Refining Systems

Our second grandbaby is due soon, and our daughter, who is nesting, invited me over to help her get things tidied up and organized. Shoes were scattered in different areas of the house, children’s artwork was piled on the counter, and untouched mail was stacked by the phone. I thought, This will be simple—we’ll just put everything away. Which is when we discovered the problem together. Where did everything go? Systems and places were needed to help alleviate the clutter.

I offered a few helpful suggestions, which were met with a pause, a scrunched-up nose, and “That is interesting” which is polite-speak for “That won’t work for me at this time.” As a coach, I know that great strides are made when I ask questions and really listen to the answers. So I took off my “mom hat” and put on my “coach hat.” I asked some thoughtful questions and really listened to the answers. When I summarized the solutions my daughter brainstormed, systems that would really work for her began to take hold.

When systems stall in the classroom, a few questions can help us articulate a need, discover what is and isn’t working well, and refine a practice.

• What am I doing now?
• What is working?
• What is not working?
• What can I design or refine?
• Is this something I can stick with?
• How will I know this is working?

For example, in Lori’s second-grade classroom, students would often forget to turn in their homework folders. She decided she needed a system that would elevate the percentage of students who remembered, so she began greeting students at the door every morning with the homework tub in her hands. Each student got a friendly and personal greeting to begin the day, and she got homework turned in before they even entered the classroom.

Whether working to clean up clutter in your room, come up with a new system for turning in completed work, or shortening transition times, these questions can help identify the problem and articulate and implement a solution that will benefit everyone.