The Leader in Me and more...

I wanted to tell you about a great book that promotes student voice and leadership.  It is called The Leader in Me, by Stephen Covey and Muriel Summers.  The book is about a principal, Muriel Summers, that implemented the 7 habits of highly effective people in 1999 in her elementary school in North Carolina.  The book tells the story of how Muriel's desire to develop student leadership and voice transformed not only her school but started a movement that has spread to hundreds of schools across the county and even the world. Ok. I admit it. I am a sucker for feel good success stories, and if you are too, you will enjoy this book. 

The book highlights what it looks like to implement the 7 Habits in a school. Guess what? It looks a lot like AVID. It looks a lot like Visible Learning. It looks like students taking ownership of their future goals and plans for their lives. It looks like success. For the next several weeks, I will take an in-depth look at the habits from the book and share some ideas to get you thinking. I guarantee you will find connections to your classroom and school.  As you read these ideas, I would love to hear back from those willing to implement them in some form or fashion.  Stay tuned...

    

As I was walking through schools last week, I couldn't help be impressed by the rapid spread of AVID at the elementary level.  High school AVID students were already making visits to elementary classrooms to talk about the importance of setting and achieving goals.

It is one thing for 4th and 5th graders to hear this message from their parents and teachers. It is a completely different thing for them to hear it from a teenager. For some reason, when a teenager says it is cool to do well in school, the message really starts to stick. A big thank you to everyone who arranged these visits. They make a difference.

Cascade teacher Ryan McWayne already had his students organizing their binders and getting ready to start the year.  He was emphasizing the O (organization) in WICOR, by teaching his students how to set up their binders and how to keep their learning organized. When we set these kinds of high expectations for students and stay consistent throughout the year, we will see students take more ownership and responsibility for their learning over time, and that is the point of everything we are trying to do for our students, isn't it?

    

The 16-17 school year promises to be a great one for Lebanon Community Schools. 

A day after the welcome back speech, kindergarten teacher Angie Fritzler posted on Facebook,

'Today was the first day back with my school district, and our superintendent had a segment during his welcome back presentation focusing on excellence, rigor, and 'greatness.'  It's not about being lucky...or making our own luck...but digging deep and finding our own greatness to use and share.'

I really couldn't have summed up the core message of the presentation better than Angie, and to add just a little inspiration to the moment, the message on her evening tea that night was simply, 'Be great, feel great, act great.' Awesome.

As the 16-17 school year gets started, expect greatness.  Expect it from yourself.  Expect it from your peers, and most importantly expect it from your students. You won't be disappointed by the results that follow.

Thank you for subscribing to these messages of encouragement. It is my goal to send out something once a week, and I am always looking for ideas--so when something great happens in your classroom, send me a photo, shout out, or email. In this way, we will be able to help motivate and inspire each other to find and spread greatness in Lebanon schools.

    

'One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.'

Helen Keller

The story of Helen Keller is inspirational. Not just because she was the first deaf and blind person to earn a bachelor's degree but because it was her 20 year old teacher, Anne Sullivan, who was the first to successfully reach into her world and make a connection that would change the world forever.

As the story goes, for over a month Anne used sign language to communicate the names of things into Helen's hand, but Helen (who became deaf and blind through an illness at 18 months) could not understand what the symbols meant. It wasn't until Anne poured water over one hand while spelling into the other that the breakthrough moment came. From that moment on, the door was open and the light interrupted and changed Helen's world of darkness. 

Breakthrough moments are possible, and they are amazing. You never know when they will occur or what will trigger them, but we do know they do not happen without persistence, hope, and entertaining the impossible. What breakthrough are you attempting with your students today, this week, this month, or this year? Keep at it. Don't stop trying. You never know what will be the switch that turns on a light that will make a difference in the life of your students.

You can soar and so can your students. Never be content to creep.

    

Across the country educators are consumed with the Common Core.  That is a good thing.  The Common Core represents a committment to higher level learning and authentic writing, reading, and problem-solving in every classroom at every grade level, all day long.   These are the skills our children need to master in school today to be prepared for options in life tomorrow.   Teacher Chrissy Shanks shared with me an excellent article from a blog (iTeach.  iCoach.  iBlog)  that describes five close reading strategies to support the Common Core.  This is pratical stuff you can read today and implement tomorrow.  Enjoy!

Excellent Close Reading Strategies

    

Seems like we all have Common Core on the brain these days.   Overwhelming.  It can be mind blowing from time to time because there is so much out there, and how do you know what is high quality and what isn't?  However, regardless of what what materials you use or where you get them from, we know that Active Learning is the key to a strong Common Core implementation.  Active Learning is based on using strong instructional strategies to help students to think about what they are learning, own their learning, and teach others.  

I came across a great resource that highlights a host of Instructional Strategies to support the Common Core put together by the Oregon Department of Education.  I thought I would pass it on to support all you are doing to implement the higher level thinking and engagement that the Common Core requires.  I think you find all of these strategies helpful as you design your lessons.  Enjoy!

Instructional Strategies that support the Common Core

    

The Rotary Race for Literacy sponsored in conjunction with the LHS Cross Country Team is hosting a Race for Literacy on Saturday, October 12th.  There are 5K and 15K options.  Proceeds from the race will support The Gift of Literacy first grade book giveaway in the spring.  If you run or walk, come on out to support our kids and community next Saturday.  The race starts at 9AM from Seven Oak Middle School.   Click on this link to sign up and learn more details about the race.
 

    

Last night I experienced a great educational event.  I knew it was going to be good, but I wasn't expecting it to have such an emotional impact on me.  I attended the first annual Bud and Dorothy Page LHS Hall of Fame Dinner.  Seven inductees who walked the halls of Lebanon High School from the decades spanning 1943 to 2001 were honored who had achieved excellence in areas of computing programming, music, art, medicine, scientific research, and athletics.  I was excited (and a bit nervous) in the days leading up to the event because it was our first one, and we weren't sure how it would turn out.

When the evening was done, what gripped me the most were the stories shared by the inductees about the difference Lebanon educators made in their lives growing up.  It turns out these were all ordinary men and women who became great in part because someone in the school system cared enough to reach out and help shape their path toward excellence.  Whether it was the counselor who found a way for budding young artist Michael Orwick to take an art class at the middle school, or the math teacher who taught future computer programmer John Langford algebra in 8th grade while the rest of the class was doing 8th grade math, or the administrator who helped master musician Gladys Stone Wright adjust her attitude, each inductee told a story about someone who made a difference in their journey. 

