In-Depth Seminar
Day 1—Morning Keynote
Day 2—Morning Keynote
Day 3—Morning Keynote
Day 1—Morning Breakout
Day 2—Morning Breakout
Day 3—In-Depth Seminar
Courageous Leadership:Innovative Strategiesand Timeless Truths
Douglas Reeves
Douglas
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Douglas
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Douglas
Reeves
Douglas
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Douglas
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Courageous Leadership Innovative Strategies and Timeless Truths
Douglas Reeves, PhDCreative Leadership Solutions
@DouglasReeves781.710.9633
CreativeLeadership.net
Learning Protocols
• Stop any time with questions and challenges.• Represent the people who are not in the room.• Consider taking notes by hand – construct knowledge, don’t transcribe it (New York Times, Dec. 2017: Oppenheimer & Muller, “The Pen Is Mightier than the Keyboard”).
The Only Notes You Need
• Interactive Session: Text: 781.710.9633• Free resources, including slides, research, and videos at CreativeLeadership.net
• Email: Dreeves @ChangeLeaders.com
Free Resources
• “Restoring the Teacher Pipeline and the Profession” (2018)• “Supercharged Cabinet Meetings” (2018)• “Next Generation Accountability” (with Becky DuFour, 2018)• “Busting Myths About Grading” (2017)• Leadership Performance Matrix• Complete slides from today’s presentation• CreativeLeadership.net• Free support for doctoral students at FinishTheDissertation.org
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In the Bell Tower …
• Everybody hears your wrong notes.• You’ll never improve without public risk‐taking.• Your ability to make beautiful music is directly related to your willingness to take risks.
A zero‐risk environment is a zero learning environment.
What Are the Consequences of Risk‐Taking in Your School?
Text 781.781.9633 orTweet @DouglasReeves
Overview
• How Leaders Influence Teaching and Learning• Leader as Maestro• The New Model of Educational Change• Leadership Leverage: Small Actions with Big Results• The Essential Role of Teacher Leadership• Responding to the ESSA
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How Do Leaders Influence Teaching and Learning?
• Professional development/conferences – 78%• Colleagues – word of mouth – 71%• Teacher‐focused web sites – 50%• Social media – 40%• Research journals – 26%• News websites – 24%
(Education Week Special Report, Jan. 10, 2018)
Which is most important when deciding to implement a new practice?
• Evidence based – 39%• Aligns with personal experiences – 30%• Endorsed by my principal/district leadership – 13%• Standards‐aligned – 12%• My colleagues endorse the idea – 8%
How Leaders Influence Student Learning• Time – day to day, week to week time reallocation• Prioritization – six or fewer priority initiatives• Efficacy – bone deep belief that we matter• Communication that is clear (jargon‐free) and consistent• Challenge conventional wisdom
Let’s Call Baloney When We See It
• “Writing is just so 20th Century – students can communicate by making videos!”
• “Boys won’t read books – they need something more active!”
• “Bless her heart – she’s on the honor roll!”• “Just Google it!”
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New Evidence From 2018
• High School – failures down 60%, interventions down 67%
• Middle School – absences down 70%, suspensions down 60%, failures down 80%
• Elementary School – absences down 80%, proficiency up 30%.
• No change in students, teachers, or curriculum –Leaders make the difference
What’s the Magic Formula?
• Practices, not programs• Immediate – same day or same week – intervention
for academic support• Immediate – same minute – intervention for absences
and tardiness• Freedom within boundaries – no corporal punishment,
no grading as punishment, no averages, 4‐point scale, not 100‐point
About the Conductor
• They don’t know how to play every instrument.• They require highly skilled professionals to redo their work—often many times.
• They put down the baton and listen.• They provide feedback that is specific, immediate, and constructive.
• They have xquisite respect for time – 82% practice; 18% talk
About the Players …
• Nobody is multitasking.• Section leaders work out the details of breaths,
bowing, page turning, etc.• They take cues from one another, not just from the
leader.• They come to the rehearsal prepared, but ….• They make TONS of mistakes, and everyone knows it.
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New Model of Educational Change
• What predictions about the educational future do you recall about the year 2000? 2010? 2020?
• Which predictions came true? • Which predictions were wrong?
New Model of Educational Change
Reject the past:• “You’ve got to have buy‐in.”• “Every coalition member has to agree.”• “Change takes 5–7 years.”
New Model of Educational Change
• Buy‐in• “Studies show ….”• Strategic plans• Test scores
• Passion• Empiricism• Action
The Issues That Won’t Go Away
• Grading and homework• Punishment and sanctions• The geography of the classroom
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Hope – Adults and children who score higher in hope have …
• Satisfaction, self‐esteem, optimism, meaning in life, happiness.
• Cope better with injuries, diseases, and pain.• Excel in academics, from elementary through graduate school.• Perform better in athletics.
Hope is more important than intelligence and natural ability.
