Readers Ask... Don't Take Short Cuts - Part 1

A number of readers have requested that I better explain the warning / reminder / lesson shared by The Big Easy in the May 7, 2013 post, “Don’t Take Short Cuts.” 

First, let’s refresh our memories.

Principals,

When PowerWalks observations (or any lesser, FORMATIVE observation system results) are tied to teacher evaluations, objectivity is lost and any coaching based on the data is rendered useless.

So what does it mean?

It means this.  Except in the most extreme instances (a teacher mistreating a student or teaching horrifically wrong) you cannot judge the quality of teacher in a single, 3 to 5 minute walk-thru.  One walk-thru is a random wisp of time. 

However, if I have a chain of 15 to 20 short walk-thru’s, I can develop a trend line and I can coach and support a teacher based on some assumptions that I make based on that trend line.  But it is still a trend line. This is formative assessment and practice.

For formative assessment, I need to observe a teacher for a longer sample of time (hence the need for 15 - 20 short observations), so I have a chance to see the teacher make a variety of instructional decisions in the dynamic environment that is the classroom.

It needs to be clear to teachers why you are in the classroom and how the information will be used.  A formative observation is for coaching and improvement. A summative observation is to evaluate for employment purposes.  If a teacher works in a healthy formative environment, the summative observations are never a significant concern.

Now as I pointed out at the beginning of this post, a 3-minute observation is a random wisp of time. A bad one I can recover from and it will not directly impact my summative evaluation.  That is unless my campus administrators are engaged the leadership malpractice of blending the 3-minute observations into the summative data set.  Now every 3-minute observation impacts my career and every time someone walks into my room, it is a potential game changer.

The result of this all to common leadership malpractice?  No trust and paranoid teachers that refuse to do anything new, because the risk of short-term failure is never worth the potential reward.

 

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 Reminder From the Big Easy... Don't Take Short Cuts

LYS Coach and Icon, The Big Easy, breaks his self-imposed silence to remind us of the following.

Principals,

When PowerWalks observations (or any lesser, FORMATIVE observation system results) are tied to teacher evaluations, objectivity is lost and any coaching based on the data is rendered useless.

SC Response

As always, The Big Easy is absolutely correct. And for those of you who have asked why we call him The Big Easy, here is the answer.  When I share the same advice, I word it this way... "Anyone using formative date in summative discussions is engaging in leadership malpractice and deserves all of the grief teachers give him or her."

Isn't it much nicer to hear it the first way?

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: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

The Big Easy Writes... The Importance of the Power Zone - Part 1

In response to the 12/16/2011 post, “The Importance of the Power Zone,” The Big Easy adds:

SC, 

When I read this, I was reminded of a couple of things:

"We tend to accept failure in comfort rather than risk uncomfortable success."

We must constantly reflect on what is best for kids and remember what E. Don Brown said, "If it is good for adults, it is probably not good for kids."

I have said that leadership is a calling, not a position. I think this also pertains to the entire education community. If we are "called," then we will do whatever it takes, with no regard for personal comfort, time, accolades, and the list goes on.

We are human and we all fall short. However, our great educators put kids first, ahead of their own personal agendas, most of the time.

The Big Easy

SC Response

Your point about not having to be perfect (we’re human) but we should put students first (we’re educators) reminds me of a conversation I recently had with a group of new LYS’ers.  They asked why what we teach hasn’t spread even faster than it already has. 

My answer was this, "It is not that people do not want to improve; they just don’t want the improvement to be simple." 

When the improvement is simple, many people fight the initiative. Because their ego tells them if it really is that simple, then they must not be as smart as they give themselves credit for. Otherwise they would have figured it out, by themselves, previously.  What many educators forget is that “simple” rarely means “easy.”

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: TASSP Conference (multiple sessions); Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote)

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)

A LYS Assistant Principal Submits... Dr. Jim Davis, Our LYS Coach

A new LYS Assistant Principal submits the following:

SC,

I just want to let you know how much I appreciate Dr. Jim Davis. He has gone out of his way to make sure I had an opportunity to make up the training on the Fundamental 5 modules I had missed. Not only has he been very accommodating, he has been very pleasant and very professional. (He also went out of his way to set me up with an additional account so that I could have complete access to all PowerWalks data at both campuses I am assigned to). I have thoroughly enjoyed each of the training modules. He is an excellent presenter. The information I have gained in each of the trainings is very beneficial and I am pleased to have had the opportunities to gain this knowledge. Lead Your School is an excellent program. I look forward to any future trainings and/or updates. My thanks, again, to Dr. Davis.

