FOCUS!

2. FOCUS! ECP/SCP Meeting April 26, 2011

3. An Ongoing Leadership Challenge… The real path to greatness, it turns out, requires simplicity and diligence. It requires clarity, not instant illumination. It demands each of us to focus on what is vital-and to eliminate extraneous distractions. Jim Collins author of From Good to Great

4. Chapter 1: The Importance of Simplicity , Clarity, and Priority Chapter 1

5. Simplicity Continuous Improvement requires simplicity… “Simplicity means the achievement of maximum effect with minimal means.”- Dr. Koichi Kawana

6. Diligence Diligence, otherwise known as persistent and careful effort, is required for continuous and sustained improvement. Diligence is the earnest, conscientious application of our energy to accomplish what we’ve undertaken. When we are diligent, we pay careful attention to detail and are dedicated to achieving quality results.

7. Concepts of FOCUS

8. The bridge from teaching to learning... It is worth emphasizing here that implementation of the above elements will benefit immeasurably when teachers work in teams-that is, in true “professional learning communities” where curriculum and lessons are continuously developed, tested and refined on the basis of assessment results (DuFour, DuFour, Eaker, & Many 2006; Schmoker, 2006)

9. To keep it simple… Let’s focus only on what will have dramatic impact on student learning: Ensuring implementation of content rich curriculum Well-planned lessons and intervention based on the results formative data with multiple opportunities for student engagement and questioning. Meaningful and intentional literacy activities (reading, writing, discussion) across the content areas.

10. Simple, emphatic insistence on… • Common curriculum, sound lessons, and authentic literacy ought to be our common goal…until every student can be assured of good curriculum and instruction in every course, every year, regardless of which teacher they are assigned.