—Weisinger & Pawliw‐Fry, Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best (2015)
Purpose
• Mission statements are clear, memorable, and concise• Top fifty nonprofits – 15.3 words• Top twenty – 9.5 words• Shortest – 2 words• Longest – 235 words
Compelling Mission Statements
• TED: Spreading ideas• USO: Lifting the spirits of America’s troops and their
families• The Humane Society: Celebrating animals, controlling
cruelty• The Advent School: Learn with passion. Act with courage.
Change the world.
What Is the Passion Behind the Purpose?
• Because I passionately believe ….• Therefore, I am committed to ….
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When Purposes Collide
• All students will read on grade level, AND• We will address every state standard for every grade level,
AND …
• What are other examples of conflicting purposes?• How do you recommend that teachers and administrators
resolve these conflicts?
Elements of Trust – Trustworthy Leaders …
• Do what they say they will do.• Acknowledge mistakes quickly and openly.• Confront conflicts between values and the environment.
• Create a rhythm in EVERY meeting of “promises made … promises kept ...”
The Cost of Fragmentation
• Loss of empathy • Decrease in efficacy and impact (Reeves, 2016)• Initiative fatigue• Frayed relationships
The Price of Focus
• Loss of connection with the world• Decreased sense of personal significance• Fear of being left out
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Leverage
• “What works?” is the wrong question• Assessing leverage
o Nonfiction writingo Professional learning communitieso Effective feedback
Leverage and Focus Require Choices
• Unused initiatives• 99% of worksheets – anything beyond initial practice• 99% of “information and sharing” in meetings• Instructional units unrelated to essential knowledge• Observations not accompanied by feedback• Conversations focused on venting, complaining, or
psychotherapy – unless you are the patient or the psychotherapist.
What’s Wrong with “Best Practices” Research?
• It means nothing if you are not willing to contrast it with “worst practices.”
• Too many “best practices” are piled on top of 50 previous “best practices.”
• “Infliction” is not the same as deep implementation.
The Law of Initiative Fatigue
0102030405060708090100
0 5 10 15 20 25
Engagemen
t and
Impa
ct
Number of Initiatives
After six “strategic priorities,” the number of initiatives is inversely related to impact on student achievement and faculty engagement.
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Why Is the Law of Initiative Fatigue True?• Monitoring, impact, and engagement depend on degree
of implementation.• It is not possible to monitor and deeply implement more
than about six high‐priority initiatives.• Frustration and antagonism take over when
implementation becomes ineffective.• Contrast the change hypothesis with the reality of change.
What Senior Administrators Listed as Priority Initiatives
• Professional learning communities• Balanced literacy• Read 180• Reader’s workshop• Writer’s workshop
What Teachers and Principals Listed as Priority Initiatives
Literacy First Saxon Phonics Buckle Down Waterford Early Literacy Earobics River Deep Scholastic Reading Inventory Reading Counts Study Island Saxon Math Envision Math
Leap Frog Harcourt Science Kits Accelerated Reader Star Early Literacy Fast Math PASS PLCs DIBELS Read 180 Success Maker Readers’ Workshop
Writers’ Workshop Data Teams Ramp Up to Language Arts Ramp Up to Math Teacher Leader Effectiveness Power School Math Investigation Everyday Math Response to Intervention A+ Achievement Sidewalks Positive Behavioral Support
THE POWER OF FOCUSWe all believe in focus, but the
reality is fragmentation—dozens of initiatives all competing for the same
time, resources, and attention
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What Is the Evidence for Focus?
• Key findings from a systematic review of more than 2,000 school improvement plans
• Schools had as many as 70 “priorities” and systems had more than 200 “priorities.”
• More than six priorities leads to counter productivity.
Essential Ingredients for Success
• Efficacy – bone deep belief that teaching and leadership matter
• Prioritization – six or fewer “high‐priority” initiatives• Specificity – goals are expressed in objective terms• Measurability – impact of teachers can be measured
regularly• Monitoring (adult actions, not just test scores)
The Power of High Implementation on Academic Performance
(All Schools)
‐17.74
‐3.98
11.65Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
(Reeves, “Transforming Professional Development Into Student Results,” ASCD, 2010)
High‐Performing Schools
5
10.2
13.9
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
(Reeves, “Transforming Professional Development Into Student Results,” ASCD, 2010)
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Low‐Performing Schools
‐30
‐14
‐2.8
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
(Reeves, “Transforming Professional Development Into Student Results,” ASCD, 2010)
Other Key Findings
• More than six priorities inversely related to achievement
• 90% faculty participation, 3–5 times higher achievement gains than 10% faculty participation
• Notice: Not 100%• Practices, not programs!
2018 Update on the Power of Focus
“Impact Insight”1. Initiative inventory2. Implementation rubrics for every initiative3. Assess degree of implementation and impact
on student results
Key Findings from 2018 Research
• Don’t expect a round of applause for saving money and time by calling out programs that don’t work.
• “Every turkey has a champion” – the stakeholders who recommended the program, technology, or initiative that is no longer effective won’t let go.
• Practices, not programs
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Which Schools Have the Highest Levels of Focus?
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2
5
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1
2
3
4
5
6
HighPoverty
High ESL HighSpecial Ed
(Reeves, Finding Your Leadership Focus: What Matters Most for Student Results, 2011)
F.A.S.T.• Fair• Accurate• Specific• Timely
What Is the Feedback that Dominates the Focus on Teachers, Students, and Parents?
• Effective feedback can support, or undermine, every instructional and leadership initiative.
• Grading is a principal source of feedback (but not the only source)
• To improve feedback and grading, we must remember ….
10,000 Teachers (and Administrators) Can’t Be Wrong, Right?
A6%
B14%
C21%
D33%
F26%
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Improving Grading and Feedback Systems
• Consequences of missing of poor work• Average• Zeros on a 100‐point scale• Late work – change the consequences• Incentives for early work• Menu system
If You Don’t Get Grading Systems Right, Then Nothing Else Matters.
Standards, Curriculum, Assessment, Evaluation – Are All Undermined by Counterproductive Grading Systems
Practical Ideas for Immediate Impact
• Use traditional letter grades: A, B, C, D, and F –zero to 100 is unnecessary and gets in the way of clear communication.
• No averages – score for proficiency, not compliance• Minimize weighting of homework – the question is
whether they met the standard.• Early final exam (two weeks early) – earn an A or a B,
and you have 10 days of freedom; earn a C, D, or an F and you get feedback for improved performance.
Reassurances
• We’re all on the same side – we want students to have academic success and personal responsibility.
• We all want student success (and failure) to reflect actual student work, and not home factors or sympathy.
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What Are the Changes Schools Should Make Before SBG?
1. Establish “power standards.” • Leverage• Endurance• Essential for the next level
2. Empower teachers to base the final grade on the latest and best evidence.
Developing Competence Through “Gold Standard” Practice
• Coaching and immediate feedback• Outside the comfort zone – “perfect” homework
is a waste of time.• Specific goals for targeted improvement• Full attention – not multitasking• Incremental and differentiated
(Ericsson & Pool, Peak: Secrets From the New Science of Expertise, 2016)
Almost All Homework Fails the “Gold Standard” Test of Practice• Zero impact in K–5 – stop assigning it.• 6–12 impact limited – limit or eliminate as part of final grade.• Best practice takes during class with immediate coaching
and feedback.• This requires less teacher‐talk and more student performance,
followed by feedback and improvement.• Vision
(Neason, “Does Homework Help?” Educational Leadership, January 2017)
The Evidence on Engagement
• 48 states, 3,300 schools, grades 5–12• 900,000 students• 50% engaged• 29% not engaged• 21% actively disengaged
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What Happens to Engagement During School?
75%57% 55%
45% 41%33% 32% 34%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th
Percentage of Students Engaged at School
Compared to Disengaged Students, Engaged and Hopeful Students Are:
• Five times more likely to report doing well in school• Almost twice as likely to attend a two‐ or four‐year
college
Keys to Student Engagement
• Hope• Competence• Respect• Efficacy• Choice (within a framework)
Where Do Students Show the Highest Levels of Engagement in Your Schools?
• Describe the activity.• How do you know that they are engaged?• Please text 781.710.9633 or Tweet@DouglasReeves
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Extracurricular Activities and Grade Point Average
1.92.5
2.9 33.5 3.4
3.13.4 3.9
3.1
00.51
1.52
2.53
3.54
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Grad
e Po
int A
verage
Number of Extracurricular Activities(Reeves, “The Learning Leader / The Extracurricular
Advantage,” Educational Leadership (Sept. 2008), pp. 86–87)
Teacher Leadership and Learning
• Reframing teacher leadership• Actions and evidence – not titles• Inside‐out change, not top‐down change
Empiricism in Action
• Behavior precedes belief• Hypothesis testing, not personal preference• “Science Fair” – simple 3 panel displays
1. Challenge2. Professional Practice3. Results
Why Don’t Schools Celebrate Success?
• Well, it didn’t work for THAT kid.• The kids who are succeeding are not learning personal responsibility.
• Passing these kids takes away my personal authority and professional responsibility.
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What’s in It for Us?
• Better behavior – every time, bar none – failures decrease, suspensions go down and behavior improves
• More electives – every 30 students who avoid failure also avoid repeating a class, creating opportunities for electives
• Engagement improves – student engagement drops from 75% in 5th grade to 32% in 11th grade – same kids, same families, same teachers. Elective teachers save these students from chronic disengagement.
Skeptics and Cynics
• Value the skeptics – they want evidence and will consider it.
• Disengage from the cynics – they don’t care about evidence and they will divert your attention from respecting and supporting your best colleagues.
Responding to the ESSA
• Causes, not just effects• Real growth – same year, same student, same teacher
• PreK to 12• Engagement• Arts, music, drama, PE
Thank You
Douglas Reeves, PhDCreative Leadership Solutions
@DouglasReeves781.710.9633
CreativeLeadership.net
To schedule professional development at your site, contact Solution Treeat (800) 733‐6786.
© Creative Leadership Solutions 2018. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.