Sometimes it is the littlest things that make the biggest difference, and as you take time to commit those acts of caring, you never know how far your influence will travel.  I hope in all our focus on collective results we never lose sight of the  difference we can make in the individual student when we take the time to go out of our way to meet a need or provide support. 

I think the LHS Hall of Fame will be a great reminder every year of how someone's tomorrow can be changed today because someone cared.  I am looking forward to next year already.

    

Another Teacher Appreciation Week is here.  I think that is good.  Teachers should be appreciated.

I find it remarkable that most adults--regardless of their background or story--can reach into their childhoold and remember a teacher who made a difference in their life.  This is a wonderful thing.  I had a few teachers that made a big difference in my life.  One of them was in second grade, and her name was Mrs. Kapp (at the time).

A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending her retirement party.  Mrs. Mullins (new name, same person)  taught in the same school for 37 years. The majority of those years were spent teaching kindergarten. The school cafeteria was jam-packed with current and former students whom this special woman had touched through the years. People came out of the woodwork for the event. There were children running everywhere. It was complete bedlam. A double-digit line formed at the microphone to give tribute to this amazing woman. For someone who has worked in schools for more than twenty  years, it was an absolutely thrilling experience. It was like being at a carnival.

I was in the middle of this event when it struck me.  This teacher’s influence was broad and deep, and the only thing she did was show up to work each day and treat every child like the most important person on the planet. She was a leader. I was in second grade when she was my teacher, and down through the years it is Linda Mullins who comes to mind whenever I am asked to “think of your favorite teacher.”  Why was she my favorite?  Because she made me feel like I was her favorite, and judging from the size of the crowd in that cafeteria, she must have made all her children feel that way.

I had the privilege of teaching for ten years in three diverse settings in a variety of grade levels and subjects.  Those were wonderful years.  I can only hope I was able to reach and make a difference in the lives of some of the students I taught, but it was great just to have that opportunity.   I will never be a Mrs. Mullins, but now I have the responsiblity of supporting teachers and other adults that are committed to the learning and development of children in the public schools of Lebanon, Oregon, as their superintendent.  I consider this to be important, noble, and serious work.  I just might have the best job in America, and I hope this week that every teacher feels the same.

Thanks for making a difference.

    

On April 28th I ran my first marathon.  I don't think it will be my last, but I haven't scheduled a second one for any time soon.  Seasoned marathoners tell me the constant running and training can get addicting.  I can think of a lot worse things to be addicted to, but based upon how much I have been running since the race I ended, I don't think that will be one of my problems.

Just about everyone has a story as to why they run their first marathon.  It is a great way to start a conversation.  I ran for charity using the marathon as a motivator to raise money for the Lebanon Schools Foundation (about $1,500 was given) and also as a way to push myself to do something I had never done or thought I could do as I reached the half century milestone in the race of life.

The overall experience was incredible.   In the Eugene marathon, race starts just outside Hayward field, and it ends on the famed track itself.  The streets are lined with crowds the entire first 10  miles that wind through the streets of Eugene.  For the last 8 to 10 miles, you traverse through one of the most scenic river parks in America.  The course is flat and fast, and in the spirit of Eugene, there are bands and cowbells at the rest stations and lots of surprises along the way. 

My favorite surprise came somewhere around mile 21 or 22.  By this time I was hurting.  As a rookie, I started the race too fast at a pace I couldn't sustain.  I was so excited by the crowds and atmosphere..."LOOK AT ME, I AM RUNNING A MARATHON!"  All the shine was gone after 20 miles.  "Help....me....I...am....running...a....marathon...."  As I jogged across the final bridge that would begin the 5 miles back to Hayward Field, my head was down, and I was starting to shuffle.  Then I saw it.  On the sidewalk, in a child's handwriting were the words, "Yes, you can," and then a few steps later, "I think you're awesome."  Followed by another, "Yes, you can."  The encouraging phrases went on for a few hundred yards.  My spirit was immediately lifted, and I carried that strength and those words of encouragement with me all the way to the end. 

I learned a valuable lesson that day I want to pass on and don't plan on forgetting any time soon.  Sometimes, a great challenge can be overcome with a few simple words.  Do you know someone that needs encouragement today?  Your words will make a difference because when we are in the middle of adversity, sometimes we just need a reminder that someone cares and believes in us.

Yes, you can.  I hope you do. 

    

As the role of testing continues to increase in public education (now being used from teacher evaluation to teacher tenure to teacher pay to student retention and promotion), the definitions become more and more important. What is the difference between Summative Assessment, Formative Assessment, Interim Assessment, Benchmark Assessment, and a host of other terms that educators, policy-makers, researchers, and big business test makers alike constantly confuse?   In the book, Transformative Assessment, author James Popham makes it clear what research and best practice mean when it comes to formative assessment. Formative assessment is a process used by both teachers and students to adjust instruction. It is not another test.

My favorite section from the book makes this point very clear, "Remember, formative assessment is not the occasional administration of classroom tests; it's an integral dimension of ongoing instruction whereby teachers and students adjust what they're doing. Formative assessment, therefore, becomes the chief activity through which teachers monitor how well they're teaching something and, if necessary, determine how to adjust their instruction. Similarly, formative assessment becomes the chief activity through which students monitor how well they're learning something and, if necessary, determine how to adjust their learning tactics." Pg. 29

In other other words, if you want to help students become learners, formative assessment (a system of effective feedback, not necessarily more tests) is how to do it.

Popham argues that the ongoing practice of Classroom Formative Assessment (the process of knowing where your students are in the learning progression and constantly making adjustments to help them achieve the learning target) is the single best way to help students show growth on external summative assessments (tests).

FYI: James taught alongside Madeline Hunter at UCLA. I think he might know what he is talking about.

    

Back in January, I downloaded a first timers marathon guide and started doing a little extra running.  I wanted to see if I could  build up enough endurance and stamina to attempt a marathon.  I had no idea if it was possible.  Over 500,000 people finished a marathon in the US in 2011, and .5% of the population has ran at least one--so it is not an unreachable feat.   I was surprised to realize that just by adding a little bit each day and following a plan could help me get ready to achieve something that seemed so daunting.

