What can we learn from Friday Night Football? Improving Student Achievement

Lets look at the following: Comparing student learning To Friday Night Football A football coach is hired to “effectively” teach 10 consecutive units of content (one football game per week for 10 consecutive weeks). Ask Yourself… How many adults/coaches do you see on the sidelines? The coaching staff is a collaborative team. They work together, some more skilled in certain areas.. Nobody questions this… It is high stakes, right?

So let’s ask ourselves: Do teachers still work primarily in isolation? Why? How have we organized collaborative teams in our schools? How do we select team leaders? Are we specific in their role? What do we expect of our collaborative teams?

The use of teaming is accepted in all organizations around the world. Public Schools: We know it is there in Sports

Friday Night Games and Summative Assessments Every Friday night there is a summative assessment against a set of predetermined, public standards. Stats are reported, kid by kid, skill by skill….. The next morning! We disaggregate data for curriculum by race, gender, ethnicity, socio-economics…We CAN’T change these.

Coaches… Set high expectations Motivate to perform at the highest level The motivational speech never says, “We want all athletes to be proficient. Don’t we want our own kids to be more than proficient?

Developing Your Playbook Schools are not places teachers go to teach, they are where kids go to learn Clarify Standards Plan Units of Instruction Develop Formative Assessments Plan for Additional Time, Support, and Enrichment Practice, Practice, Practice Good coaches know the only way their players become highly skilled is by intentional, focused, and appropriate practice

Product or Process PRODUCT Correct Incorrect PROCESS Feedback Show mistakes and how to fix Coaches blow the whistle… Identify mistake, blow the whistle, stop, show how to do it correctly

Practice is not enough Do coaches wait until Friday night to discover if their players have mastered the essential skills to win? Summative test is too late to know if students are ready SCRIMMAGE Practice using the same assessment to be used as summative Analyze kid by kid, skill by skill Common Formative Assessment = Academic Scrimmage

Focused Additional Time and Support Some players need additional time and support that focuses on specific, unlearned skills 80% of students proficient is not enough. What about the other 20%, aren’t they someone’s kid?

The Pep Talk Must recognize all improvement You can plan, practice, and assess together but that is not enough. You must have a relationship and motivate Successful leadership must ultimately touch the emotions. Teaching not about raising test scores – it is about making a difference. Coaches/Teachers must convey 3 things: This is important. You can do it. I won’t give up on you

Is It Good Enough For……. your own child Any School Any Classroom Any Teacher Any Lesson Parents send their very best…they don’t keep home the best and send us the rest.

Abraham Lincoln’s Letter to his Son’s Headmaster He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true, but teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader... Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend. It will take time, I know, but teach him, if you can, that a dollar earned is of far more value than five found...Teach him to learn to lose...and also to enjoy winning. Steer him away from envy, if you can, teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest to lick...Teach him, if you can, the wonder of a book...but also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers on a green hillside. In school, teach him it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat...Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong...Teach him to be gentle with gentle people, and tough with the tough. Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the bandwagon...Teach him to listen to all men...but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through. Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad...Teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness...Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders, but never to put a price tag on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob...and to stand and fight if he thinks he is right. Treat him gently, but do not coddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient...let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind. This is a big order, but see what you can do...He is such a fine little fellow, my son!

From Friday Night Football to Monday Morning in the Classroom