Sharing Small Wins

LAVEETA SWEENEY 8/14/2017 Professor: Dr. Lisa Johnson

Introduction
Education grapples with standards set by governing bodies, policy makers, and administrations
focused on increasing the depth of knowledge and skills students will need to join the 21 st century
workforce and adult society. A demand for increased cognitive skills such as critical thinking, attentional
control and self-regulation have shaped the classroom experience. Assessments align with the demands
for these skills and not only student success hinges on the results; educator’s and schools are linked with
resources and support dependent upon the resulting data. This dynamic has pushed prioritizing
‘academic’ activities to accommodate the standards as educator’s assert “there simply isn’t enough time in
the day to accomplish what needs to be done” (Caplan & Igel, 2015, para. 4) justifying the reduction or
elimination of physical education and arts education.
The students at CMS are demonstrating a need for increased skill and refinement of attentional
regulation. We have developed a change strategy that will address this need and provide a research-
based plan in support of developing attentional control and increased engagement in the learning process.
The strategy capitalizes on research that noted aerobic activities are “significantly, and positively
associated with reading achievement, mathematics and total academic achievement” (Tomporowski,
Davis, Miller, & Naglieri, 2008, pp. 8-9) by implementing two physical movement intervals into the daily
sequence of the school day.

Change Strategy
Moving into action for the change
strategy begins with implementing one change.
This first step in the change strategy avoids
making too many changes at the same time
recognizing that multiple transitions are “more
difficult than coping with one” (Eccles, Wigfield,
& Byrnes, 2003, p. 330) aiding both students and
educators in navigating the change successfully.
Adjusting the daily sequence of events in
the classroom represents an incremental step and
an achievable target toward the change strategy
goal. Making the adjustment in the daily
sequence to create space for the movement
interval after the lunch break presents an
opportunity for educators to assess the impact of
the sequence shift for the students and
curriculum implementation.
Arrival Work Period Movement Work Period
EDU658 – Wk4A – Sharing Small Wins
Strategy Benefits
The small win mirrors the video game
model learning tool that capitalizes on the brains’
reward system. A small win represents progress
toward a goal, “when the brain receives that
feedback that this progress has been made, it
reinforces the networks used to succeed” (Willis,
2011, para. 6) this is done through the dopamine
reward cycle that drives motivation, action, and
perseverance.
Educators are able to implement the shift,
collect data through observation on the how the
students handle the change, which students or
educators may need greater support in the
Strategy Data & Results
Surveys exploring the experiences of the
students, parents, and educators are providing
insight into readiness for the action steps.
Surveys tools allow for an investigation of “the
characteristics, behaviors, and opinions of a
group of people” (Cherry, 2017, para. 2)
providing targeted self-assessment information,
feedback of experience, and data that can be
generalized to larger populations (Vannette,
2015) shaping implementation pace and
responsiveness.
Data such as experience with the change
actions, feelings about change, likes, dislikes,
obstacles, helpfulness, readiness, and
understanding of why and how the change will
Publicity Plan
A website has been created, including a
blog feature that allows for comments and
2
transition and how the shift effects classroom
management and lessons.
The change strategy will provide more
focused attention and engagement from students
during work periods, providing more effective
and efficient use of the time, compensating for
the encroachment of the movement interval.
bring benefit and improvement to attention and
engagement in cognitive activities will be
collected through the use of surveys.
The data collected is anonymous and
analyzed as raw numbers, percentages, cross-
tabulation, filtering, setting a benchmark along
with noting trends in experience or effectiveness.
The analysis will provide data about each groups
experiences, readiness, impact, and obstacles as
well as setting benchmarks for later comparisons.
The data will be used to inform the pace of
implementation along with the effectiveness of
the change actions and ultimately the strategy.
discussions to take place as adjustments are
made in each classroom. The forum promotes
EDU658 – Wk4A – Sharing Small Wins 3

conversation and the sharing of struggles,
concerns, tips and strategies for navigating the
changes in sequence.
The website also contains a page for
survey results from students, parents and
educators on the sequence changes and
experiences of each party. These results will be
shared as summarized, anonymous ratings
gathered from the surveys. The site will promote
family discussions, educator discussions, student
discussions and integrated discussions, giving all
parties a voice in the process and experience.
This website will be a private site, with a
secure portal available only to students, families,
educators and administrators of the school. Data
and discussions will be protected and monitored
for safety and appropriateness by an IT
professional contracted to perform the work and
protect the privacy of the members.