I can't help but draw comparisons to school improvement and student learning.  It is not the big, flashy program, but the constant drip, the little bit each day that gets the best results over time.  I had the privilege of seeing one of the AVID national demonstration schools at Parkrose Middle School in Portland this year.  What they have done to universally apply the AVID instructional concepts is simply amazing, and they did it by just adding one strategy each year and take the time to do that one piece extremely well with the goal of 100% involvement of all staff.

It's nice to know in our fast paced, do-it-now world, that you can achieve great things by consistently adding a little bit at a time, over time---as long as you never give up.

So, I am off to running my first marathon, and I am going to do it in style by raising money for the Lebanon Schools Foundation in the process.  The Lebanon Schools Foundation supports student scholarships, students in need (food, supplies, and clothes), and classroom innovation grants.  For $2 a mile (a $52 donation), and I will screen print your name on my shirt.  So far, $703 has been raised toward the goal of $1,000!  If you would like to contribute, please visit you can go to my donation page. 

Follow your dreams and help others follow theirs.

    

A while back I came across this piece from Seth Godin's blog that can be found at: www.sethgodin.com.  I thought it was a great thought to launch spring break, so enjoy and create something this week...

Who Goes First?

Initiating a project, a blog, a wikipedia article, a family journey--these are things that don't come naturally to many people. The challenge is in initiating something even when you're not putatively in charge. Not enough people believe they are capable of productive initiative.

At the same time, almost all people believe they are capable of editing, giving feedback or merely criticizing.

So finding people to fix your typos is easy.

I don't think the shortage of artists has much to do with the innate ability to create or initiate. I think it has to do with believing that it's possible and acceptable for you to do it. We've only had these particular doors open wide for a decade or so, and most people have been brainwashed into believing that their job is to copyedit the world, not to design it.

That used to be your job. It's not, not anymore. You go first.

    

This quote has been attributed to General Shinsheki of the US Army.   The meaning is very clear and worth thinking about.  For a variety of reasons beyond our control, the 21st Century world is changing rapidly, and these changes are affecting every industry--including public education.  General Shinsheki knew this and helped the U.S. Army embrace change to stay relevant.  Public education must embrace change stay relevant.  What change do you think is at the top of that list, the middle, or the bottom?  Though it might be a long list, efficiency, excellence, and equity are near the top, and I think the people that figure out how to deliver on those values without compromise will win the day for public education.

    

In 1965, Bruce Tuckman proposed a theory that all high performing teams go through 4 stages of development:  Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.  Tuckman was 27 years old at the time, and it turns out the idea had legs--kind of like Tuckman himself, an avid marathon runner who is currently a professor at the Ohio State University. 

Much has been written and studied about the model down through the years including the best ways to form teams, help them through the uncomfortable stage of storming, move to on to the development of team norms, and finally reach performing.  In 1977, he added a 5th stage, Adjourning that addresses how to recognize a team has run its course and help the members move on to their next team experience.  Team development is always a cycle, and anytime a new person is added to the team, a new team is formed.

In the 21st Century, most great work is done in and by teams.  We are just beginning to learn the importance of teamwork when it comes to improving outcomes for students in schools.  We are not talking about more committees.  We are talking about commitment, which is exactly what happens when a high performing team takes shape.  Whether we call them PLCs, data teams, or leadership teams, I am firmly convinced that results for students in schools will not happen without the adults functioning in high performing teams.   So here is a tip or two to help your team progress to the next level regardless of the stage your team is in...

1.  Forming:  Take a personal interest in your teammates.  Take an interest in their lives outside of work.

2.  Storming:  Be patient and willing to work through conflict.  Don't avoid it.

3.  Norming:   Set goals together that can be measured and monitored.

4.  Performing:  Celebrate when you hit your targets or get close.

5.  Adjourning:  Say thank you.

    

This week Ed Sansom sent me an article he came across that showed how John Wooden used the inquiry cycle of teaching to help build a college basketball dynasty that has never been equaled.  As many of you know, John Wooden is one of my heroes so it was a nice read. 

My favorite portion of the article was the last paragraph:  Wooden believed that “when you are through learning, you are through.  When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur.  Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made. Don’t look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvements one day at a time. That’s the only way it happens – and when it happens it lasts.”

Improving a little each day is the name of the game.  Whether we are on the basketball court or the classroom helping a student learn how to read or solve a difficult math problem, the unpredictable big gain comes from many predictable small steps.  Keep walking and keep working toward the prize. 

The entirety of the article can be found here:  “Improving Teaching Through Continuous Learning: The Inquiry Process John Wooden Used to Become Coach of the Century” by Bradley Alan Ermeling in Quest, Aug. 23, 2012 (Vol. 64, #3, p. 197-208), http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2012.693754;

    

(Teachers + Curriculum + Instruction) Training = Assessment/Results. 

Beyond a shadow of doubt, assessment is closely kin to results.  Sometimes those results are formative, which means they occur at the beginning or during an instructional unit and can be used to adjust curriculum and instruction in a short time cycle for immediate individual or small group results.  At other times those results are summative, which means the assessment occurred at the end instructional unit or time period.  Summative assessment results have a greater value to review program elements and to make systemic changes, but they can also used to measure the progress of individual students.

Assessment tells us how students are doing.  Are they being successful, or do they need more/different instruction or more time to learn the material?  When we don’t pay deliberate, focused attention to assessment, we are not paying attention to where our students are at, and what they actually need.   As the Teaching and Learning Equation illustrates, assessment does not exist independently from curriculum and instruction.  It measures and informs our curriculum and instruction.

As the equation illustrates, great teaching begins with teachers.  Teachers design curriculum based upon state and national standards.  A part of that curriculum will be ways it can be assessed both formatively and summatively.  After the curriculum is designed, instruction occurs.  Effective teachers use a host of instructional strategies to engage and motivate students to learn.  The power of training serves as a multiplier in this equation.  Effective training in the areas of curriculum and instruction must be provided to teachers if we want to see gains in student learning, which is measured by assessment.

Regardless of what curriculum is used or instructional strategies employed, the bottom line is results.  Are the students learning?  And we know whether or not they are learning through assessment.  When the results aren’t there, the equation tells us we must look to teachers, curriculum, and/or instruction and change one or more of the inputs.  These changes are best done by providing effective training that will increase the teachers’ ability both to design curriculum and deliver it through highly engaging instruction.
 

