Wednesday, August 9, 2017

A Crazy Idea

We live in a hyper-competitive, increasingly flat world. There are two ways to view this reality.  One is through the lens of scarcity (the pie construct).  With the pie construct, the more pie I have, the less you have, and vice versa. When I look at the world thru this lens, I become very greedy and very defensive.  More for me and mine! Then, build a wall around it, because everyone is coming to take what I have. Cut my taxes, don’t spend on others, and for gosh sake, don’t repair or enhance anything because that will cost me.

Politically, many of our elected officials are proponents of this world view. I argue that even though this is cotton candy for the electorate, it is short-sighted and self-defeating. Demagoguery, instead of leadership.

The second way one can view the world is thru a lens of abundance (the growth mindset).  With the growth mindset, the pie is not fixed.  In fact, with the right leadership and positive action, the pie can grow.  But the pie doesn’t grow magically. Making the pie grow takes investment, work, imagination, sacrifice and selflessness for the common good.  Don’t cut my taxes, and in some cases, possibly raise them. Build roads, hospitals, and good public schools.  Invest in people and research.  Be a good neighbor and a good citizen.

In spite of their considerable faults, our greatest generation, the generation of our grandfather and grandmother (for you youngsters, your great-grandfather and great-grandmother) understood this.  They built us a legacy.  But instead of standing on their shoulders and reaching higher, thru greed and self-interest we’re fast tracking our way to the bottom. 

So, my crazy idea, instead of the politics of greed and ME, how about the politics of investment, infrastructure, education, self-sacrifice and the greater good. 

I’d vote for the politician brave enough to actually stand up and advocate for that.  And as an independent voter, party be damned.        

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

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

A Reader Writes... Vouchers - The Lie of My Money Follows My Child - Part 1

In response to the 6/27/17 post, “Vouchers – The Lie of My Money Follows My Child,” a LYSer who lives and works in a small town adds the following:

SC,

Amen!

We also have no children at home and we continue to do all we can for our small public school. Sending tax dollars to private schools presents an entirely different problem for small town because we do not have any (or if we do, no more than one).

Consequently, we will be sending money from our community to the large city areas.

SC Response
Sounds a lot like theft to me. 

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

Monday, August 7, 2017

Top LYS Tweets from the Week of July 30, 2017

If you are not following @LYSNation on Twitter, then you missed the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of July 30, 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. Leadership is positive influence, not malicious manipulation. (By @Leadershipfreak)

2. A commitment to WINNING means a commitment to THE WORK that WINNING requires. (By @CoachMotto)

3. As educators, we need to get on the same page and work in the same direction. (By @FountasPinnell)

4. Taxes are not evil. They support God's common good for everyone. Fair taxes are moral… roads, protection, water, schools for ALL Texans. (By @pastors4txkids)

5. Burdensome taxation is immoral. It infringes on personal liberty. Tax cuts for the wealthy increase burden of taxes on middle class & poor. (By @pastors4txkids)

6. When students spend each day thinking and talking they get a message about what is valued in your classroom. (By @educationweek)

7. There is no magic curriculum… "Intellectual sweat is the magic pill." (By @onayemi_dana)

8. A determined person doesn't find it hard to succeed; they find it hard to stop trying. (By @CoachMotto)

9. "I never had a crisis that didn't make me stronger." -Lou Holtz (By @Leadershipfreak)

10. When will Texans, ALL of us, encourage and support better quality candidates for office? Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick are not good for ALL Texans! (By @Ljman)

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

Saturday, August 5, 2017

Call For Presenters - The Fundamental 5 Summit

Don't wait, because the competition is heating up!

Does your campus have a Fundamental 5 success story that must be shared? This is your chance.

There are a limited number of presentation slots that are available for educators to share what they have learned on how to better implement The Fundamental 5 in their classroom, campus and/or district. 

Interested? Click on The Fundamental 5 Summit poster. 

We’ll see you in Austin, Texas in October!























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