SC Response

Thank you for your note and I agree. Dr. Davis has been a steady and guiding influence on me for over ten years now. There is no question that he is one of the “Good Guys.” And if the LYS Nation is wondering who is this Dr. Jim Davis, many of you know him by his alias, “The Big Easy.”

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: Oklahoma Association of Elementary School Principal’s Mid-Winter Conference; Region 16 ESC Leadership Academy (Keynote Address); NASSP Conference; NASB Conference

The Big Easy Writes... Teacher Nests - Part 8

In response to the 9/30/11 post, “Teacher Nests – Part 5,” the Big Easy writes:

I consider it a "slow news day" when we have to resort to talking about teacher nests (I know I am the one that brought it up).

You are 100% right - instruction should always be the primary focus. No excuses why we can't put the kids first. Just clean it up your nest so we can move on to discussions about effective instructional strategies (The Fundamental 5), how we can extend the connection between kids and instruction (bootleg technology), and how we connect with our kids (relationships).

There is plenty more to talk about than your mess. And by the way, our students know when the focus is on them and when it is not.

The Big Easy

SC Response

As you can see, The Big Easy got his name based on his demeanor, not because of a lack of focus or an unwillingness to set the record straight.

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/4ydqd4
• 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

The Big Easy Writes... (My Property Tax Appraisal - Part 1)

In response to the 4/15/2011 post, “My Property Tax Appraisal – Part 1,” The Big Easy writes:

As I see it, part of the problem is that:

1. A large percentage of the population is in the "baby boomer" category.

2. Baby boomers, and many others for that matter, have little connection to education, much less educators.

3. The perception of many in category 2 is, "I don't need education at this time in my life. Thus, I have no burning desire to support educators, especially with my money."

4. I do "need" firefighters and police officers, especially in the world we now live.

I have an idea. What if we stayed in touch with our alumni and kept them involved? Really involved and not just once a year at homecoming football game. Newsletters, open invitation to visit, alumni competitions between classes, etc. (someone more creative than me could surely take this and run with it).

The bottom line is that we have to do a better job of marketing the product - the value of education, not just for today's student, but also for today's society. Where better to start than with those who can relate - alumni?

Trust me, I’m a Doctor.

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

A Central Texas School District is searching for an Assistant Superintendent. Application details at www.LeadYourSchool.com

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

A Reader Asks... Grading Policy

A LYS reader asks:

In light of the new STAAR tests (upcoming Texas state accountability test), don't we need to look at grading policies. Maybe put more weight on assessment scores rather than teacher created daily work?

SC Response

Great question. STAAR test or not, we need to look at grading policies, or as I like to call it: Grades – The Biggest Source of Fiction in Education.

Recently, Dr. Jim Davis (aka: “The Big Easy”, or “The Smart One”) and I were discussing how to best fix this. Here is a thumbnail version of the Davis/Cain grading system, hereby to be referred to on most schools as, “Pure Crazy Talk.”

1. Look at the scope and sequence (the crazy talk begins).

2. Line out two weeks worth of work.

3. Do daily work and homework (as outlined by the scope and sequence).

4. Every two weeks, give a short quiz (and/or writing assignment) that is perfectly aligned to the scope and sequence.

5. At the end of six weeks. Average the daily work / home work grades. Average the quiz grades.

6. If the quiz grade average is higher than the daily grade average, use the quiz grade average for the final 6 weeks grade.

7. If the daily grade average is higher than the quiz average, count the daily grade average as a fourth quiz grade and then use that average as the final 6 weeks grade.

There you go, no muss, no fuss. Now you are assigning grades based on student mastery of the material and you are not unfairly penalizing the students who either took longer to understand the content or who are dealing with distracting life issues. Like I wrote above, “Pure Crazy Talk.”

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Visit the LYS Booth at the TASA Mid-Winter Conference

The Christmas Sabbatical

To the LYS Nation,

We have all run full speed for the first half of the school year. Now it is half time.

Time to rest, reflect, collect ourselves and get ready to come back in January firing on all cylinders. Enjoy this break, be grateful for the blessings in your life and enjoy this time with your friends and family.

Blog posts will resume on or before January 3rd 2010. The first topic – Anonymous Letters. If you haven’t sent in your response yet, get it to me ASAP, so I can get you in line (note: The Sailor has already submitted his take, but I haven't seen anything from the Soldier, the Marine, or The Big Easy). This is shaping up to be the next great LYS conversation.

Until then, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Rest. Reflect. Be Merry.

Your turn…