    

"If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."   Maslow

This quote reminds me why we have been working so hard on instructional strategies and differentiation.  When we have such a range of students to serve, having an assortment of tools (and knowing how to use them) makes a big difference.

    

Well, the unthinkable has happened---again.  2012 has not ended well in terms of pain and suffering.  Especially here in Lebanon where we have already lost a student.  Like most of you, I find myself spiraling between anger, sadness, and hope.  Angry that a Newtown, CT incident can happen in the 21st century.  Sad for all of the innocent lives that are unspeakably lost and the scores of lives affected so profoundly in such a negative way.  Hope that we can learn from such an event and somehow make the world a better place in the years to come.

So how do we respond when tragedy strikes?  It is OK to be mad.  It is also OK to be sad.  However, it is not OK to stay that way.  Though time does heal, there are some things we can do help assist the healing process.  It is important to spend time with loved ones.  It is also important to forgive, be kind, and be thankful.  In times like these, some of those choices might be hard to make,  but they are still choices that can be made, and if you are able to make them, you will find the healing process happen a little quicker and extend a little deeper.  When that happens, you will be able to help others that are still mad and sad, and that will be a good thing because when tragedy strikes, we need each other.

    

With all the focus on OAKS and EASY CBM lately, staff may be wondering if I am advocating that we "teach to the test."  Wow.  When did that become a bad thing?   It is the job of educators to build their curriculum from state standards and then effectively teach that curriculum.  The state test simply assesses student knowledge of those standards.  If students are learning the standards, they will do good on the tests.  Seems like a no-brainer. 

Now, let me make this a little more personal.  I have a daughter and a son currently attending schools in Lebanon.  They have to take those tests, and they need to pass them to get a diploma, and all of the other kids in our schools are somebody's sons and daughters as well.   I certainly hope we are teaching them what they need to know to pass those tests, and our community expects we are doing that very thing.

Of course, I  want our children learning things in addition to doing well on the state test (like writing, problem-solving, speaking, and being a great citizen), because success in college and career will take a lot more than just passing state tests, but it is still a good place to start. 

Yes, please teach to the test.

    

There is a body of research that shows a strong link between student activities and student success.  This fact may be another, "No duh" observation.  However, we should think about it because we might be missing something important that could really help more students obtain  high school diplomas and college degrees.  Students involved in high school activities enter a world of built in support systems.  They have weekly grade and assignment checks, study tables if they get behind, and coaches/mentors ready to step in and help them with their schoolwork--or at least ask about how it is going, which is a proven game-changer. 

In addition, students that participate in music, sports, clubs, or student government are constantly learning a host of other soft skills like:  teamwork, cooperation, sacrifice, goal setting, perseverance, and courage just to name a few.  These skills have a proven link to students being able to finish both high school and college, and they give them a leg up on life and their chosen career.  It may be that the best academic system of prevention at the high school level is a strong activity system that seeks to get every student involved in some kind of extracurricular activity.  Something to think about.

    

Author John Maxwell describes 5 Levels of leadership.  The first level is Positional.  At this level, a leader has permission to lead.  They can set the agenda and implement it.  Designing and delivering a great lesson is an example of Positional Leadership each teacher possesses.

    

Apparently, a lot.   It seems study after study continues to confirm that the high school GPA is still the best predictor of college success and degree completion.  It is a better predictor than what has traditionally been held up as the standard of predicting college success--the SAT score.   Drs. Saul Geiser and Maria Veronica of Berkley recently published a study called, VALIDITY OF HIGH-SCHOOL GRADES IN PREDICTING STUDENT SUCCESS BEYOND THE FRESHMAN YEAR:  High-School Record vs. Standardized Tests as Indicators of Four-Year College Outcomes.   Their research confirms what many other studies already determined.  The high school GPA matters more than we think.  Why?

The high school GPA (for all its faults) does one thing really well.  It measures persistence.  It takes a great deal of patience, attention to detail, listening, action, and real world problem solving to get good grades.  Every teacher and course has their own way of doing things when it comes to grading.  Navigating the variety of courses and personalities can be very challenging for many 14 to 18 year olds.  We work hard to develop core academic skills in our students--and this is important--but just as critical (maybe even more) is teaching our students how to persevere, find hope, and cope with difficult situations.  Worthy skills in the 21st Century that just might make the difference between starting college and finishing it. 

Something to think about.

    

Cervantes was the first to write, "The road is always better than the inn" in his worldwide classic, Don Quixote.  The point should be well taken on us all.  Success is a direction, not a destination.  So many times we communicate to students the need to identify a future career in order to be happy.  The job requires a college degree (of course), and many other happiness perks.  We need to be careful.  We might be missing something.  Learning--in and of itself--is a reward.  Being able to read and understand a complex text, solve problems, the ability to write powerful thoughts, and the opportunity to speak coherently to others are worthy things in and of themselves that should not be underestimated. 

It is essential to help students think and dream what they want to do in the future and help them map out a plan to do accomplish those goals.  It is also important to help them appreciate the present and make the most of every minute.  Contentment is not found in tomorrow.  Successful people know how to appreciate and make the most out of today.  Success is not just attaining the goal, it is measured by movement toward the goal. 

Pick a worthy direction and keep moving forward.  Success will happen, over and over.  Learn to recognize and appreciate it when it does.   Then you will be happy. 

    

A Harvard Business study* discovered a fascinating phenomenon:  the faster an idea was implemented, the more successful the implementation became.  I know it sounds counterintuitive, and the original study looked at successful people in sales, but the concept of quick implementations are intriguing.  The success has more to do with helping people change rather than the quality of the idea or the thoroughness of the plan.  The science behind what makes speedy implementations work is pretty solid--no plan is perfect, and every idea can be improved.  It is taking specific actions that really improves outcomes, not  thinking and talking about it.  People that get stuck in the status quo cycle/stress/worry about the new idea and imperfect plan.  As a result, they don't take action to change.  Being committed to improvement means continually taking action on new ideas and imperfect plans, and then adjusting the actions based upon promising early results.  Speedy implementations force you into the improvement cycle.

So the next time you have a new idea that just might work, your ability to implement it quickly might just be the difference between success and failure.

