Currently reading
Paddy's Lament, Ireland 1846-1847: Prelude to Hatred
Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One
When in French: Love in a Second Language
Beyond the Job Description: How Managers and Employees Can Navigate the True Demands of the Job
Vision and Art: The Biology of Seeing
Achieving Your Potential As A Photographer: A Creative Companion and Workbook
Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age
Picture Perfect Practice: A Self-Training Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Taking World-Class Photographs (Voices That Matter)
Man's Search for Meaning
Terms of Service: Social Media and the Price of Constant Connection
Practice Perfect: 42 Rules for Getting Better at Getting Better
I got a lot from this book -- now I just need to practice! It's written by educators (specifically, training teachers), but it applies across the board. They do a good job giving examples for other professions as well. Focus on the number of techniques being worked on. Do fewer things better. Many professional development programs lack focus, intensity, follow-up and continuity. Practice should involve people practicing success, even if it means simplifying the activity. Most people assume that the higher you go on the competency scale, the less drilling you need to do and the more scrimmaging. In fact, we argue, the opposite is true. P. 15Book summary: “In the first chapter we’ll look at common assumptions about practice and as a starting point ask you to reconsider them. The second chapter will focus on design principles for running effective practices. The third looks at the role modeling can play in increasing the effectiveness of practice sessions, and the fourth explores the important role of feedback. The fifth chapter considers practice as a social activity and therefore one that both expresses and relies on a culture of openness, transparency, and humility. What comes after practice, and how decisions about hiring, evaluation, and implementation make the work you do more effective, is the focus of the sixth chapter, and in the final chapter we reflect more extensively on the application and importance of practice in achieving better results in professional endeavors."The 42 rules and their examples follow. I like the afterbits about implementing on "Monday mornings" for organizations, for a mentee or a small team, and for yourself. I also liked the appendix which talks about some of the teaching techniques that are covered in Doug Lemov's book, Teach like a champion."
