We are heavily influenced by the behaviour and attitudes of others. The effect is particularly powerful when a large proportion of a group act in a similar way.
→ These unwritten rules of conduct are known as 'norms' and they play a HUGE role in school.
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First, let's take a step back. Why do norms exist?
Firstly, an ‘imitation’ shortcut to behaviour makes sense from a risk point of view—if those around us are doing it, it can’t be all that bad a bet, right?
Secondly, conformity is a critical pre-condition for large group co-operation. Working together at scale can supercharge our individual and collective success.
But these things are only possible when the behaviour of individuals within a community is consistent and predictable.
The cue that kickstarts a routine is also critical (see linked 🧵). Effective cues are:
Distinct → So they don't get mixed up with other routines
Multi-modal → They combine noise/speech with action/position
Punchy → They are quick and impactful
However, they take time and effort to establish, and often come with an initial dip in performance. During this phase, it can be tempting to give up.
→ This is what @JamesClear calls the 'Valley of Latent Potential'.
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At their best, routines can:
→ Redeploy attention
→ Reduce behaviour management
→ Increase student motivation, confidence and safety
→ Free up of teacher mental capacity to monitor learning and be more responsive
However, these benefits only come once routines become automated.
The amount of time it takes for a routine to automate depends on its complexity and how frequently we run it. Simple routines can take 20 repetitions. More complex ones can take up to 200.
→ They enable students to spend less time thinking about the *process* of their learning and more time thinking about the *content* of their learning.
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First, let's zoom out a bit. Routines can be both behavioural and/or instructional:
• Behavioural routines (eg. classroom entry) create more time and space for learning.
• Instructional routines (eg. cold call) make learning more efficient.
Both types bring a range of benefits:
→ Reduction in behaviour management burden
→ Increased student motivation, confidence and safety
→ Freeing up of teacher mental capacity to monitor learning and be more responsive