Frequently Asked Questions

How many days does Pat recommend for her initial training?

The Plan-Do-Check-Act Instructional Cycle training is best done over two to three days. The first day is spent doing an overview of the process and sharing data. The remaining one or two days are detailed as the teachers work by grade level and subject to analyze test data, develop an instructional timeline, and discuss focus lessons, assessments, maintenance, and tutorial/enrichment pieces. Pat trains on each step and then facilitates an activity relating to the step. Three days is optimal, but she can cover the material in two. A one-day training session is also possible, but involves only the overview. Past clients have repeatedly expressed their preference for the longer sessions, as they allow more time for audience interaction and discussion.

Who should participate in the training?

Pat works with diverse audiences. Some schools/districts train only the administration or school leadership teams, who then take the process back to their full staffs. Other schools/districts train the entire faculty. Of course, the more people who hear the message the better, but this is really a question of the time and resources available to the school/district hosting the training.

What size audience does Pat recommend?

Pat has spoken in front of audiences ranging from six to a thousand people. She asks only that you have the facilities and equipment appropriate to your audience size and understand that audience participation and discussion generally decrease as audience size increases.

How far in advance should my school/district schedule Pat?

Pat’s calendar is generally booked solid three to six months in advance. If you have a very specific date you are hoping for, it is not unreasonable to schedule Pat up to a year in advance.

How can Pat’s book, Closing the Achievement Gap – No Excuses, benefit our school’s/district’s training?

Pat recommends that training participants read her book before she visits. When Pat knows that an audience has already read her book, the training is modified to move at a faster pace and cover more material. It is a much more valuable training as the participants have some knowledge of the process and come to the session with questions already formulated.

Pat also recommends ordering the book for staff members who do not directly receive her training. The book can be a valuable resource for faculty members who are hearing Pat’s message secondhand from administrators or team leaders who may have been trained at the district level. The book provides a road map for implementing the process, along with a good dose of inspiration!

What is a “process check”?

As with any system implementation, issues and concerns are sure to arise. That is why many schools/districts ask Pat back for a process check after they have had the system in place for several months. A process check is an opportunity for Pat to visit with a school/district that has previously received her training and has implemented the process, and to help guide that school/district on its road to continuous improvement. Process checks are done with leadership teams from schools in training. Issues involved in the process implementation are discussed, and solutions are generated through development of an action plan. A process check is a workshop, not a formal presentation.

How should my school/district prepare for a process check?

Pat has found that process checks are most productive if each school meets before her visit and prepares a summary of its experience implementing the P-D-C-A Cycle. Pat recommends that a list be made of the successes (what has gone well with the process) and also of the problems or barriers the school has encountered with the implementation. If these lists can be forwarded to Pat ahead of time for her review, it helps Pat to better prepare for the unique issues that each school faces.

Participants should also bring their most recent standardized test data separated by school, grade level, and individual student rosters. Either norm- or criteria-referenced data will work.

How is Pat contracted?

Pat has two types of agreements. She can be hired by a district, school, or other association at a daily rate for short-term engagements. Pat can also be contracted on an annual basis for more extensive training and personalized consulting services within a district. The annual contract price is based on the number of schools in a district wishing to be trained. This can be more economical for districts that have many schools interested in implementing the process. It also proves invaluable to districts that want ongoing guidance in their quest for continuous improvement.

What training is involved in an annual consulting contract?

A long-term contract will vary according to the needs of the district, but generally includes the following components:

Can Pat recommend any materials to help my school/district implement the PDCA process?

Pat recommends the text-based materials and software produced by KAMICO Instructional Media. KAMICO’s standards-based materials can be used for data disaggregation, instructional-focus lessons, assessments, maintenance, and tutorial or enrichment pieces. Other materials are on the market as well, but Pat stands by the company that aided Brazosport I.S.D. in its dramatic improvement of student test scores when Pat served as curriculum director there. You can learn more about KAMICO Instructional Media on our resources link.