Focus

Just started reading Focus, Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning by Mike Schmoker. Tomorrow is a department meeting and I need to apologize for wasting five months of the school year on initiatives that will not impact student success. I knew this in August but didn't have any "data" to support my thoughts. The further into the school year the more apparent it was that we had too many initiatives and no focus. I fell into line attempting to be the good employee and department leader. I knew we were heading in the wrong direction but didn't have the courage to lead in what my "gut" told me was the proper direction.

At our meeting tomorrow we will discuss a "new" direction. We can begin to discuss change that will impact students. What amazes me is that it isn't new, it is information most educators know but don't have time to practice. The hint is in the title of this post. "What" we teach and "how" we teach are the bottom line essentials. We can study data all day (and data is important) but at the end of the day, what we are teaching and how we are teaching it will make the real impact. Too many teachers are totally distracted by the latest technology initiative (that was probably implemented without a long-range plan or goal), whether to move to CCS (common core standards) now or wait, or following up on a group of students (in addition to my current classes) to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to do in their classes.

At the end of the day it boils down to what is taught and how it is taught that will engage our students and prepare them for their future. This is where the "bang for the invested buck" will be found.