Sharing a Worst Practice

Sharing a Worst Practice for the sake of improvement.

Critics of sharing Best Practices argue that the lack of result data defeats the concept of a Best Practice. For the most part changing input behavior does not constitute improvement. Is it possible that sharing Worst Practices is a solution to identifying strategies for improvement? At least by sharing what did not work includes results data, granted not desired results, yet results.

I can reflect on activities this past year that failed, yet even though they fall short of being identified as a Best Practice, there is a need to share what did not work. Our Teacher Leadership design that involved a professional learning community with teachers from across the district failed to materialize. Analysis of the design, participant work, and interviews identified what to do differently to increase desired results. If offered again we would need to identify if participants are geographically undesirable and provide a plan for collaboration. My Worst Practice is not providing a structure during the course for participants to develop a plan to work together.

Inspired by Chris Blatman, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Economics at Yale University (http://tinyurl.com/qo9jq8)

A response to Chris can be found at Why Not Share Your Worst Practices? http://tinyurl.com/ouanyo

Planning in advance?

The distance between where you are and where you want to be can have an infinite amount of points in-between. Where should we identify the focus of planning?

I’ve been spending a considerable amount of time contemplating the relationship between planning and reaching goals. My obsession started with the excessive “coach speak” during the NCAA football season. While each coach had aspirations and goals to improve their rankings and receive a bowl berth, they effective coaches maintained their immediate focus not on the future in January, but on the next game. So I began to wonder, when it comes to planning how close to the point of action is necessary for success? Or was my question, does planning too far in advance increase your chances on missing your goals. I wasn’t sure, but I do know that the successful coaches didn’t prepare for the games two weeks away but planned for the next week. Yet is that close enough? Did they plan for each day of the week? Perhaps after the Saturday game and watching the game film, they planned for Sunday, and took each day one day at a time.

What are the aspirations and goals of our School Liaisons and Instructional Coaches?
I am curious to know how their planning is approached.

Focus on improvement before the win

When inducting new football players to the team there are practical tips that I believe can be easily transferred to our work. Since new players are expected to perform with the same results as their veteran teammates here are two sensible acts that coaches can easily implement:

Tip #1- Reduce the number of plays to study. There is a greater chance of success that a new player will learn 20 offensive schemes than 50. Develop the first 20 to mastery before biting off more than you can digest. Assist the new player in identifying the best 20 plays for success.

Tip #2- Focus on the technique not on the Win. While the goal of the game is to add another number in the win column, the time spent planning, the time spent practicing, and the time spent reflecting should be invested on what skills and techniques need improvement. When working with the new player assist with focusing on the need without forgetting the purpose of the game.

Where does a coach focus support?

With the Miami Dolphin regular season ending at 11-5, where does a coach focus his support? Even the home/loss record appears insignificant with a difference of 1, how would a coach know where to begin? You need to look at the details. If a coach approached improvement with a desired state that focused on just the Wins, will this provide enough information to produce results? I’m not sure, but I would not want to bet season tickets on that choice. Perhaps if the desired state focused on Takeaways then the goals can address skills related to when a defense forces a fumble or registers an interception. Improving a specific skill will eventually help with the W column.

Right Person or Right Position

Improving results by placing the right person, in the right position.

It has been a while since thinking about the Dolphins and continuous improvement. Cautiously optimistic is perhaps the best way to describe my feelings towards this team. Already improved from last years train wreck, the Dolphins plastered the Bills 25-16 this afternoon. During the post game locker room interview linebacker Joey Porter was asked to explain what was the biggest factor in his improvement from just 5.5 sacks for the entire 2007 season to 10.5 sacks in just 7 games in 2008. Joey credited his performance to the coaching staff for placing him in the “right” position on the line. He endorsed his and the team’s success to the systems that revolve around the coaches and players.

Porter has already proved himself as a sack specialist with the Pittsburg Steelers and was a dominant force for the Super Bowl winning team in 2006. While many believe that if a person performs well in one location, then he/she will perform well in any location. Just ask Joey Porter if that belief is true.

Does Data Judge or Inform?

Last weekend the Miami Dolphins lost to the New York Jets starting off the season 0-1. As a coach, it would be difficult to establish an improvement plan with just this information. To improve performance a football coach and the players should analyzing player stats, play selections, practice time, and situations trying to find an edge to get better and to eventually win a game. Reaching the Super Bowl does not happen by focusing on the Win/Loss record or the trophy, but on the players.

If there is a need to improve and evaluate, Action Research (AR) provides a structure to analyze performance data and would be able to explain beyond the Win/Loss record of a student. As a classroom teacher AR provides background information to distinguish between mastery and adequate performance (Sagor, 2000). Taking the same attitude of the football coach into the classroom means to constantly analyze data to look for edges in students, working to try to help them improve, no matter what the objective.

Does Monitoring Help?

There is a feeling of nervousness and guilt that dries my mouth. I sheepishly sit and wait for her to arrive. Her bland green mask hides her grin as she greets me for my 6-month checkup. Even though Gail has great intentions, I loathe the experience of her inquisitive style as she probes into my mouth. All she does is ask questions to answers she already knows. “Have you been brushing after each meal? Flossing? Gargling?” I shake my head in response to “No, no, no…” I hate this! Through a series of pokes and prods leaving my gums sore and the floss bloody she evaluates the current reality of my dental heath. Form her perspective, things are not bad, not good either, and could be much better.

Yet despite my own investment in caring for my teeth and gums she proceeds to bring my smile to a point of shiny brightness. She informs me of specific flossing techniques that MUST be done routinely after each meal. Lack of this type of maintenance will only lead to receding gums- YUCK! That was six months ago.

This time I follow her advice and I change my flossing behavior. I add flossing to my routine; even became quite obsessed with it. I did everything she suggested just to avoid hearing her questions. The first few days were not easy, my gums were still tender from her deep cleaning and the used floss still radiated crimson. I don’t remember the actual day when my mouth stated feeling better and when the multiple daily cleanings no longer felt like a chore. Before I knew it my 6 month visit was due. While at the dentist waiting for Gail was different; my nervousness was replaced with eagerness and now I looked forward to her questions. Quite honestly I already knew of my progress without Gail.