Get Started...Then Get Better
December 5, 2023
“Don’t do that” were the words out of Rick DuFour’s mouth, more than a decade ago, as I was excitedly and passionately explaining to him how the district I was in was going about our work.
Rick, along with Bob Eaker, are the two co-founders, if you will, of the PLC at Work movement. Needless to say, I was taken aback. And disappointed. And hurt.
And…he was right…
The Problem
The problem that he quickly identified with the work we were doing was that we weren’t getting to action fast enough. We had this plan of one year to address Critical Question 1 (What do we want students to know and be able to do?). Then another year to address Critical Question 2 (How will we know when they know or can do it?). And then, after two years of work, we would finally get to Critical Questions 3 and 4 (What will we do when they can’t? And What will we do when they can?).
Too long.
Move Quickly to Action
In one district recently, I was working with a team that was hesitant to jump into the work. “Everything we teach is essential for students to know” and “We are dumbing down the curriculum if we eliminate content for students” were some of the refrains.
Still, they obliged me as we worked together to clarify what students Needed to learn in their next unit, what was Important for students to learn, and what was Nice to know.
They left with a chart like the one below in hand and ready to teach. It really was as simple as that.
People | Places | Events | Symbols | |
Need | ||||
Important | ||||
Nice |
A One-Eighty Degree Turn
Just six weeks later, the team returned to work with me.
The results of that one activity from September? A reduction in the failure rate on their end-of-unit exam from a typical 15 – 20 students to just two.
All they did was become clear on the targets. Then created some graphic organizers to help kids with the content. And then also allowed students to take the test with a chromebook instead of just on paper.
Plus, they stated how not only did fewer kids fail, but the understanding of the need to knows was much greater than before. And, as yet another bonus, students were interested in the important and nice information, and were making connections to the need to knows.
It was a total transformation. And in only a handful of weeks.
Lesson Learned
Rick was right. Spending years getting ready to improve our practice without doing something about our work right now doesn’t work. For one it’s a dis-service to our students today. For another it doesn’t generate momentum. And surely there are other reasons.
If you’re thinking about the four Critical Questions in terms of year-long processes, take Rick’s advice: “Don’t do that.”
Quick cycles of improvement.
It only takes a few weeks to see dramatic results.
Move quickly to action.
Questions for Reflection
- What areas of your life have you seen quick results from little (or big) changes?
- How might you apply that to other aspects of your life?
Rib Review
For those readers who read just for this part of my blog, I have bad news.
And it’s quite unbelievable.
I didn’t have ribs in November. Not. Even. Once.
I knew the month felt just a little off…
Here’s to a better December!
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