Top LYS Tweets from the Week of March 12, 2017

If you are not following @LYSNation on Twitter, then you missed the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of March 12, 2017 when they were first posted.  And if you are on Twitter, you might want to check out the Tweeters who made this week’s list.

1. Do not underestimate the value of example, for it is more powerful than a thousand words, a thousand “likes”, retweets or YouTube videos. (By @Pontifex)

2. School Segregation and related school improvement ideas (see: Vouchers) benefit the few to the ill of the many. Segregation doesn’t improve at scale, it destroys. (By @LYSNation)

3. The angry adult should not be the person determining the student consequence. (By @LYSNation)

4. The main purposes of student assessment data is to highlight the quality of the adult practice and help us decide on what to do to improve. (By @LYSNation)

5. All Socorro ISD juniors are taking the SAT test today at no cost to families. SISD, educating and treating our students as one of our own children. (By @JEspinoza)

6. Sorting students is a by-product of assessment. If that's all you do the only guaranteed result is that the number of students who struggle will increase. (By @LYSNation)

7. A student consequence should not be determined to satisfy the adult. It should be selected based on making the student school ready, sooner rather than later. (By @LYSNation)

8. Teachers who don't take the time to build relationships with students are making their job much harder than it should be. (By @BluntEducator)

9. Principals, check on substitute teachers each period. Make sure things are going smoothly, that the substitute has everything she needs, and student behavior meets your expectation. (By @LYSNation)

10. Visit classrooms... Beat Cancer! (By @LYSNation)

Visit Classrooms…  Beat Cancer!

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 National Principals Conference; 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

Use Your Data Better This Year

Most schools and educators use student performance data to sort students.  The students take some sort of assessment (it doesn’t matter at what level, classroom to entire state), the school gets the results and teachers start sorting.  You know the groups... Super Stars, Above Average, Average, Below Average, Maybe With Devine Intervention.

Here’s the thing, if performance data is only used to sort students there is only one predictable outcome.  The group of students who don’t meet standard will continue to grow over time.

Exceptional schools don’t use student performance data to sort students (at least it is not the main activity). Instead, exceptional schools use student performance data to drive adult practice.  Once you understand that it is adult practice that drives student performance then you realize that the analysis of student performance data provides educators with four critical pieces of information.

1. Is classroom instruction aligned with the pace of the district’s scope and sequence?

2. Is classroom instruction aligned with the rigor  of the district’s scope and sequence?

3. Which instructional practices seem to work best with the school’s students?

4. Which instructional practices are seemingly less effective with the school’s students?

Use your students performance data to determine the answers to the above questions and then adjust accordingly and your students will begin to outperform the students of the sorters.

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: LYS / TASSP Advanced Leadership Academy (Keynote); The 2016 Texas Charter School Conference (Multiple Presentations); The 4^th Annual Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Reader Asks... The 13 Question Final Exam

A LYS campus instructional leader calls me out.

SC,

A 13-question final better than what we already have?  Empty boast or the real deal?

SC Response

My goals with a comprehensive final are to:

1. Assess student mastery of the content.

2. Determine if the scope of the content was covered.

3. Determine which concepts we, as a content team, teach effectively

4. Determine which concepts we, as a content team, do not teach effectively.

To do this I need to have questions that assess the critical elements of the content, and I most likely want to have multiple questions for those elements.  Which means that for a given course, I will have between 25 to 50 questions that I want to ask.  And you can ask all of those questions.

You just don’t have to ask each one to every student.

Take your question bank, ensure that the questions for each element are of similar difficulty and then make multiple versions of the test.  If I had a 30-question bank, I would create three different 10-question tests.  The student would get his individual score, and I would aggregate the item results of the three tests for my instructional planning data.

Now I said a 13-question test.  We all agree that multiple choice tests aren’t the best way to assess student learning.  So I would have 3 essay questions that allow students to truly demonstrate the depth of their knowledge of the material.  And I would weigh the final, 75% essay, 25% multiple choice.

With this format, a 90 minute, 13-question final will provide the richest and deepest sample of student and instructional data you have ever possessed.

The real questions are, “Do you want it?”

Or, “Is doing the same old thing and not knowing, better?” 

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

A Reader Asks... Common Assessments - Part 2

In response to the 8/15/2013 post, “Lesa Cain on Common Assessments,” a reader asks:

SC,

I'm not having success with common assessments that aren't counted as a grade in a high school. Building relationships hasn't been an effective motivator at our school with this piece and I think they kids are rapidly pulling away and guessing to just turn it in. Thoughts?

SC Response

Thoughts? Yes, a lot of them.

First, we have never said that common assessments shouldn’t be counted as grades.  What we teach is that during initial implementation Common Assessments should not be counted as TEST GRADES.  No matter how often and loud we say this, no one seems to hear it.  So why not count them as test grades?  Because when a structured common assessment program is first implemented, the poor performance on the test is primarily due to pacing and instructional delivery issues. These are adult issues inflicted on students, why punish them twice?  The good news is that the adult issue will improve (unless the PLC lacks the will to improve, and at that point is it really a PLC).

