Let's be honest. A million articles and books have been written about the importance of goal setting. Everyone agrees that goal setting increases your chances of success. If we agree on that then we also agree that individual goal setting increases a student's chances of success. I'm not just saying that. Robert Marzano (2003), What Works in Schools, found that student learning can increase anywhere from 18 to 41 percentile points when goal setting and monitoring is used to guide instruction. That is huge!

Tomorrow I want you to do things in a way you normally wouldn’t do. Try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand, lock the front door with the opposite hand, etc. You get the picture. Just make sure you don’t drive on the opposite side of the road! How long will you stick to this before you go back to the old way? It’s easier to stick with what is comfortable.

Collaboration is an essential element in designing a powerful learning environment for schools. When designed properly, a collaborative network will cultivate relationships that thrive on the formation and exchange of knowledge...How is collaboration designed?