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<\/a><\/p>\nIn particular, our students might have developed some counter-productive habits during the first half of the year. Wouldn’t it be great if we could help them develop new learning habits?<\/p>\n
Maybe homework<\/em> would be a good place to start. Better homework habits should indeed lead to more learning.<\/p>\n When I sit down to do my homework, the same problems always crop up.<\/p>\n My cell phone buzzes with texts.<\/p>\n I’m really tired. SO<\/em> tired.<\/p>\n The abominable noise from my brother’s room (heavy metal horror) drives me crazy.<\/p>\n I try to solve all these problems when they appear, but they get me so distracted and addled that I just can’t recover quickly. Result: I’m just not very efficient.<\/p>\n Wouldn’t it be great if I could develop new habits to solve these problems? What would these new learning habits be?<\/p>\n We actually have a highly effective habit strategy to deal with this problem. Sadly, the solution has a lumpish name: “implementation intentions.”<\/p>\n Here’s what that means.<\/p>\n Step 1<\/strong>: I make a list of the problems that most often vex me. (In fact, I’ve already made that list — see above.)<\/p>\n Important note about step 1: everyone’s list will be different<\/em>. The problems that interfere with my homework might not bother other people. (Apparently, some folks\u00a0like<\/em> my brother’s dreadful music.)<\/p>\n Step 2<\/strong>: decide,\u00a0IN ADVANCE<\/strong>, how I will solve each problem.<\/p>\n For example, when my cell phone buzzes, I\u00a0won’t<\/em>\u00a0look at the message. Instead, I\u00a0will<\/em> turn the phone to airplane mode.<\/p>\n When I feel tired, I’ll do 20 jumping jacks. If that doesn’t work, I’ll take a quick shower. That always wakes me right up.<\/p>\n When my brother cranks his stereo, I’ll move to my backup study location in the basement.<\/p>\n Just as everyone faces different problems, everyone will come up with different solutions.<\/p>\n Step 3<\/strong>: let the environment do the work.<\/p>\n Here’s the genius of “implementation intentions”: the environment does the work for us.<\/p>\n Now, when my phone buzzes, I already know what to do. I’ve already made the decision. I don’t have to make a new decision<\/em>. I simply execute the plan.<\/p>\n Phone buzzes, I switch it to airplane mode. Done.<\/p>\n Now, I have to be honest with you. When I first read about this strategy, I was REALLY SKEPTICAL.<\/p>\n I mean, it’s so simple. How can this possibly work?<\/p>\n The theory — “the environment does the work, activating a decision chain that’s already been planned” — sort of makes sense, but: really<\/em>?<\/p>\n In fact, we do have lots of good research showing that this strategy works.<\/p>\n For instance, Angela Duckworth (yes,\u00a0that<\/em> Angela Duckworth<\/a>) found that students who went through this process completed 60% more practice problems<\/a> for the PSAT than those who simply wrote about their goals for the test.<\/p>\n You read that right: 60% more practice problems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n How’s that for new learning habits?<\/p>\n What does this technique look like in your classroom?<\/p>\n Of course: everyone reading this blog teaches different\u00a0content<\/em> to different\u00a0students<\/em> at different\u00a0schools.\u00a0<\/em>And, we are all different people<\/em>.<\/p>\n So, your precise way of helping your students will differ from my way.<\/p>\n I’m including a link to Ollie Lovell’s post on this topic. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that you follow his example precisely. After all, you and Ollie are two different people.<\/p>\nThe Problem: Old Habits<\/h2>\n
New Learning Habits: “Implementation Intentions”<\/h2>\n
New Learning Habits: the Research<\/h2>\n
Classroom Applications<\/h2>\n