school leader in Virginia sent me.

I really enjoyed hearing about how you are requiring teachers to frame their lessons. The Cain and Laird (2011) reference is one that I am familiar with, but have not yet had the time to fully digest.

The use of framing seems to tie-in nicely with Wiggins and McTighe’s (2005) discussion on backwards [or reverse] planning [or design]. The underlying concept to using backwards design when creating a curriculum begins with identifying what you want the students to be able to do at the conclusion [outcome] of the curriculum. Then work backwards identifying critical elements of understanding that would be needed [sequentially] to be mastered by students that would eventually culminate in achievement of the end goal [a bit awkwardly worded I know]. In fact, I am quite surprised that Cain and Laird (2011) don’t reference Wiggins and McTighe (2005) at all in the text.

I would imagine that using the framing strategy would help alleviate student test anxiety and probably provide for more meaningful note taking. It would be interesting to set up a study to measure the effects [if any] of the use of framing. Any thoughts on if research regarding such a seemingly simple action has been completed?

Reference

Cain, S. and Laird, M. (2011). Fundamental five. Houston: CreateSpace.

Wiggins, G., and McTighe, J., (2005). Understanding by design: Expanded (2nd ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson, Merrill Prentice Hall

I just wanted to share a Virginia educator’s viewpoint and thank you for writing a great book. Thought you might enjoy!

SC Response

Heck yeah, I enjoyed this. Our little book is showing up all over the place. For the record, we didn’t mention Wiggins and McTighe because we hadn’t read their book. But the connection to backwards design is one that we highlight when we are training teachers. Once I decide how the student will demonstrate that he/she has mastered the objective, 80% of my lesson plan has been completed.

Thank you for mentioning our work in your class. Having the book discussed in a doctoral course is just crazy, flattering, exciting and beyond anything Laird and I ever imagined. Also, I did notice that the PowerWalks numbers for your district are through the roof. Keep up the good work and remember we’re just a phone call away.

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

Attend the LYS presentations at the Texas School Improvement Conference on 10/26/11 and 10/27/11

Confirmed 2012 Presentations: NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

Top LYS Tweets from the Week of October 2, 2011

Our bootleg technology conversation is dramatically different (if it exists at all) without the presence of Steve Jobs. With bootleg technology have a tool that is beyond the realm of imagination for prior generations of educators. We just have to figure out how to use it.

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now using your own 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 October 2, 2011, as tabulated by the accountants at Price Waterhouse.

1. In just two weeks, Cottonwood Elementary has increased the practice of Lesson Framing by over 30 percentage points.

2. When formative campus data is shared with the board, it immediately becomes summative to the staff. Regardless of board intent or action.

3. If you want to solve the problem of too many coaches going to too many events - make the athletic department pay for the substitute teacher. Even for PE.

4. Great Elementary Lesson Frame: We will discover how heating and cooling change things / I will tell my buddy one observation I made about change

5. At a bizarro central office meeting right now. Central office staff and principals are actually talking about instruction.

6. If the district technology department focused on increasing access for users instead of reducing the problems created by users, they would be more useful and have more job security.

7. Confused about Lesson Framing? Get “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction,” now available on Kindle.

8. If you try to fix every deficit of every student, you fix nothing for anyone. Prioritize interventions.

9. Shared ordeal is great for building trust and morale. Never waste a good crisis.

10-A. Ms. Roark was 5 for 5 on the Fundamental 5! Oh, and she was teaching seven, high school aged, emotionally disturbed students.

10-B. Mr. Berry was 4 for 5 on the Fundamental 5 today. Would be incredible instruction in a regular classroom. Simply over the top in a special education classroom.

10-C. Mr. Muzzy was 4 for 5 with the Fundamental 5, with eleven special education students in his class. Great job!

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

Attend the LYS presentations at the Texas School Improvement Conference on 10/26/11 and 10/27/11

Confirmed 2012 Presentations: NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

A Reader Asks... More K, 1, and 2 Lesson Frames

A LYS Principal asks the following:

SC,

I need some more examples of K, 1, and 2 Lesson Frames. My teachers are trying, but we can use a little extra help.

Thanks, LYS rocks!

SC Response
This is a great request to pass on to the LYS Nation. So all of you Elementary LYS'ers, if you have couple of great K, 1, and/or 2 Lesson Frames that you have seen or used recently on your campus, write them down or take a picture and send them to me. Then I'll forward them to the school in need.

Plus, to sweeten the deal (if you send your mailing address), the first 20 responses will get a World Famous Lead Your School Koozie.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Lesson Framing - Part 3)

In response to the post, “Lesson Framing – Part 2,” a reader writes:

“This reminds me of a conversation I had last night at a district parent meeting. I was telling a person that I mentor that turning around schools isn't that hard. My words were obviously contrary to the prevailing wisdom being shared that evening by other "school leaders." A parent overheard my comments, stepped up, and asked me to explain.

It was a classic LYS moment. The parent walked away, somewhat in disbelief: is this man insane, incompetent, a genius, or all three? Can changing my child's school really be that simple?

YES IT CAN!”

SC Response
Yes, the prescription for improving is rather simple (notice I did not say easy). And here is the ultimate irony, the faster you go the better it is for everyone (students, staff, leadership) involved (again, notice I didn’t say easy).

The problem is that as a whole, people want easy and they want to be liked. These desires are the polar opposites of the realities of meaningful change. Those who know me, or are familiar with my track record, or are aware of my reputation know that I can dramatically improve the performance of any unacceptable campus in less than one semester. But I can promise you that at the end of that semester you will be able to count the number of “happy” adults on one hand.

Of course you can go slower. But with each extra day you take you are marginalizing the future of one or more students for the sake of adult comfort and convenience. Rationalize your decision all you want, but know that when you place adult needs over student needs, at the very least you and I are going to have a tough conversation.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...