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The following was submitted by an LYS Superintendent
“At Harvard for a Superintendent Conference. One of the case studies includes your district of origin and they are addressing LYS practices, without knowing they are LYS practices. You should have seen their faces when I told them I had behind the scene tours and discussions with key people making it happen.
Some of the professors here look down on Texas. One in particular replied to me, “Well Texas has always been…well…different.”
I’m fired up."
SC Response:
First of all, the esteemed Harvard professor meant “Better.” He just lacked the vocabulary. Second, I’m not surprised. About a year and a half ago, E. Don Brown was in one of our new (at the time) client district on the day when some Harvard experts showed up to fix things. They spent 4 hours taking notes on everything Don said and then announced everything was on the right track so they weren’t needed.
Of course we took that as the Harvard seal of approval and have been waiting patiently for the phone call to work with them on improving their student performance.
Thanks for the update and take good notes for the rest of us.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Brezina Writes... (The Job Interview)
I am going to save this post (A Reader Asks... The Job Interview). Excellent job by the Reader with his or her observation and questions. Equally good job on the response.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
A Reader Writes... (State of the Blog)
In response to the post, “The State of the Blog,” an LYS assistant principal writes:
“This blog is one of the bright spots of my day. It is refreshing to read the comments of others and know that you are not alone. It’s good to know that others in the LYS Nation are dealing with some of the same problems that we face. LYS All Day Long!”
SC Response
Thank you for the kind comment. And your comment lets me know that the blog is accomplishing one of the primary purposes for its existence. As I traveled the country working with educators that were trying to improve at full speed, it became painfully obvious that most of them were working in silos. No one around them was attempting what they were, so it was easy to feel ostracized.
The blog was a way to link those silos into a network. First of all, there is no need to keep re-inventing the wheel. The blog lets us share ideas. Second, once we know that we’re not in this alone, it gets easier to fight the good fight everyday. It doesn’t mean that we will win; it just means that it is harder to convince us that we are lunatics for trying
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“This blog is one of the bright spots of my day. It is refreshing to read the comments of others and know that you are not alone. It’s good to know that others in the LYS Nation are dealing with some of the same problems that we face. LYS All Day Long!”
SC Response
Thank you for the kind comment. And your comment lets me know that the blog is accomplishing one of the primary purposes for its existence. As I traveled the country working with educators that were trying to improve at full speed, it became painfully obvious that most of them were working in silos. No one around them was attempting what they were, so it was easy to feel ostracized.
The blog was a way to link those silos into a network. First of all, there is no need to keep re-inventing the wheel. The blog lets us share ideas. Second, once we know that we’re not in this alone, it gets easier to fight the good fight everyday. It doesn’t mean that we will win; it just means that it is harder to convince us that we are lunatics for trying
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
A Reader Submits... Black, White, or Gray?
An Old School LYS Principal submits:
“A few years ago I was playing golf with Don Brown and I asked the question, “Are there gray areas in education or is everything black and white?”
I was an assistant principal at the time and I really thought that everything should be black and white and I wanted Don’s opinion. Anyone who had been an icon level principal for as long as he had, in addition to his track record of innovation and success had to have some insight on this matter. He told me that there were many areas of gray. We discussed this topic for several hours and he beat me soundly at golf.
I am now a principal and I realize that there are many areas of gray and that we must use our intelligence to find our way around those areas. The problem comes when we as administrators realize that, but there are upper lever administrators who govern us and they do not see that. It is hard to do what is best for students when I realize I am going to
have to fight a fight in doing that. I do not mind fighting the fight, but I am learning to choose the battles well.”
SC Response
I constantly vacillate on this topic. Most things are black and white, up until they are not. Fullan call this the “Nuance.” It is the understanding that if we are constantly “black and white,” we can never master the “art” of our craft. I think exploiting the nuance boils down to this:
1. Be absolutely clear on the goal and mission of the organization. This is where we lose 95% of schools and 98% of school districts.
2. Understand the fundamentals of our craft, specifically instruction, systems management and people management.
3. Consistently and expertly execute the fundamentals of our craft. This is where we lose well over 90% of the people in our profession.
4. Make purposeful adjustment in our actions, based on the insight we have developed through the execution of the fundamentals. These adjustments must completely align with the primary goals and mission of the organization. This is where we lose everyone in our profession who fancies themselves as a “politician.”