*http://whoschrishughes.com/speed-of-implementation/

    

...where it is watered.  Yeah.  I know what you were thinking, "The grass is greener on the other side of the fence."  No, it's not.  The grass is greener where you water it.  What you pay attention to, what you focus on, will get better.  It will grow.  I am hopeful this past weekend you were able to focus on family during Thanksgiving, and that you have some solid plans to pay attention to loved ones as the holiday season approaches.

I am also hopeful in the near future that you will take a few moments to pour a little water on a student who might need a little extra attention.  You know, the one who is different, hard to connect with, or sometimes passed over by others.  Spending a little time with someone who needs extra water is a deed worth doing.  It makes a difference.  

Isn't it a blessing to get to work with children every day? 

Thanks for all you do.

    

Everyone has a circle.  What's in the center of that circle says a lot.   Unfortunately, many people have themselves in the center of their circle, and that has a predictable result:  frustration, anger, and disappointment when things don't go their way.  Organizations, teams, companies, and countries have circles too.  Little known fact:  during WWII, our country had a 95% tax bracket.  That's right.  If you made over a certain amount of money, every dollar went to the war effort.  We were unified around a cause and that made all the difference in the world--literally.

Not so much, anymore.   As we steam roll toward the federal fiscal cliff, it's pretty clear why our leaders can't find a workable solution--too much self and ego in the circle.  Since powerful multimillionaires are successfully preventing a deal from getting done, it's looking like a whole lot of less powerful people will be stuck with the tab, which means reducing services for the poor and increasing tax burdens for the middle class.   The bad news:  selfishness is contagious.  When  leaders get stuck on themselves, they spread that infection to others, and our society cycles downhill.  So what's the alternative?  Generosity.   Generosity is contagious as well.  When leaders step up to give and serve, other people in the organization follow that cue and the system improves. 

School districts have a circle as well, and students need to be in the center of that circle.  How do you know if they are?  Focus on the data.  Districts that look at, use, and make decisions based upon individual student data have placed students in the center of their circle.  It's that simple, and everything else is just noise that gets us distracted off what is most important---the students and how they are doing.  

    

Our society today is a fast pace pressure cooker.  So fast, sometimes we forget to stop and say thank you. 

Veteran's Day is a time to do that.  I'd like to say thank you to Army Sgt. David J. Hart who died about five years ago in Iraq at the age of 22.  Over twenty years ago our families were close, and we spent many good times in the Hart household.  I knew David as a boy and watched him grow up.  He was full of life and passion.  Hart was awarded a Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his valor on the day he fell in battle.  He was a squad leader, and when he realized one of his men was injured, he went to give first aid and was mortally wounded himself.  A soldier from his unit described him as, "always positive with a very contagious attitude and outlook, always on top.  He would sacrifice to help others succeed."   Yes, that was David.  It is important not to forget.  It is important to say thank you.

There are many ways to say Thank You to a veteran.  You can attend a parade, make a phone call, write a note, put on a school program, or build a Veteran's home like the residents of Linn County recently voted to do.  The new veteran's home will be the second one in the state of Oregon, and it will be located right next to Pioneer School.  I can't tell you how thrilled I am to see it getting developed day after day.  What an opportunity it will be to say Thank You year after year to those who have served our nation and the free world.  I am looking forward to an outstanding partnership with the home over the years.

Freedom is not free.  Someone paid the price.  Anyone can say thank you.

    

In the book Great by Choice, author Jim Collins writes about one of the findings of his research around great companies which he deems, The Recipe.  He discovered that winning organizations have consistent recipes (ways of working) that they develop over time.  However, even though success is determined by consistency to the recipe over time, excellent companies make adjustments when needed to always keep the organization on a success trajectory.  That got me thinking.  What is our success recipe at LCSD?

For the past three years, the focus of our recipe for student success in the classroom has been instruction.  We have worked hard to define what quality instruction looks like (student engagement and quality work tops that list), and we have provided a lot of training and leadership opportunities in the pursuit of great instruction.  I think we have made progress, but one of the areas that still needs some adjustment is our effective use of data to make instructional decisions.  Over the next several months, we will be exploring not only the data we have, but the data we need so that  instruction can be improved, which will result in better outcomes for our students. 

    

Alignment.  Accountability.  Action.

Alignment:  Effective PLCs are on the same page.  The team members work well together.  They align their curriculum and their common assessments.  They also align their attitudes by putting students first.

Accountability:  Effective team members on a PLC hold each other accountable.  They write things down.  They stay on topic and don't waste time.  They call each other out when need be.  They report their progress, their shortcomings, and own their results.  Always.  They don't make excuses.  

Action:  The final element of great PLCs.  These teams take action.  They implement.  They understand that talking about things--even worthy things--means nothing.  They take the steps necessary to GET STUFF DONE.  They are not afraid to make mistakes.  They lean into the work.  They make a difference by taking action.

I hope you are able to implement the triple AAA of great PLCs this week!

    

At Lebanon High School this year, we are offering a course in Chinese.  In partnership with staff from the University of Oregon, this is the first time we have offered a course of this nature.  The course makes use of both technology and educators fluent in Chinese and has a different format than a traditional foreign language course.  Sometimes I wonder in these cash strapped times if providing these types of experiences is worth it.  Then I get forwarded e-mails like this written by a special education student who is taking the course....

When I heard of this course I wasn't sure weather I would want to stay in it or not. But when learned about how it is a pilot program I decided that I should give it a try since I actually have never done well in classes of the traditional language teaching ways. Even when my folks told me I shouldn't do this, that I got to much on my plate for classes, that Chinese is a extremely difficult language to learn. No matter what anyone will say to you, no matter who they are and how much they mean to you. You never let those people talk to you in giving up on something that is different and can help you learn. This is something I know and have learned from being in high school.

Priceless.  The most important lessons kids learn in high school they don't learn from a book.  I don't wonder any more.

    

I had the privilege of attending an excellent professional development training at the statewide in-service day on Friday, October 12th.   It is not very often that a presenter actually models what they are teaching, but that was the case with Marcia Tate.  Marcia highly engaged a group of 130 educators at an all day session, called Worksheets Don't Grow Dendrites.  Throughout the eight-hour session, we learned 20 strategies to engage the brain in high level learning, and we practiced 16 of those strategies.   We never went more than 20 minutes without an activity.  It was fabulous.  If you ever get a chance to see Marcia live, I highly recommend it.  If you can apply just a few of her techniques, the experience will change how you teach.  Your students will learn more, be more successful, and behavior problems will be rare to non-existent.

