Read on Twitter
For teachers of the game.
@douglemov, who wrote Practice Perfect & @TeachLikeAChamp is one of the best at teaching teachers.
Here are eleven things that helped our PGC directors, and can put you on a path to teaching mastery.
(a thread)
@douglemov, who wrote Practice Perfect & @TeachLikeAChamp is one of the best at teaching teachers.
Here are eleven things that helped our PGC directors, and can put you on a path to teaching mastery.
(a thread)
Shorten the feedback loop.
Give feedback right away. A simple, small change implemented right away can be more effective than a complex rewiring of a skill.
Often the simple change will have a domino effect on much broader skills.
Give feedback right away. A simple, small change implemented right away can be more effective than a complex rewiring of a skill.
Often the simple change will have a domino effect on much broader skills.
Correct Instead of critique.
Have participants redo an action differently or better rather than just telling them what or how it could have been different or better.
Have participants redo an action differently or better rather than just telling them what or how it could have been different or better.
Describe the solution, not the problem.
Move away from “don’t” statements that tell participants what not to do, and move toward “what to do” statements that tell them how to succeed.
Specific and actionable guidance.
Move away from “don’t” statements that tell participants what not to do, and move toward “what to do” statements that tell them how to succeed.
Specific and actionable guidance.
Look for ways to abbreviate (or name) commonly given guidance to make it easier and faster to use.
Normalize error.
When you punish your people for making a mistake or falling short of a goal, you create an environment of extreme caution, even fearfulness.
Instead...
Respond to those mistakes/errors in a way that supports growth and improvement
When you punish your people for making a mistake or falling short of a goal, you create an environment of extreme caution, even fearfulness.
Instead...
Respond to those mistakes/errors in a way that supports growth and improvement
How to frame mistakes.
Finding the right language & hitting the right tone can have an amazing normalizing effect.
Consider, for example, the following sentence starters...
Finding the right language & hitting the right tone can have an amazing normalizing effect.
Consider, for example, the following sentence starters...
Be a supermodel.
Model to the extreme what you want to see from your athletes.
Sometimes it's hard to hear your words over the sound of your actions.
Model to the extreme what you want to see from your athletes.
Sometimes it's hard to hear your words over the sound of your actions.
Encode Success (part 1)
Engineer practice activities so that the success rate is reliably high.
If the activities are especially challenging, ensure they end with a period of reliable success so your participants practice getting it right.
Engineer practice activities so that the success rate is reliably high.
If the activities are especially challenging, ensure they end with a period of reliable success so your participants practice getting it right.
Encode Success (part 2)
Check for mastery constantly.
If activities don't result in reliable success, simplify temporarily so participants start successfully; then add complexity.
Check for mastery constantly.
If activities don't result in reliable success, simplify temporarily so participants start successfully; then add complexity.
Talk Expectations & Aspirations.
Talk about who your players are becoming and where they are going. When they look great, tell them they look like “college athletes” and future “successful people.”
Talk about who your players are becoming and where they are going. When they look great, tell them they look like “college athletes” and future “successful people.”
Call your shot.
When you send people to observe or shadow someone else, make what you want them to observe explicitly.
Avoid hoping they watch for the same thing you want them to watch for.
When you send people to observe or shadow someone else, make what you want them to observe explicitly.
Avoid hoping they watch for the same thing you want them to watch for.
Limit Yourself.
People can focus on and use only a few things at a time, so limit your feedback.
So practice this in your replies!
People can focus on and use only a few things at a time, so limit your feedback.
So practice this in your replies!
