A Reader Shares... An Explanation for Recognition & Reinforcement - Part 1

In response to the 1/23/2014 post, “An Explanation for Recognition & Reinforcement,” a LYS Assistant Principal shares:

SC,

Thank you. I needed that explanation as well.

SC Response

The research is clear: Teach what you have always taught, teach like you have always taught, but increase the amount of authentic recognition and reinforcement that you provide and your students will give you more. 

To not do this is to give away performance, increase your stress level and rob your students of future opportunities. This reality ought to appeal to both the logical and emotional reasons for attempting to get better at the practice, but it doesn’t.  The perceived difficulty of the practice evidently outweighs the very real and measurable benefits. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way.  From my own experience, my campus discovered that as we began to focus on providing better and timelier recognition and reinforcement that we (the adults) were really bad at it. Comically so.  However, it didn’t matter.  Our students were so starved for anything remotely positive from adults that they ate it up.  Like a starving man eating a cracker.  And their (the students) response then reinforced us to keep it up.  It was a recognition and reinforcement eco-system.  It just needed a catalyst to get it started. 

The catalyst on your campus... It could be you!

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

Correcting an Oversight - PowerWalks Hero Schools (March 2014)

Apologies to Hutto Elementary School.  The multiple Hero School recipient was a PowerWalks Hero School for the month of March.  I forgot to include them on yesterday's list.  That has now been corrected.

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

PowerWalks Hero Schools (March 2014)

In furtherance of a LYS Nation tradition, we will take this time to tip our caps to the campuses that have embraced the most important step in creating and maintaining an action oriented professional learning community.  These are the campuses that have conducted an extraordinary number of formative classroom observations in a given month.  There were a total of 6,351 PowerWalks conducted during the past month and the March targets for Hero School designation were:

Big Schools – 220 PowerWalks Observations

Medium Sized Schools – 160 PowerWalks Observations

Small Schools – 90 PowerWalks Observations

Very Small Schools – 50 PowerWalks Observations

Due to Spring Break, the Easter Holiday, and the beginning of state testing for many schools we will leave the April targets the same:

Your April Hero School Targets

Big Schools – 220 PowerWalks Observations

Medium Sized Schools – 160 PowerWalks Observations

Small Schools – 90 PowerWalks Observations

Very Small Schools – 50 PowerWalks Observations

Now without further ado, here are your twenty-four PowerWalks Hero Schools for the month of March 2014.  Congratulations!!!

Elementary Schools	Junior High and Middle Schools	Alternative Schools	Combined Campuses	High Schools
McFee ES (CFISD: mid-sized school) - 443	Kerr MS (BISD: mid-sized school) - 204	San Marcos (JWJPCS: very small school) - 132		Fairdale HS (JCPS: big school) - 517
Bell’s Hill ES (WISD: small school) - 251	Cesar Chavez MS (WISD: mid-sized school) – 202	Afton Oaks (JWJPCS: very small school) - 66		Saginaw HS (EMSISD: large school) - 314
JH Hines ES (WISD: small school) - 230	Carver MS (WISD: mid-sized school) – 201			Kennedale HS (KISD: mid-sized school) - 162
Frazier ES (CFISD: mid-sized school) - 198	Marlin MS (MISD: small school) - 98			Mathis HS (MISD: small school) - 146
Dean Highland ES (WISD: small school) - 182	Mathis MS (MISD: small school) - 97
Marlin ES (MISD: small school) - 149	Dublin IS (DISD: very small school) - 50
Dublin ES (DISD: very small school) - 144
West Ave ES (WISD: small school) - 144
Ray ES (HISD: small school) - 136
Crestview ES (WISD: small school) - 115
Hutto ES (HISD: small school) - 105
Startzville ES (Comal ISD: small school) - 94

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 Reader Writes... Advice for the First Year Principal - Part 3

In response to the 11/1/2013 post, “A SuperintendentWrites... Advice for the First Year Principal – Part 1,” a reader writes:

I had a similar problem with my doctor, he told me I would never run and refused to treat me for my inability to run, or even teach me how to. I told him I was going to sue him and hold him accountable for my inability to run unless he worked some kind of doctor magic that could make me run. Of course the fact that I was born with no legs made no difference, I should be able to run because other people are born with the ability to learn to run, and my physician should be held accountable to the standard of enabling me to run because he can do that for people born with legs.

So because my problem was so sever, he spent most of his energy and resources working on ways to enable me to run. It did not matter that with the limited resources available that I was receiving two to three times as much as his other patients. It did not matter that other patients waited with treatable ailments while I demanded all of the physician’s time. After millions of dollars of time and resources, I now have a very uncomfortable robotic suit that I can wear which enables me to run. My doctor didn't get sued, he did that which he was held accountable for, and after running for the first time, I decided that running really wasn't for me after all and bought a wheel chair that works even better for me.

SC Response

Aren’t we clever? 

The point of the original post and what you have confirmed is that teacher preconceived notions have a significant impact on the intensity of teacher practice and the results of the teacher’s students. 

Does that mean that I believe that all students will attend college? Short answer, No.

Long answer, my job is to prepare my students for the greatest range of positive opportunities. All of which will include some form of advanced learning, training, and/or education.  

What my job is not... To sort students into college material, not college material, and ditch digger groups.  Sadly, a job that way to many of us are willing and active participants.

I’ll close with this inconvenient truth that the “All students aren’t college material” proponents pathologically ignore.  The reading requirements for an entry-level blue collar job are higher than the reading requirements of the freshman year of college.  Which means that in the grand scheme of things, our college going students actually should get our lowest quality instruction and teachers because for those students, the stakes are lower.  But I have yet to see anyone advocate for that. 

How’s that for being clever?  

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

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of March 23, 2014

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 March 23, 2014.

1. The right thing to do is usually not the easiest thing to do. (By @tjadams105)

2. The number 1 priority at every school should be learning. Not sports, fund raisers, or school dances...LEARNING!!! (By @BluntEducator)

3. Critical writing is THE best tool for determining the quality and/or improvement of a student's critical thinking. (By @ LYSNation)

4. Your campus needs systems to make the RIGHT data readily available. Like bread; keep it on the shelf too long and it (data) gets stale. (By @JasonJj7)

5. Educators must quit voting for politicians that devalue the profession and celebrate underfunding schools at scale. (By @ LYSNation)

6. A well maintained, purposeful environment minimize disruptive behaviors.  (By @tra_hall)

7. Champions are champions not because they do anything extraordinary but because they do ordinary things better than anyone else. – Chuck Noll (By @CoachMotto)

8. Deciding what NOT to do can be as valuable as deciding what to do. (By @Steven_J_Snyder)

9. In an unstable environment, it is especially vital for leaders to articulate their vision – clearly, explicitly, and often. – Bill Parcells (By @CoachMotto)

10. I'm happy to announce that I will present at the Texas ASCD Summer Conference on 6/16/2014 in Frisco, Texas. Session Title: Run the Play. (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: 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

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