The top twenty ways to engage the brain are:

1.  Writing

2.  Storytelling

3.  Mnemonic Devices

4.  Visuals

5.  Movement

6.  Role Play

7.  Visualization

8.  Metaphor, analogy, simile

9.  Reciprocal teaching (co-teaching, cooperative learning)

10.  Music (music changes moods, a math/music connection exists, music helps memory)

11.  Graphic organizers

12.  Drawing

13.  Humor

14.  Discussion

15.  Games

16.  Project-based instruction

17.  Field Trips

18.  Manipulatives

19.  Technology

20.  Work-Study

    

When we are serious about changing or improving an outcome, setting goals is essential. Whether we are trying to lose weight, exercise more, or increase student achievement having a goal will improve your chance of following through because it will keep you accountable to your good intention.   Good intentions are pretty common.  Following through on those good intentions, however, takes focused intensity--especially if you are trying to do something difficult, or something that has rarely been done before (like close the achievement gap) or reform teacher preparation in our state.

Goal setting is now a conerstone of our current education reform movement.  In the near future, every teacher and principal will need to set two measureable goals connected to student learning and growth every year, and those goals will be included in their evaluations.  Since we are currently in  the design phase of what shape these goals will take as a state, we have a great opportunity to make this required goal setting helpful as opposed to harmful.  Both research and experience has clearly demonstrated that attaching individual teacher evaluations to student performance on large scale summative state tests is education malpractice.  We will be avoiding making those mistakes as we design the future.  We also know that setting meaningful stretch goals that staff work together to achieve can be extremely effective and motivating. 

I am looking forward to the opportunity to be a part of the solution when it comes to goal setting.  I believe we can get it right, and getting it right will make all of the difference for our students.

    

Caring is powerful.  Caring comes from passion, and it always leads to action.  You can tell when someone cares.  Everything matters a little bit more.  There are a lot of ways we demonstrate that we care about our students, parents, co-workers, and community.   It can be something as simple as saying hello, writing a note, or  taking time to listen.  When we ask a student how their day is going, make that extra phone call, or volunteer we show that we care.  Caring involves going the extra mile or giving someone something they need.   Caring is striving for 100% instead of settling for 90%.

Like most things worth doing, caring is a choice.  It is not always easy being the one who cares, but your ability to care paves the way for those around you to care as well.  Caring is contagious.  Do something today to show someone you care.  You will be glad you did. 

    

This past week on October 17th, the Oregon Learning Affiliate was born at Lewis and Clark in Portland.  I was there with around 50 other educators from around the state.  We were inspired by a message from the Deputy Superintendent of public schools, Rob Saxon.  He painted a picture of hope and challenge for us all.  Learning Forward is a national educational organization that is committed to professional development, training and leadership development for both teachers and principals.  Unlike most organizations, they don't have political affiliations or agendas.  They focus on student success and achievement through the effective implementation of Professional Learning Communities.  Most states around the county have Learning Forward Affiliates.  These groups create state level networks that support teachers and principals in a variety of ways.  In the 21st Century, there is a great deal of pressure to improve public schools in measurable ways.  Oregon will benefit greatly from having a Learning Forward Affiliate.  We need the support.

We also know that effective PLC work between teachers and principals is the best offense to help support the learning and development of professional educators.  Everyone improves when they work on effective teams.  However, what are the key elements of high performing and effective PLCs?  There are a lot of opinions and theories out there on this one, but not nearly as many examples.  If you have ever been a part of a PLC that was effective (got measurable results), I would love to hear what made the difference.  Just hit reply to this article, and I will share what I hear in next week's issue....

    

I recently came back from a gathering of public school leaders in Oregon, and I am feeling positive about the Education Reform efforts in our state.   The forming of a P-20 council (OEIB) connected to both the Governor's office and the Department of Education is providing a unified approach to solving the problems of public education in Oregon in a way that we haven't seen before---and it just might work.  Our state has suffered from a lack of unity, and our historic, siloed approach is not good for public schools.  We have a chance--a small window--to get it right, and that time is now. 

I am the most excited about the opportunity to see Regional Educator Effectiveness Centers formed that can serve every teacher and principal in the state.  As it stands now, if you are fortunate enough to be in a district that can win grants, you get training and support.  However, if you aren't (and most people aren't), you don't get the extra help.  These centers can provide the universal support and mentoring that we know makes a difference in the classroom.  To me, it is an equity issue.  Universal access and support is the right thing to do and supporting new teachers and principals is just one of the many things these new centers could provide statewide.  I am hopeful that our legislature continues to be open to finding ways to make things better this spring and passes legislation that can open the door for collaboration and support for all because the status quo is not good enough for our students and schools.

    

Last week I had a couple of interesting experiences.  On Tuesday, I was asked to present with a team of administrators from around the state to the OIEB (Oregon Investment Education Board) about key education investments that should be included in the next round of education funding.  On Wednesday, I was asked to present to a senate education committee on how districts are implementing Senate Bill 290 (the new educator effectiveness bill). 

I don't really like politics.  I don't write out my statements like everyone else.  I don't know why they keep inviting me back.  At the OEIB meeting, I sat directly across the table from the Governor, Rudy Crew (new education CEO), and Rob Saxton (new ODE chief).  I was able to share a couple of slides from our Welcome Back event and emphasized the importance of degree completion (The One Thing) as opposed to test score chasing;  the necessity of breaking down silos between our educational institutions, and most of all, the importance of changing belief to change outcomes.  Apparently, we did OK.  We got invited back for a deeper conversation on October 9th (I guess that's never happened before). 

In front of the legislators the next day, I botched protocol multiple times but hit a few heart strings anyway.  When I was asked if districts could pull off implementing this bill properly, I told them we would Find a Way or Make One because it was the right thing to do.  There are a lot of ways to implement 290 poorly.  We need to do it right based on best practice, and people are looking to Lebanon for direction.  No pressure. 

It felt great leaving these padded rooms where important people are continually talking, talking, and talking about what to do and then drive into Lebanon to where we are actually doing it.  So refreshing.  In my mind the most important people are under 18, and they live in Lebanon. In my educational career, I have never been more energized to do work that matters than right now.  It is a great feeling.

