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2/25/2021

Identify Leverage Areas: The 5 Whys

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Tap into critical reflection and unpack professional challenges.
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As you continue to adapt your instruction, challenges and pain points are inevitable — but with change comes opportunity. 

Before deciding how to tackle a professional challenge before you, you'll first want to determine the root cause of your problem, and your ultimate leverage area. Using our 5 Whys protocol, we can tap into critical reflection and dig below the surface to identify factors within your sphere of influence that are contributing to the challenge you're facing, and bring pathways for change into focus. 

Let's see what happens if we use the 5 Whys to unpack the challenge of students struggling on state tests: 

Students are struggling on state tests. Why?
Because the tests are long and students get tired. Why?
Because students struggle with test-taking stamina. Why?
Because they get tired and bored, and it's difficult for them to retain focus. Why?
Because the texts or tasks are complex and they struggle to comprehend them. Why?
Because they struggle with assessment literacy and text types, or question styles become difficult for them to read.

Notice how, when forced to keep our responses within the realm of our influence, we can drill down to some concrete areas of focus. Although we may not be able to solve all struggles related to state tests, we can identify leverage areas that will help us to reframe our challenge and feel empowered to take action. 
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DOWNLOAD THE 5 WHYS
To access additional free K-12 resources from our team, please visit our Resources page. ​
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The Center for Professional Education of Teachers (CPET) at Teachers College, Columbia University is committed to making excellent and equitable education accessible worldwide. ​CPET unites theory and practice to promote transformational change. We design innovative projects, cultivate sustainable partnerships, and conduct research through direct and online services to youth and educators. Grounded in adult learning theories, our six core principles structure our customized approach and expand the capacities of educators around the world.

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    • Services
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    • Signature Initiatives >
      • Literacy Unbound
      • New Teacher Network
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    • Book of the month
    • Online Courses
    • Professional Articles
    • Ready-to-use Resources
    • Teaching Today Podcast
  • Support CPET