The duality of the problem (which at the time Brown knew and you were learning) is that early in our careers we are better served by being “black and white.” Even if we have the book smarts and drive, we lack the real world experience to live in the gray area (see the 10,000 hours rule).Without experience, when we go “gray,” we often cause more harm than good. On the other hand, as we gain SIGNIFICANT experience, if we are locked in “black and white,” we effectively become the limit on our organization.
Now let’s look at how to address your specific problem. The two best leaders that I worked for, Brezina and Neeley had the following quasi-formal rules. I say quasi-formal, because every leader in your organization is not afforded the same levels of autonomy, it is earned. Basically, as a line-level leader, you were expected to follow organization guide lines and procedures, solve problems and make decisions that supported the organization and its mission. However, your decision could be over-turned or amended by someone up stream. In fact, it was expected that at times the job would require you to make the decision that everyone knew would be overturned.
Unfortunately, the Brezina / Neeley types are exceedingly rare. So the rule of thumb is to make the best possible decision that does the greatest good / least harm for your students at that time. If that decision gets second guessed or overturned, learn what you can and live with it. It’s not personal. If your boss continues to overturn you, not because of conviction or better information, but for politics and personal gain, find a new boss. Which by the way, you just did (yet another win for the LYS Nation). Congratulations on the move to the bigger campus!
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“A few years ago I was playing golf with Don Brown and I asked the question, “Are there gray areas in education or is everything black and white?”
I was an assistant principal at the time and I really thought that everything should be black and white and I wanted Don’s opinion. Anyone who had been an icon level principal for as long as he had, in addition to his track record of innovation and success had to have some insight on this matter. He told me that there were many areas of gray. We discussed this topic for several hours and he beat me soundly at golf.
I am now a principal and I realize that there are many areas of gray and that we must use our intelligence to find our way around those areas. The problem comes when we as administrators realize that, but there are upper lever administrators who govern us and they do not see that. It is hard to do what is best for students when I realize I am going to
have to fight a fight in doing that. I do not mind fighting the fight, but I am learning to choose the battles well.”SC Response
I constantly vacillate on this topic. Most things are black and white, up until they are not. Fullan call this the “Nuance.” It is the understanding that if we are constantly “black and white,” we can never master the “art” of our craft. I think exploiting the nuance boils down to this:
1. Be absolutely clear on the goal and mission of the organization. This is where we lose 95% of schools and 98% of school districts.
2. Understand the fundamentals of our craft, specifically instruction, systems management and people management.
3. Consistently and expertly execute the fundamentals of our craft. This is where we lose well over 90% of the people in our profession.
4. Make purposeful adjustment in our actions, based on the insight we have developed through the execution of the fundamentals. These adjustments must completely align with the primary goals and mission of the organization. This is where we lose everyone in our profession who fancies themselves as a “politician.”
The duality of the problem (which at the time Brown knew and you were learning) is that early in our careers we are better served by being “black and white.” Even if we have the book smarts and drive, we lack the real world experience to live in the gray area (see the 10,000 hours rule).Without experience, when we go “gray,” we often cause more harm than good. On the other hand, as we gain SIGNIFICANT experience, if we are locked in “black and white,” we effectively become the limit on our organization.
Now let’s look at how to address your specific problem. The two best leaders that I worked for, Brezina and Neeley had the following quasi-formal rules. I say quasi-formal, because every leader in your organization is not afforded the same levels of autonomy, it is earned. Basically, as a line-level leader, you were expected to follow organization guide lines and procedures, solve problems and make decisions that supported the organization and its mission. However, your decision could be over-turned or amended by someone up stream. In fact, it was expected that at times the job would require you to make the decision that everyone knew would be overturned.
Unfortunately, the Brezina / Neeley types are exceedingly rare. So the rule of thumb is to make the best possible decision that does the greatest good / least harm for your students at that time. If that decision gets second guessed or overturned, learn what you can and live with it. It’s not personal. If your boss continues to overturn you, not because of conviction or better information, but for politics and personal gain, find a new boss. Which by the way, you just did (yet another win for the LYS Nation). Congratulations on the move to the bigger campus!
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
A Reader Writes... (Teacher Stress - Part 16)
In response to the post, “Teacher Stress – Part 13,” a reader writes:
Quoting from the post, “…those teachers that felt that administrators were bullying them were teachers that were having "issues" in their practice.”