Let them politic.  The rest of us, we got this. 

    

So simple and yet so powerful.  On Wednesday when I was visiting schools last week, I came across a couple of first graders kicking rocks on each others' shoes on the playground.  I just told them, "Be nice."  It had an immediate effect!  Everyone knows what that means.  A little while later, I came across some middle schoolers pushing in a lunch line.  Again, "Be nice!"  And it worked.   I know it was the first day, but give the "Be nice" routine a shot and let me know if it works.  Can't wait to try, "Work hard."

Work Hard.  Be Nice.  It was the T-shirt that launched our Core Value idea.  The statement is the motto of a network of charter schools called, KIPP.  KIPP stands for Knowledge is Power Program.  You can read about the KIPP movement in the book, Work Hard. Be Nice, by Jay Mathews.  The first KIPP school (spanning grades 5-8) was started in the late 90’s in Houston.  KIPP schools are located in some of the poorest urban areas of America.  They are predominately populated with low-income children of color who understand that public education is their best hope for escaping poverty.   In a little over 10 years, the KIPP movement has swept the nation seeing 125 schools start up in 26 states.  They routinely outperform—and I mean OUTPERFORM  (in the 95^th percentile of every state they are in)—their local districts and state averages. 

I had the privilege of speaking at the national KIPP conference this past summer, and do you know what I found out?   They aren’t any smarter than we are, but they do have a few things going for them.   They are enthusiastic.  Working in a KIPP school is much more than a job for these people.  It is a mission.  It was like stumbling into a World Changer convention, which is great because enthusiasm is a choice.  We can all be enthusiastic about our work, and we will be enthusiastic if we choose to care.

They also have time—a lot of time.  They start school in August and work most Saturdays.  The school day starts at 7:30 and ends at 5:00.  In the end, the students get about 1800 hours of instruction a year compared to the state of Oregon’s 900 hour requirement.  It really is a no brainer.  When you get two years of time while everyone else get one, you will not only catch up, but also pass everyone else.   Are they the darling child of foundations and corporations?  Yes.  Do they get more funding than we do?  Yes.  Can we learn from them?  Yes.

If an answer to our achievement problem is as simple as more time, how can we make progress on that one?  Can we make that happen some how?  How can we find or way or make one with limited funding?  And how can we make every minute of the limited time we have right now matter even more?  These are great questions worth dreaming, thinking, and acting on. 

    

On Thursday, August 30th,  OSU, LBCC, and Lebanon High School signed a historic agreement to create an Early College option at LHS.  The press and media covered the event.  It was a great moment for us as a district.  Early College is an innovative program that creates an articulated  pathway of courses and real incentives (including automatic admission and scholarships) for high school students into the four year university system.  The state of Oregon has very few Early College programs.  We are one of the first.  Through our agreement, every year OSU will provide around $100,000 worth of scholarships to qualified Lebanon students.  Amazing.

For several years, our Beyond LHS program has beaten a pathway to college opportunities for our students at the community college level.  This new Early College program is simply an extension of that thinking.  Lebanon Community School district has more students in 5th and 6th year college programs than any district in the state.  We believe it is our responsibility to remove any and all obstacles that may prevent students from obtaining a college degree, and sometimes the biggest obstacle is simply exposure, expectation, and a little support.  We work hard at creating those opportunities and providing that support. 

It is our hope that the Early College Option at LHS will create new pathways and opportunities for students to attain college admission and succeed once they are in college.  It is another bold step in the quest toward our one thing...degree completion for our students.

    

There is a great deal of hope simmering for public education in Oregon right now.  Things are heating up.  There are also skeptics gathered on every corner who can cite a long list of previous failures in education reform.  Naysayers who point and whisper, who explain with those sad eyes why things won't or can't work.  Those people are always around---no matter what hard thing you are doing to do, and they will always be around.  Don't let them stop you from doing something great.

Don't get me wrong, changing public education for the better in Oregon is hard, grueling work.  The resources we need are not currently available, but I am hopeful we will get it done for one simple reason.  We have great players on Team Oregon.  If you are who you hire (and you are),  we have reason to hope.  We have Rudy Crew at quarterback.  I read his book (see review below).  I've met him.  He has a vision.  We have Rob Saxton at the helm of ODE.  I know him.  He will be successful, and he will help us be successful as a state.  He's hired Heidi Sipe to lead instruction at ODE.  She is excellent, and Sarah Pope is the new chief of staff at ODE (another star).  Hilda Rosselli, college of education dean at Western Oregon, in now on Rudy's team as well.  These people all know what they are doing and arrive with proven track records of success.  OEA has started The Center for Great Public Schools, and they are doing everything they can to help.  On top of all this, the state has Linda Darling-Hammond on contract to make sure we don't do something stupid.   Our reform efforts are being led by this great team of seasoned newcomers who are practitioners, not politicians---that is why I am hopeful.

Only Connect by Rudy Crew is a worthy book.  I got it because Dr. Crew was named chief of Oregon schools. He took over on July 1, 2012. I wanted to see what he was all about. I was not disappointed. It is not very often I read sections of a book out loud to my wife, but this one had me doing just that. The opening page of chapter 4 was one of those spots. It had me howling. Here is a sample..."A lot of people have imagined what our schools should look like in the future. Usually there are computers. In fact, there are always computers. Lots of them. And they're new and they're all hooked up with Wi-Fi and tricked out with iThis and iThat and the kids can do PowerPoint presentations with the three facts they pulled off the Internet and wow! They're all ready for the future!"

I like satire. It makes you think and laugh out loud. There is some of that in this book, but there is a lot more to make you think. Practical stuff like the three keys to great schools: caring, high expectations, and diverse approaches to learning. This book is full of common sense education reform ideas--stuff that could actually work. He talks about achieving excellence, pursuing equity, and helping school be more efficient. He breaks down suggestions into lists throughout the book so the ideas can be easily applied. There are brilliant ideas for teachers, principals, parents, superintendents, board members, and policy makers. He covers it all. The book is full of great stories and inspirational messages. I am a better educator and parent for having read it.  If Dr. Crew can deliver on only half of what's in this book, Oregon's educational landscape will be vastly improved. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Hope is a choice, and when actions follow choice, good things happen.  I think we are starting to see some of those good things starting to happen...

