Focus and measure

What you measure will grow in importance. Get rid of fuzzy, uncompelling goals. Need to be frequent measures. Sometimes measures cause the wrong behavior.

Goals can be compelling – save 100,000 by June 14th, 2006

Vital behaviors

Always be connecting dots, 10-10scan

How to find the vital behaviors

Notice the obvious

Look for the most obvious and underused – underused because they are difficult or unpleasant

Look for critical moments

What is happening when negatives happen?

Notice failure modes

What are the times and circumstances that surround the failures? What conditions cause it?

Focus on vital behaviors

Quarterback the situation, run a quick practice, 

Learn from positive deviants

Collect stories to reveil norms

Use praise to reward positive behaviors far more than negative 

Teach quickly, then test, fill gaps.

Do not drone on and let students struggle. Increase feedback opportunities

Questions:

What obvious, vital actions do I want students to take at critical moments when we have work time?

Spot culture busters

What actions do students find taboo or are punished for, that are actually helpful to the vital actions above?

That takes us to page 57. The next 200+ pages are all about doing these things, listed below:

Engage sources of influence

Personal Motivation

Personal Ability

Social Motivation

Social Ability

Structural Motivation

Structural Ability

This, with the thoughts from last night, are coming together in a new, interesting way. Here is hoping that we can get it all figured out soon!

~ Peter