“This is not always the situation. The rest of your response made me feel that some good people are still out there.”
SC Response
A couple of years ago, I began to notice a trend that was emerging as I was working with struggling and/or stagnant schools and districts. But it took the perfect storm of working with a large dysfunctional urban district with entrenched inept leadership and a well organized union to drive home the following truth.
1. Teachers in general don’t like change. As a group, we are risk-adverse. This is not an indictment, it is simply a fact.
2. Teachers that are doing the least, gripe and complain the loudest when change and accountability are introduced. After all, they have the most to lose when they are exposed.
3. Hard working, effective teachers get sucked into the manipulations of weaker teachers. This is because they (the effective ones) are working their tails off and assume that everyone else is doing the same. They don’t have the luxury of time to visit the effective classroom and the ineffective classroom on a frequent and regular basis.
4. Unions want poor teachers to raise a stink, because then they have a public fight where they can flex their muscle and tell the hard working teachers, “This could have been you.” When in actuality that will never be the case because hard working, effective teachers take care of their business.
5. Inept leadership uses teacher complaints and union push-back as the excuse to do nothing except to collect their paychecks and fiddle as the collective future opportunities of their students’ burn to the ground.
So there is the truth and the reason why from a system standpoint, I am a teacher advocate (which interestingly surprises a lot of people). Poor teachers and unions are not the root of the problem. Scared, lazy, inept and/or “me” centered leaders who use poor teachers and unions as the excuse for their lack of meaningful action are the problem. The bottom line is this: If leadership provides a compelling vision, creates and supports a value-adding system, models expectations, monitors expectations, and objectively enforces expectations, labor becomes an engaged partner. When leadership does not do the things I just described, they deserve all the grief that labor dishes out.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Quoting from the post, “…those teachers that felt that administrators were bullying them were teachers that were having "issues" in their practice.”
“This is not always the situation. The rest of your response made me feel that some good people are still out there.”
SC Response
A couple of years ago, I began to notice a trend that was emerging as I was working with struggling and/or stagnant schools and districts. But it took the perfect storm of working with a large dysfunctional urban district with entrenched inept leadership and a well organized union to drive home the following truth.
1. Teachers in general don’t like change. As a group, we are risk-adverse. This is not an indictment, it is simply a fact.
2. Teachers that are doing the least, gripe and complain the loudest when change and accountability are introduced. After all, they have the most to lose when they are exposed.
3. Hard working, effective teachers get sucked into the manipulations of weaker teachers. This is because they (the effective ones) are working their tails off and assume that everyone else is doing the same. They don’t have the luxury of time to visit the effective classroom and the ineffective classroom on a frequent and regular basis.
4. Unions want poor teachers to raise a stink, because then they have a public fight where they can flex their muscle and tell the hard working teachers, “This could have been you.” When in actuality that will never be the case because hard working, effective teachers take care of their business.
5. Inept leadership uses teacher complaints and union push-back as the excuse to do nothing except to collect their paychecks and fiddle as the collective future opportunities of their students’ burn to the ground.
So there is the truth and the reason why from a system standpoint, I am a teacher advocate (which interestingly surprises a lot of people). Poor teachers and unions are not the root of the problem. Scared, lazy, inept and/or “me” centered leaders who use poor teachers and unions as the excuse for their lack of meaningful action are the problem. The bottom line is this: If leadership provides a compelling vision, creates and supports a value-adding system, models expectations, monitors expectations, and objectively enforces expectations, labor becomes an engaged partner. When leadership does not do the things I just described, they deserve all the grief that labor dishes out.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
A Reader Asks... The Job Interview
A reader asks:
“Cain, I was recently in a job interview. The committee began the interview with a description of the school so that I could better frame my responses. The school is in the final stages of not meeting AYP and is also getting bruised by the State of Texas. The description included the fact that teachers are not following the district mandated curriculum and something has to be done very quickly to save the school and the students. As a veteran LYS principal I just knew I was in the right spot. Little did I know that the preemptive school description was the last time in the interview I would hear the word “student.”
Question #1 out of the gate involved adult comfort and included the phrase “teacher morale.” I knew I was in the wrong place. In fact, virtually every interview question was centered on adult comfort and interactions or school management. The real issues of instructional leadership were danced around but never directly addressed. I directly addressed them at any rate.