    

There is a great deal of optimism about public education reform right now—and that’s a good thing.  Optimism is a powerful force that has the ability to transform how people view the world and their workplace. 

Ernest Shackleton, captain of the infamous ship, Endurance, was captured in a floating ice pack and crushed on an excursion to the South Pole in the early 1900’s.  The ship’s crew spent nearly two years stranded on that block of ice and a deserted island.   Miraculously, the entire crew made it back to civilization alive after the survival adventure.  The crew credited not only Shackleton’s polar expertise and rigorous planning, but especially his eternal optimism in the face of extreme conditions for their safe return home.   The remarkable story of the Endurance can be read about in the book, Shackleton’s Way.

The ability to be hopeful and take responsibility when those around you are complaining and looking for scapegoats is a great skill.  Optimism and hopefulness is contagious.   It is also a choice. 

Give it a try and see what happens today.  You might have such a good experience, you will try it again tomorrow.  Be careful.  It could become a pattern, and that pattern might change everything…

    

Pursuing excellence means to set a very high standard in whatever job you are doing.  It means to do your best work even when no one is watching or even knows.  It means being proud of the work you do because you are doing it with excellence.  

Reaching every student  is equity.  It means looking out for the student who might get lost in the crowd and making sure they have what they need to be successful.  Reaching every student is a lofty goal.  Some will say it is not possible.  That may be true, but for those who are pursuing excellence, they have their eye on every student.  They don’t decide which kid to write off, which kid can’t or won’t.  They put their heart and soul into their work so that they can reach more students, and they do this day in and day out—every day.

    

Curriculum.  Instruction.  Assessment.  They are the big three of teaching and learning.  Obviously, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about them all, how they interact, and how they support each other.  I believe that effective teaching starts with curriculum.  Since I came on board in July 2009, we have been talking about The Work we provide to students. 

The Work is the curriculum, and there are a few things we know about The Work.  It should be rigorous.  It doesn’t come from in a box.  It is built from standards, expressed in learning targets, and measured by formative assessments.  One of my favorite quotes is by John Lounsbury who said, “Curriculum is a three letter word:  YOU.”

The curriculum you design should be challenging and make students think in order to engage them in a deep way.  It should also be relevant (meaningful) to them.  It should matter.  Helping students see the relevancy in the work we provide (starting with why) is what learning targets are all about, and they help students to move toward intrinsic motivation—which we know is the key to anyone reaching their full potential as a learner.  

Bloom’s Revised taxonomy (2001) is probably our best expression of what it means to create work that is at a higher level.  In Bloom’s 2001 Revision, the activities at the top of the taxonomy (analyzing, evaluating, and creating) are not linear.  They are the branches at the top.  The activities that make up the trunk, (remembering, understanding, applying) are more linear.  They are the stair steps that students must climb in order to be able to analyze, evaluate, and create.   All of them are important.  All of them have their time and place.

It is my ongoing belief that authentic writing is one of our most valuable tools for analyzing, evaluating, and creating—that is why writing across the curriculum is such an emphasis for us.  Whether a student is analyzing data in their science lab journal, evaluating the actions of a historical figure, or explaining how they created a new way of solving a complex math problem, writing is one of the chief vehicles that we can use to “Teach to the Top” of the taxonomy, or increase the level of task our students experience.

    

“An artist is someone who uses bravery, insight, creativity, and boldness to challenge the status quo.”   Seth Godin

The world needs more artists. 

 As I reflect upon the rush of the past 4 months, I can say without hesitation it has been exhilarating, exhausting, and exciting all at the same time.   There are so many changes occurring in the landscape of public education.  Over three dozen education bills got passed last spring in some form or another, but unfortunately, the biggest need of all—fixing our broken funding structure—was not addressed.  Despite a whole lot of talk, two obvious things that everyone knows and agrees must happen--PERS and kicker reform--didn’t happen.   It is time to challenge the status quo.  For real.

This spring in Lebanon we will be trying to build a budget based upon the same funding level of six years ago—in spite of increased enrollment and costs.  In the early 1990s, public education was a priority in our state.   We were a top ten state in terms of funding and results.  Flash forward twenty years, and in 2012 we are bottom 10 state in terms of funding and below average in results.  Funding matters.  Poverty is gripping Oregon in startling ways with more and more people struggling just to survive.  Despite the fact we know public education is a revenue generator (producing jobs and preparing students for careers in every community) the education portion of state funding has slipped from nearly 60% to 51% during the past ten years.   Our de-investment in public education doesn’t make any sense on any level—especially in light of a host new accountability measures that come our way every year.  During the past few legislative sessions, those of us in schools could count on two things every time they got together:  more laws and less funding. 

We are right in the middle of gearing up for the first senior class in the history of Oregon required to pass a state reading test to receive their high school diploma, and while staff is rapidly changing how they teach, and the classes we offer to meet these new rigorous standards, we are struggling with students entering our schools and classrooms with greater needs and seemingly less prepared than ever before.   Next year all students will need to pass a writing assessment, the year after that will be math, and the year after that will be the Common Core (more hard stuff).  The message has been clear from the state:  make better bricks, make more bricks, and get your own straw.

In spite of these challenges, it is exciting to see some of the ground we are taking here in Lebanon.  Our full day kindergarten program is giving students the head start they deserve to begin their education career on the right track, and the graduating class of 2011 earned on average over 15 college credits per graduate through a variety of opportunities we provided.  Our Senior Project is second-to-none helping our students to own their own learning and demonstrate they have the knowledge and skills to be successful at the next level. The dropout rate at LHS is the lowest it has ever been---1.38%.  We are making a difference in the classroom.  We are doing more with less.  Imagine what would be possible with adequate funding.

There are a lot of words on paper from Salem about how things will be different in the future.  An Oregon Education Investment Board has been created.  Outcome based funding and achievement compacts are being discussed.  But for those of us in the trenches doing more with less year after year, we really don’t care what people talk about.  We are going to need more than words, rules, and slogans to help our state recover and every student reach their full potential.   We are going to need real dollars and a seismic shift in how we fund and support schools.  For the sake of our children, our economy, and our future, I hope we can get it right. 

One thing for sure, 2012 won’t be boring.

For  resources to support school your school improvement efforts check out:  The 2020 Vision; The Data Coach; Lebanon has CLASS