Using Rewards

The systems that I design and support for schools and districts generally entail the use of rewards for achieving goals, especially with students. Why? Because it works. What is interesting is that lots of teachers and administrators hate this. Their first comment is, “well, anybody can bribe someone to do better.”

Which always causes me to wonder why someone would drive their school into the ditch instead of trying everything and anything to get better?

Their next comment is generally, “you are just rewarding them for doing what they should be doing.”

To which I respond, “Exactly. You have to reward people for doing what they are supposed to be doing. Especially, students. The key to changing behavior is to reward the things you want to see more of and ignore the things you don’t want to see.”

For anybody who continues to argue that the use of extrinsic motivators is somehow wrong, I just ask them to donate their next paycheck to the district, since obviously they come to work everyday just because it is the right thing to do.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…

A Reader Writes... (The Global Achievement Gap)

In response to the post, “The Global Achievement Gap,” a reader writes:

“Without accountability no changes in education would be possible. The United States may be on its way to being a third world country, but without educational accountability the issue would not be in doubt. I do think we get extreme with accountability, especially since our accountability process is far from perfect. I advocate a course specific value added approach to accountability, which Texas currently does not have.

And let’s not fool ourselves. The Texas TAKS test is not a high standard. Much of the exit level exam is taken from 8th and 9th grade level materials. In fact, if an 11th grade student has great mastery of 8th grade level curriculum, this student is likely to do well on accountability tests. We won’t even talk about social studies accountability tests in Texas and why students do so well on them (nor will we discuss who predominately teaches those courses). Talk about a joke. It should shame teachers and administrators to complain about high stakes accountability in the form of TAKS when the TAKS standard is so low.”

SC Response:
I’ll admit that the reader takes a somewhat harder stance than I do. However, there are two key points that I would like to add.

First, in Texas, whether social studies teachers want to admit it or not, their test is by far the easiest of the TAKS sections. And everybody knows this, from the Commissioner’s office to the Principal’s office. However, this is a gift. I have long advocated that since the Social Studies test is much easier, that Social Studies should become a reading and writing lab. Cover the content by reading original texts and then write critical commentaries, summaries and comparisons.

Second, if you and your campus are driven by external accountability, you will never progress past ordinary. Great teachers, principals and schools are driven by internal accountability. The need to know and grow is essentially the only motivator. When I was a principal, on my campus, everyone knew that there was the district’s performance expectation and there was the campus’ (real) performance expectation. If you couldn’t keep up with real expectations, you might not go home, but you couldn’t stay with us.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…

A Reader Writes... (A Fatal Flaw - Part 7)

In response to the post “A Fatal Flaw,” and the subsequent comments, a reader writes:

“I agree with Cain totally. Keep this in mind: It is possible you have done your part. You have coached. You have sent many memos. You have put the teacher on a growth plan. You have coached after the growth plan and documented that, too. Still, your superintendent is weak and wonders if you have done enough. In this situation, it is handy to remind him or her that you were obligated to do NOTHING, but chose to be the Shepherd, yet your efforts failed.

Some principals and superintendents have the belief that the district has an extreme burden of proof on a non-renewal. There is no extreme burden of proof, just a reasonable burden of proof, in the light of due process. I know superintendents who tell principals they can’t put teachers on a growth plan because it will cause problems. This is an extreme. Dismissing teachers without giving them notice and opportunity is also extreme. Knowing your legal obligation to teachers may give you the ability to sway your superintendent, regardless if he or she is weak or extreme.”

SC Response
When discussions lead towards retaining or firing staff, people start to get nervous.

There are a couple of reasons for this. Teachers get nervous because they know that they represent the class of employee that is most at risk and most teachers really don’t understand how they are being assessed and the weight of the various evaluation criteria. This is one reason why veteran teachers gravitate towards upper ability classes. If evaluation criteria are unclear, upper level classrooms represent a relative safe haven.