In the interim, the common assessments can be counted as participation grades, daily grades, or quiz grades.

Second, what you want from your students is honest effort.  With honest effort you can begin to trust the data (no matter how ugly it looks at first). So how do you get honest effort without test grades? That depends on the teacher. Here are some of the things I did as a teacher and principal:

• Teacher / Student conversations
• Goal setting
• Competition
• Celebration
• Earned privileges
• Self-assessment
• Unapologetic passion for the only subject that matters, (insert your content here)

Just know that when it comes to student motivation, one size does not fit all.  And that includes grades.

Finally, sometimes it just takes time.  The common assessment process is not, “We give a test, and things immediately improve.” 

The common assessment process is, “We give a check point and we identify areas to work on.” 

Based on your question, student motivation is an area for study, reflection and action research on your campus. This is neither good nor bad, it just... is.

Good luck and send me some updates.

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); 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

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of December 29, 2013

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now Twitter users.  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 December 29, 2013.

1. When it comes to improving your school, the best course of action is to work on what you can control and vote. Doing one without the other is empty effort. (By @LYSNation)

2. Sometimes we spend a lot of money and time to train people, only to see them leave. Worse though, is not training them, and they decide to stay. (By @justintarte)

3. A principal observing a teacher teach that does not know what he/she is looking for will not understand what he/she finds. (By @tgrierhisd)

4. An inch below our claim that we don't want to change is a fear that we can't. Ability problems often come disguised as a lack of motivation. (By @josephgrenny)

5. Proposed Texas Teacher Standards have The Fundamental 5 written all over them. (By @KeithFickel)

6. "Writing doesn't just communicate ideas; it generates them." ~Paul Graham. (By @STAARtest)

7. We must remember that "data" is much more than assessment scores; "data" is simply information about our students. (By @CSmithGoBlue)

8. We ask 18-year olds to make huge decisions about their career and future when a month ago they had to ask to go to bathroom. (By @adamkotsko)

9. Yelling at a student is like typing in all capital letters. IT LOOKS REALLY STUPID AND ACCOMPLISHES NOTHING PRODUCTIVE. (By @BluntEducator)

10. You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. -Churchill (By @DavidRoads)

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: NASSP National Conference; The 21^st Century High School Conference 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of December 15, 2013

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now Twitter users.  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 December 15, 2013.

1. As an education leader, the work of public education is ALWAYS bigger than you... Stand for ideals that transcend personal agendas. (By @tlonganecker)

2. The primary objective of teacher observation should be to find the most effective way to coach the teacher to improve instruction. (By @tgrierhisd)

3. Today's Quote: “Almost all unhappiness comes from comparing ourselves to others.” (By @DrRichAllen)

4. Stop being afraid of what could go wrong. And start being positive about what could go right. (By @Morrgan_Freeman)

5. Principals, if there's no need to have a meeting, call it off and encourage teachers to make 5 positive phone calls instead. (By @billsterrett)

6. Smart people surround themselves with smarter people. (By @principalspage)

7. Assessments that are not aligned to the scope and sequence are a waste of instructional time. (By @LYSNation)

8. Students reading below grade level in 3rd grade are four times as likely as their peers to drop out of school before earning their diploma. (By @tgrierhisd)

9. The negative unintended results of Texas school accountability are, at least, equal to the intended positive results. (By @LYSNation)

10. "Right now school accountability is not about common sense; it is about politics and agenda." (By @LYSNation)

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: NASSP National Conference; The 21^st Century High School Conference  
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Top Tweets From the Week of October 20, 2013

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now Twitter users.  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 20, 2013.

1. When it comes to the privatization of public schools, are proponents advocating for students or investors? (By @RYHTexas)

2. We're going to force the C's: Conversation, Clarification, Connection, Cognition, and Closure. – LYS Principal, Mike Ritchey (By @LYSNation)

3. Educators: Are you an effective teacher? What does data on your "fragile students" say? This data gives you the honest answer. (By @donnaobrian1)

4. I love performance data that is declining. It means we're in a position to clearly identify something that doesn't work. (By @LYSNation)

5. "Small Group Purposeful Talk cleanses the palate." Thanks Ms. Allen! (By @CabidaCain)

6. Here's some transparency for you... On the last common assessment my babies went from 24% passing to 37% passing. Growth is growth! (By @TraciTousant)

7. I have yet to meet the student a zero cured. (By @donnaobrian1)

8. Reading instruction without wide reading practice is like training for football, singing, or cooking without expecting to actually do any of them. (By @STAARtest)

9. If it's boring to you, it's boring to them. (By @sjunkins)

10. Myth: That you will always be supported for doing the right thing. Not true when it shakes up others' comfort zones. (By @MsRossEnglish)

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: NASSP National Conference; The 21^st Century High School Conference  
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook