First a correction, I inadvertently omitted a PowerWalks Hero School yesterday.  Rennell Elementary conducted 287 PowerWalks in the month of September.  Congratulations on a job well done!

I’ve had some non-LYSers ask why I make such a big deal about campuses that conduct a lot of walk-thru’s.  It’s really quite simple. The PowerWalks Hero Schools represent the campuses that have truly committed to improving the craft of instruction.  Everyone pays lip service to improving from one year to the next. But if lip service were all that it took to guarantee academic success, school performance would be a non-issue. But alas, that is not the case. 

Contrary to what many would like to believe, student performance is driven by adult practice.  And adult practice is driven by habits and routines.  So if I want to improve campus performance, I have to change adult habits and routines.  That is where the PowerWalks Hero School separates itself from its peers.  To change a habit, you have to have three things:

1. A replacement behavior.  Every school has these.

2. A behavioral cue.  The PowerWalks Hero School provides these by the bushel.  Everyone else, not so much or not at all.

3. Reinforcement.  The PowerWalks Hero School provides significantly more authentic, real time recognition and reinforcement to teachers than other schools.  Why? Because at the PowerWalks Hero School leadership and professional support staff are committed to observing and conversing with teachers, multiple times a week.

PowerWalks are such a critical component of system improvement, that the principal who is aware of the necessity and power of frequent, formative classroom observation, yet still refuses to engage in the practice is purposefully squandering student and staff potential.

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: Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote), Advancing Improvement in Education Conference (Multiple Presentations), TASSP Assistant Principals’ Workshop (Featured Speaker), American Association of School Administrators Conference (Multiple Presentations), National Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation