James Robinson

Executive Director @ Project Reflect | Jungian Coach | Founder, Mining & Shining Idea Lab | Crass, lo-fi ed rants. Escaped large network | Saint Underdog

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

Re-releasing Season 1 of U-Turns this summer, starting with the origin story.
This is where the whole turnaround began — the deliberate U-turn from corporate charter life into leading a small independent school. Read Chapter 0 here → https://t.co/33McFd0dR4

Poll: After reading the origin story, how do you think you would handle a major career U-turn — leaving stability for a smaller, more independent path?

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

The goal of K12 Education should be simple: develop discernment. Let's not complicate it.
Towards a K-12 Culture of Discernment: https://t.co/hxElYlL73T

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

Another good article. After reading it, our team is trying to solve for several of the X's . Our Teacher Report Card incentive system is in its inaugural year-- flat salary well above state average for certified teachers-- bonuses for reaching development goals-- and more. See this article to learn more. Skip to chapter 7 if you want to see results: https://t.co/R1x9TdI78P

[Robert Pondiscio @rpondiscio]

"Many of the same educational and political voices most passionate about raising teacher salaries are the same ones that championed policies and norms that expanded the burdens teachers carry."

https://t.co/PIAkvTzBUy

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

I remember when I founded a school, parents were asking about kinder graduation. When I said, "Oh, we won't be doing that" there were a lot of stares. What we did instead was a "flying up" ceremony. Parents decorated capes for their kids, followed by a Bob Marley sing along. That said, it's hard to reverse a school out of the practice once it starts. In my new spot, we actually added a 2nd to 3rd grade rising up to signify the change of standards and testing for families. It's part of the reason we have a K-2 and 3-5 principal.

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

https://t.co/899vOIGNy7

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

Agree. X has helped inform us in our work , revitalizing middle TN's first charter school. Read about it in my substack, U-turns: A life in schools. Part memoir and part field guide on turnaround: https://t.co/899vOIGNy7

[Olivia Mullins @oliviajune82]

As annoying as Twitter can be, I really love this community of people who want to make schools better for kids and want to talk about every detail of curriculum and education

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

My take is this: focus on growth until beating the state average, then go for proficiency. Additionally, on state report cards that use an A-F grading system-- no schools should be eligible for an A unless it at least beats the state average. In TN, we have a decent system with TVAAS, but I think it can be improved even more-- wrote about it during my linkedin article sprint during Lent. https://t.co/5nJDWofdMZ

[Karen Vaites @karenvaites]

"Increased instructional time in social studies—but not in English Language Arts—is associated with improved reading ability."

Yes, you read that right. More dosage of reading instruction isn't associated with reading gains. Add social studies time, on the other hand...

From @redandexpert's study on instructional time and reading outcomes:

@educationgadfly @MichaelPetrilli

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

The charter school at the non-profit I lead transitioned from 18 classrooms to 12. Plus, we implemented a strong play we call the Teacher Report Card Incentive System. High flat salary, quarterly bonuses based on inputs until q 4. Here's the background in my substack, U-turns: A life in Schools-- It's part memoir, part field guide. https://t.co/5xTUM6QlTP

[Robert Pondiscio @rpondiscio]

This would mean a lot of classrooms staffed by weak, poorly trained teachers. But don’t worry, your kid will get one of the best ones.

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

@rpondiscio @UNC @ericchurch That's awesome. I wonder who they'll invite when my youngest graduates next spring!

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

The next chapter. Last week was about finding the shape of the school model, this week's chapter is about principal hiring day. It's titled Hiring the Cooks. If you want a working definition of a "creationship", give it a read. Next up: Attracting and developing talent. https://t.co/XGUzDPLl97

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

Most education "experts" and think tank folks spend their days diagnosing what's wrong with schools.

They write papers. They complain on X. They debate policy from 30,000 feet.

I'm in the kitchen actually cooking.

New in the U-Turns series:

→ Why I left the corporate charter world
→ Mise en Place: how I actually set up shop
→ A Dish for Us: the prevention model we're building (K-2 Learn to Read / 3-5 Read to Learn, direct instruction, two principals, no fads)
This coming Saturday:
→ Hiring the Cooks: Principal and Director Hiring

May 9:
→ Teacher Talent: Using James Clear and TLAC to create a development system and incentive system that seems to be working

No grandiose missions. No ed-tech savior complex. Just preventing gaps instead of endlessly trying to close them.

If you're tired of commentary without creation, this one's for you.

https://t.co/sUBXOYIRo9

[Daniel Buck, “Youngest Old Man in Ed Reform” @MrDanielBuck]

What an embarrassment

Only two percent, TWO PERCENT of teachers say they learned about effective literacy instruction (i.e. phonics) in their teacher prep program

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

A lot of people complain in the Ed Reform space. Checkout the newest chapter of U turns to see how my team and I complain by doing better as we transform the first charter school in middle TN. It's like Kitchen Confidential, but for school types.

A Dish for Us https://t.co/bI3YIvwvoO

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

What the hell. Nobody's looking. On the weekends, my U-turns aren't about education-- they're edits of poems, books and more. Finally completed.

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

@karenvaites Sometimes I just wish schools came with warning labels. For real. It would make things easier for parents. Something like this --

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

Check out my latest article at the U-Turn. If you're an Ed Reform person, you may enjoy this one: https://t.co/WQTvDsz7oc

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

Her one-liners are pretty great. In two weeks I'll be posting on how one of @Beanie0597 's one line strings helped me create an interview task. Until then, another update at the U Turn: https://t.co/TiqgHZYNWQ

[beanie0597_2.0 @0Beanie05923291]

The road to K-12 education hell is paved with good intentions.

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

@JamesAFurey Prayers for you.

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

Check out my new article on the U-Turns substack, titled Mise En Place. In this one, I share my audit tool for when I get into schools ( it's messy and imprecise) and I also describe the use of whole staff stack audits. Give it a read, repost if it resonates. Thanks. https://t.co/DKXCIuKhQB

[James Robinson @miningidealab]

We do a hybrid approach. 74K flat salary for all certified teachers, and up to 7k in bonuses, distributed quarterly for development goals on Teacher Report Card 1. Results are paid for in Q4. It's our first year--and we've 95% intent to return, 0 unplanned vacancies. I'll be doing a longform piece about it on my substack soon.

The bonus structure changes based on teacher level-- but everybody needs to do well with Report Card 1 first.