#51 Try a new idea with one class, for one week
Keep the stakes and the workload low
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💡 A tip to try in class this week 💡
In a recent Eedi newsletter, I shared a framework you can use to help evaluate new ideas you may encounter on Twitter, in books and blogs, or when talking to colleagues:
But with so many ideas out there, it can be tricky to know where to start.
Something I have started doing at the end of my CPD sessions is to ask colleagues to choose just one idea from the many ideas I have shared, and commit to trying it with just one class for just one week.
Limiting yourself to just one idea is important to avoid being overwhelmed. It also allows you to better judge the effectiveness of that change - if you change more than one thing, it is like a bad science experiment where any change of outcome cannot be directly attributed as several inputs have changed.
Choosing just one class keeps the change manageable. I advise colleagues to choose their class carefully. It could be the one they have the best relationship with, or a class for which they feel the idea would have a big impact. For primary colleagues who are - for want of a nicer word - stuck with their class all the time, choose a good time of the week to the idea, a time when your students are at their most amenable!
Finally, committing for just one week keeps the stakes small. If the change is a disaster - and it could well be - then not too much damage can be done in one week.
At the end of the week, colleagues must pause and evaluate. If things did not go to plan, why was that? Could a tweak make the difference? Or is it time to ditch this idea for now and try something else? If things did go well, can they try the idea even more with that class, or maybe roll it out with one additional class? If more than one person is trying to make a change, a week is a good time for colleagues to come together to share what they tried and what they learned.
What do you think of this idea?
What would you need to change to make this tip work for you?
When could you try it for the first time?
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🏃🏻♂️Before you go, have you… 🏃🏻♂️
… tried last week’s tip about supercharging multiple-choice questions?
… read my latest Eedi newsletter about developing a departmental approach to reviewing answers?
… listened to my latest podcast about critical evidence during CPD, the Derring Effect and more?
… read my Tips for Teachers book?
… considered booking some CPD, coaching or maths department support?