I knew before I walked out that I had wasted a day and there was not chance in hell I would ever hear from Ignorant ISD again. Is there a lesson in here somewhere?"
SC Response
Actually yes, there are a couple of lessons. The first lesson is that most people believe that if everyone just shows up to work that should be enough. After that it is the student’s responsibility to learn and the parent’s responsibility to make them. The only good thing about that fact is when those educators make up the competition it doesn’t take much to separate yourself from the pack. As an Old School LYS’er, you know that adult practice drives student performance. But I’m assuming that statement didn’t endear you to the committee.
The second lesson is that people want the easy answer. They want to hear that they can do what they have always done and you will bring in a magic program for “those” kids and all will be better. There’s not a magic program, but there is a magic formula:
Set aggressive short term goal / Work hard / Measure result / Work hard, differently / Measure result / Repeat until goal is met / Set new aggressive goal / Repeat cycle
Unfortunately, most schools will not follow the formula because it includes goals, hard work, different work, and accountability.
The third lesson is that closed systems are the equivalent of cousins getting married. The results are never pretty. Ignorant ISD, where you just interviewed, has a long history of hiring from within. They also have a history of repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Back during the TAAS era, I was dispatched to the district to quietly advise them that they were about to run head long over the cliff. They didn’t listen then and evidently they still haven’t learned their lesson. Kind of reminds me of the district where you are beating your head against the wall right now. In both cases it is easy to blame the teachers, but leadership failure is the real disease.
The final lesson is this, don’t compromise yourself. You knew right away that you could feed the committee what they wanted to hear, but that would be a lie. Interviews work both ways, you are interviewing the organization and they are interviewing you. If you are not honest about who you are and what you believe in, the relationship is doomed to failure. It is better to pass on the bad job and wait for the organization that recognizes and values your strengths.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
“Cain, I was recently in a job interview. The committee began the interview with a description of the school so that I could better frame my responses. The school is in the final stages of not meeting AYP and is also getting bruised by the State of Texas. The description included the fact that teachers are not following the district mandated curriculum and something has to be done very quickly to save the school and the students. As a veteran LYS principal I just knew I was in the right spot. Little did I know that the preemptive school description was the last time in the interview I would hear the word “student.”
Question #1 out of the gate involved adult comfort and included the phrase “teacher morale.” I knew I was in the wrong place. In fact, virtually every interview question was centered on adult comfort and interactions or school management. The real issues of instructional leadership were danced around but never directly addressed. I directly addressed them at any rate.
I knew before I walked out that I had wasted a day and there was not chance in hell I would ever hear from Ignorant ISD again. Is there a lesson in here somewhere?"
SC Response
Actually yes, there are a couple of lessons. The first lesson is that most people believe that if everyone just shows up to work that should be enough. After that it is the student’s responsibility to learn and the parent’s responsibility to make them. The only good thing about that fact is when those educators make up the competition it doesn’t take much to separate yourself from the pack. As an Old School LYS’er, you know that adult practice drives student performance. But I’m assuming that statement didn’t endear you to the committee.
The second lesson is that people want the easy answer. They want to hear that they can do what they have always done and you will bring in a magic program for “those” kids and all will be better. There’s not a magic program, but there is a magic formula:
Set aggressive short term goal / Work hard / Measure result / Work hard, differently / Measure result / Repeat until goal is met / Set new aggressive goal / Repeat cycle
Unfortunately, most schools will not follow the formula because it includes goals, hard work, different work, and accountability.
The third lesson is that closed systems are the equivalent of cousins getting married. The results are never pretty. Ignorant ISD, where you just interviewed, has a long history of hiring from within. They also have a history of repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Back during the TAAS era, I was dispatched to the district to quietly advise them that they were about to run head long over the cliff. They didn’t listen then and evidently they still haven’t learned their lesson. Kind of reminds me of the district where you are beating your head against the wall right now. In both cases it is easy to blame the teachers, but leadership failure is the real disease.
The final lesson is this, don’t compromise yourself. You knew right away that you could feed the committee what they wanted to hear, but that would be a lie. Interviews work both ways, you are interviewing the organization and they are interviewing you. If you are not honest about who you are and what you believe in, the relationship is doomed to failure. It is better to pass on the bad job and wait for the organization that recognizes and values your strengths.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
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