Next Steps
Once this first step in the change strategy
settles into place, the next step consists of
implementing into the sequence space for the
second physical movement interval at the
beginning of the day. This integration will
follow the same pattern of implementation, data
collection, responsiveness, and preparation for
implementing the full change strategy.
Surveys and observations will continue to
be a part of the assessment protocol and data
collection exploring the experiences of the
students, educators and families. Additionally,
data will be collected on the elements of attention
demonstrated by engagement in a benchmark
period to provide a comparison with full
implementation of the change strategy.
Throughout the implementation,
students, educators and families will be engaged
in feedback sharing experiences, ideas and
obstacles guiding responsive adjusts as
indicated.

Assignment Reflection
The newsletter offers information about the change strategy, the actions integral to reaching the
goal of the strategy, and the sequence for introducing the change. The change strategy supports
collaboration among all involved, promoting discourse and providing each member a voice in the process
(Spiro, 2011) lending to a democratic experience (Landrum, 2013) designed to enrich the process and
promote professionalism.
Designing a small win or incremental, achievable challenge rests on valid research that posits
incremental achievable actions through effort elicits a response from the dopamine reward cycle,
increasing engagement and persistence (Dweck, 2015) during process of challenge or change. As
educators have positive experiences with the actions within the change strategy they are primed for
staying motivated during the change process, implementing the steps, and persevering in challenge and
transition gaining intrinsic reward for their efforts and reaping extrinsic benefits of increased attentional
regulation by their students.
The early, small win develops confidence, provides clarity for the requirements of the larger
strategy goal, and can provide momentum toward the goal (Spiro, 2011, p. 96) with positive feedback
from each step along the way. Sharing the vision, rationale and clearly defined steps toward the goal with
educators, parents, administrators and students promotes communication and respect for all involved.

Conclusion
EDU658 – Wk4A – Sharing Small Wins 4

Introducing and implementing the change strategy to incorporate two physical movement
intervals into the daily sequence of the school day benefits from breaking down the steps into manageable
actions, avoiding overloading students and educators with all of the changes at once. Supported by the
cumulative stress theory, Spiro, 2011 discusses the challenge posed by introducing too many changes at
once creating unnecessary obstacles for the process. The small win is an effective way to implement a
change and reach the benefits of a new, research supported strategy. Harvard Business Reviews’ Amabile
& Kramer, 2011 discusses that “everyday progress- even a small win – can make all the difference” (para.
3) for educators and students in “how they feel and perform” (para. 3) during the work toward the goal.
With collaboration, cooperation, and communication, this change process will enrich the cognitive
and physical development of students, eliminate classroom management challenges due to
disengagement and attentional resources and promote happier and healthier students.

References
Amabile, T., & Kramer, S. J. (2011, May). The power of small wins. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved
from https://hbr.org/2011/05/the-power-of-small-wins

Caplan, A. L., & Igel, L. H. (2015, Jan 15). The common core is taking away kids' recess--and that makes no
sense. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/leeigel/2015/01/15/the-common-core-is-
taking-away-kids-recess-and-that-makes-no-sense/#42eec4b0128d

Cherry, K. (2017, May 18). What is a survey and when should you use one? Retrieved from Very Well:
https://www.verywell.com/what-is-a-survey-2795787

Dweck, C. S. (2015). Growth. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 85, 242-245. Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-
library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=102645124&site=eds-live

Eccles, J. S., Wigfield, A., & Byrnes, J. (2003). Cognitive development in adolescence. In I. B. Weiner, R. M.
Lerner, M. A. Easterbrooks, & J. Mistry (Eds.), Handbook of pschology (Vol. VI Developmental
psychology, pp. 325-349). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Landrum, R. E. (2013). Research design for educators: Real world connections and applications. San Diego, CA:
Bridgepoint Education, INC.

Roberts, R. (2015, March 10). Recess in the snow. [Image file]. Retrieved from http://thecourier.com/randys-
seen/2015/03/10/recess-returns/

Spiro, J. (2011). Leading change step-by-step: Tactics, tools, and tales. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Tomporowski, P. D., Davis, C. L., Miller, P. H., & Naglieri, J. A. (2008). Exercise and children’s intelligence,
cognition, and academic achievement. Educational Psychology Review, 20(2), 111-131.
doi:0.1007/s10648-007-9057-0

Vannette, D. (2015, April 8). What is a survey? [Web log post]. Retrieved from
https://www.qualtrics.com/blog/what-is-a-survey/
EDU658 – Wk4A – Sharing Small Wins 5

Wells, S. L. (2012). Moving through the curriculum: The effect of movement on student learning, behavior,
and attitude. Rising Tide, 5. Retrieved from
http://smcmweb.smcm.edu/educationstudies/pdf/rising-tide/volume-5/Wells.pdf

Willis, J. (2011, April 14). A neurologists makes the case for the video game model as a learning tool. [Web
log post]. edutopia. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/neurologist-makes-case-video-
game-model-learning-tool