Part of professional growth is learning new things every day. Educators must often adapt quickly to meet urgent needs of students, overcome unforeseen challenges, or sometimes follow countless surface-level introductions to new strategies. However, the ability to focus and go deep into an approach that specifically addresses the day-to-day realities of their actual classroom is crucial for educators to meet their goals and improve studentsâ lives and learning.
In his most recent ASCD column, âThe Learning Zone: The Life-Changing Magic of Going In-Depth,â Jim Knight discusses what consultants call âshiny object syndromeâ and walks through five ways to commit to going deeper.
Avoid âShiny Object Syndromeâ
âSchool leaders are often drawn to the next new thing, and educators may find themselves pushed to learn about new strategies and ideas before they’ve absorbed the previous new thingâthen they are asked to drop that new thing when another one comes along. Management consultants call this âshiny object syndrome.ââ
Commit to Looking Deeper
- Identify priorities.
- Say no to demands of your time.
- Make it real.
- Adopt a learnerâs mindset.
- Be courageous.
Read the full article on the ASCD website >>
The Learning Zone is a monthly column from ASCD, written by Jim Knight.