Administrators get nervous because disciplining and firing staff is a grueling activity. Knowing in advance of the documentation requirements, difficult conversations, and collateral damage actually makes the process more difficult, not less so.

Not that disciplining and firing staff every gets easy; however, there are ways to make the process fairer. First, it need to be crystal clear what is expected of staff, and how that will be determined. If leadership cannot or will not do that, shame on leadership.

Second, those who have worked with me know that I believe (from a performance standpoint) that the only unforgivable sin is “not being coachable.” If a staff member is making an honest effort to improve his or her craft, he or she gets time and support. If he or she is not making the effort, then the clock starts ticking.

Finally, just like you do, your staff knows who is pulling their weight and who is not. The fairest thing you can do to support your staff is not make those who are pulling their weight work next to those who do not. Your job as a leader is to make the job of your hard working, good teachers easier; by surrounding them with other hard working, good teachers.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…

A Reader Writes... (Sunberg Wisdom)

In response to the post, "Great Advice... Sunberg Wisdom," a reader writes:

"We really do need more strong shepherds in educational leadership. And what is the shepherd's main tool of accountability and control: The sheep dog! The sheep dog fights off the wolves and protects and guides the sheep. Once again, surrounding yourself with other trustworthy, hardworking, common-sense, loyal colleagues is worth more than gold or silver. Be the Shepherd, AMEN!"

SC Response
The reader reveals a nuance of the advice that I had yet to consider. I had always personalized the advice to the point that one should attempt to lead in whatever position you are in. Master teachers should take a leadership role with novice teachers. Department chairs must embrace the leadership role over their department. And so on, up to the Superintendent and Board.

But (and great insight reader), when you are in a leadership role, you also have a duty and responsibility to develop other leaders. You have to identify, coach and support the sheep dogs. If you don't, you'll never develop the leadership capacity required to move and sustain a vibrant, learning organization.

Just to take the analogy one step further, a staff composed of a lot of sheep makes up the typical school. A staff composed of lots of formal and informal sheep dogs makes up the near great and great schools.

Think. Work. Acheive.

Your Turn...

A Reader Recommends - Leading Up

A reader submitted the following:

"I can recommend "Leading Up, How to Lead Your Boss So You Both Win," by Michael Useem ISBN 1-4000-4700-5. The author draws vignettes from the history of business , the military, extreme sports (mountain climbing Mt. Everest) and other fields to demonstrate his ‘Leading Up’ principals using examples and non examples. How to do it right, and how to get your head handed to you. I strongly recommend this book to anyone aspiring to leadership, regardless of where on the ladder they currently are. Superintendents should really pay attention to his corporate world examples. They apply to our situation almost perfectly.

You must Read, if you want to Lead"

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (A Fatal Flaw - Part 6)

In response to the post “A Fatal Flaw,” and the subsequent comments, a reader writes:

“Not to mince words with the poster, but it is not necessarily true that you have to use professional development to prove you have attempted to salvage an employee. From a philosophical point of view, I agree that administrators have a duty to model what they expect. Teachers don’t write off students, principals don’t right off teachers. However, there can be the need for exceptions. Recent Commissioner (Texas) rulings tend to uphold the principle that districts have no duty to remediate poor performance and employees have no legal right to expect an opportunity to grow. That is a hard stand to take, but since we have Commissioner and court rulings on the issue, obviously some districts have had to take that hard stand. Most superintendents and school boards expect principals to make an attempt to remediate poor performance, but not all, apparently.”

SC Response
Notice and opportunity, it’s what leadership owes every employee. If you are unable, unwilling, or to lazy to provide a staff member with notice that he or she is not meeting expectations and the opportunity to improve his or her performance, you may be sitting in the chair, but you are not a leader. Note that notice and opportunity relates to job performance, not blatant stupidity, illegal acts, negligence, etc. And, notice does not specify a specific number of notices and opportunity does not mean a set amount of time (my rule of thumb was two memos and one semester).

It is the lack of leaders in leadership positions that gives credence to the perceived value of unions.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn…