Pages Turned: A Book Review Series with Our Head of School

Written by Rachel Hovington

“Atomic Habits” by James Clear

I just finished being inspired by Atomic Habits by James Clear. This New York Times Bestseller is the most requested book by students in Barcelona’s International School libraries right now! Clear delves into the power of tiny changes that he calls ‘atomic habits’, and how they can lead to remarkable change in your life for the positive over time. As I was reading it, I not only read through my own personal development lens but also I have tried to assess how our American International school community can benefit from conscious atomic habit formation! 

At Benjamin Franklin International School, we believe in ‘Failing Forward’. What really struck me is the emphasis on just getting started and being kind but relentless with self. Start small but be consistent. Practice every day and don’t be deterred if you don’t get it right. Fail forward and don’t let great be the enemy of good!

There are five main ‘laws’ of developing healthy habits that Clear has identified. 

• Cue: Parents, students, and teachers can identify specific cues or triggers that prompt desired behaviors. For example, a parent might use the cue of dinner time to encourage family members to share one thing that they learned that day so fostering a habit of reflection and communication. Similarly, students can use the cue of arriving home from school, getting a snack and a drink and then immediately starting on their homework, turning the transition from school to home into a trigger for productive studying. Teachers can use visual cues like posters or reminders to prompt students to exhibit desired behaviors, such as raising their hands before speaking in class.
  
• Craving: By associating positive feelings or rewards with desired behaviors, individuals can create a craving that drives them to repeat those behaviors. For example, parents can praise their child’s efforts and progress when they see them sticking to their bedtime routine, reinforcing the habit of consistent sleep. Students can reward themselves with a favorite snack or short break after completing a study session, associating the habit of studying with a sense of accomplishment and pleasure. Teachers can provide incentives such as class privileges to reinforce positive behaviors and motivate students to continue practicing them.

• Response: Parents, students, and teachers can focus on developing specific responses or actions that follow the cue and lead to the desired behavior. For instance, parents can establish the response of turning off electronic devices an hour before bedtime to signal to their children that it’s time to start winding down. Students can develop the response of breaking down larger assignments into smaller tasks and scheduling specific study sessions throughout the week to ensure they stay on track with their academic goals. Teachers can teach students specific strategies for responding to challenging situations, such as taking deep breaths or creating routines where asking for help is normalized to feedback routine in the class so that they feel less overwhelmed.
  
• Reward: Providing immediate rewards or reinforcement can help solidify habits and make them more likely to stick. Parents can offer praise or extra bedtime stories as rewards for their child’s consistent adherence to their bedtime routine. We would never advocate removing bedtime stories as a punishment though! The point is to praise the positives to achieve outcomes. Students can reward themselves with a favorite snack, short break, or enjoyable activity after completing their homework or studying for a certain amount of time. Teachers can implement a reward system in the classroom, such as a points or token system, where students earn rewards for demonstrating desired behaviors such as active participation or helping classmates. If learning is scaffolded professionally and feedback in good schools like ours is comprehensive and consistent then really good teacher feedback is the reward to students itself. Students want to do better because they see the next rung of their learning ladder clearly and are motivated to get there. Our IB frameworks and assessment policies are designed for this opportunity.  I was struck by how good assessment practice in schools really transcends many of these laws. 
  
• Reinforcement: Consistency is key to reinforcing habits and ensuring they become automatic over time. Parents, students, and teachers should strive to consistently follow through with the cue, response, and reward sequence to reinforce desired behaviors. For example, parents should maintain a consistent bedtime routine every night to reinforce the habit of good sleep hygiene. Students should stick to their study schedule even on weekends or during busy periods to reinforce the habit of consistent academic effort. Teachers should consistently enforce classroom agreements and expectations to reinforce positive behaviors and discourage negative ones.

By incorporating these 5 key ideas into their approach, parents, students, and teachers can effectively build and reinforce positive habits in the school setting, leading to improved academic performance, well-being, and overall success. How can we apply these more specifically to our different roles in a school community?

For Parents

James Clear emphasizes the importance of creating an environment that fosters positive habits for children. Small, consistent actions can have a profound impact on a child’s development. Parents can help by modeling good habits themselves, providing encouragement and support, and creating routines that make desired behaviors more likely to occur. By focusing on small improvements and celebrating progress, parents can help their children build habits that lead to success in school and life. For example:

• Bedtime Routine: Parents can establish a consistent bedtime routine for their children, including activities like brushing their teeth, reading a book, and dimming lights. By consistently following this routine, children learn to associate these activities with sleep, making it easier for them to wind down and fall asleep at night.
• Healthy Eating Habits: Parents can encourage their children to develop healthy eating habits by keeping nutritious snacks readily available and involving them in meal preparation. By making healthy choices the default option and involving children in the process, parents can help instill lifelong habits that promote overall well-being
• Homework Schedule: Parents can help their children create a designated time and space for homework each day. By establishing a consistent schedule and providing a quiet, organized study area, parents can help their children develop the habit of completing homework regularly and on time.

• Expect and Support Failure: There is nothing more discouraging than trying your best and a parent expecting more. Celebrate the practice and the process and not the product. I guarantee it will lead to a more motivated child that will reach their full potential. Let teachers be in charge of professional critique and feedback to your child. They are professionals. Be the parent and be the cheerleader.
• Capitalize on Exiting Daily Routines: A parent may already have the habit of making breakfast for their child every morning. They can use this existing habit as a cue to stack a new habit onto it, such as discussing one interesting fact or topic related to their child’s school day during breakfast. By consistently associating the new habit of discussion with the existing habit of making breakfast, the parent can establish a routine of engaging in meaningful conversation with their child each morning.

For Students

Students can apply the principles of atomic habits to improve their academic performance stress, anxiety and overall well-being. By identifying specific goals and breaking them down into manageable tasks, students can create a roadmap for success. Consistency is key, so students should strive to make their desired habits as easy and convenient as possible. Whether it’s studying for exams, practicing a musical instrument, or staying organized, small actions repeated consistently can lead to significant improvements over time. Want to play the piano, learn to code or shoot a more consistent basketball? It will take lots of time to get good. Be kind to yourself and do a little every day. Don’t expect huge leaps especially after the early stages of learning when things get harder. Believe that over time if you just keep plugging away you will get better. These laws of atomic habits dictate that you will. Don’t give up. Reward the practice not the product. You got out there and shot 20 mins of hoops today..so you missed them all. No problem, come back tomorrow… and the next day! 

• Study Habits: Instead of cramming for exams at the last minute, students can develop the habit of studying a little bit each day. For example, they can set aside 30 minutes each evening to review class notes or work on assignments. Over time, this consistent effort leads to better retention of information and improved academic performance.
• Exercise Routine: Students can incorporate physical activity into their daily routine by finding activities they enjoy, such as walking, cycling, or playing sports. By scheduling regular exercise sessions and making them a priority, students can reap the physical and mental health benefits of staying active. Joining a club motivates students with friendships and loyalties that are powerful motivators to attend practice routinely and practice for games on their own or with friends.

• Time Management: Students can use tools like planners or digital apps to organize their tasks and prioritize their responsibilities. By breaking larger projects into smaller, more manageable tasks and allocating time for each, students can avoid procrastination and stay on top of their workload.

A student may already have the habit of coming through the door and hanging their keys up which is a cue to to stack a new habit onto it. For example, perhaps they always set up their work area with their homework, books, or computer immediately after hanging up keys. The next thing they do is open their school bag which cues getting everything ready to sit down to work. This can then be stacked with getting a snack and a drink. Cue now sitting down and reviewing what homework they have that day, their flashcards or reading a textbook chapter for just 10 minutes that hopefully turns into longer by choice. By consistently associating the new habit of studying with the existing habit of coming home the student can establish a routine of incorporating academic review into their routine.

For Teachers

Teachers play a crucial role in shaping students’ habits and helping them reach their full potential. By creating a positive classroom environment and establishing clear expectations, teachers can encourage students to develop good habits and routines. Providing regular feedback and reinforcement can help reinforce desired behaviors and motivate students to stay on track. Teachers can also incorporate strategies such as habit stacking and environment design to make it easier for students to adopt new habits and overcome obstacles.

• Classroom Expectations: Teachers establish clear classroom agreements that become shared expectations for behavior and academic performance from the beginning of the school year. By consistently providing positive reinforcement for desired behaviors, teachers create a structured learning environment where students know what is expected of them.
• Peer Accountability: Teachers encourage students to hold each other accountable for their actions and behaviors. For example, teachers can implement group projects where students rely on each other to complete tasks and meet deadlines, fostering a sense of responsibility and teamwork among students. Teachers also know that the most powerful anti-bullying tool is peer-to-peer positive pressure. Giving kids routine language and structures through which to hold each other accountable develops strong habits of peer-to-peer expectation.
• Environmental Design: Teachers can design their classroom layout to facilitate desired behaviors. For instance, they can create designated areas for different activities such as quiet study, group work, or independent reading. By optimizing the physical environment for learning, teachers can make it easier for students to focus and engage in productive habits.

• The Start of the Class Routine: Teachers already have the habit of starting each class with a brief review of the previous lesson and are used to placing the lesson in the context of the unit of study. They can use this existing habit as a cue to stack a new habit onto it, such as incorporating a short mindfulness exercise or breathing activity at the beginning of each review session. By consistently associating the new habit of mindfulness with the existing habit of lesson review, the teacher can establish a routine of promoting student well-being and focus at the start of each class.

Overall, “Atomic Habits” offers practical advice for parents, students, and teachers alike, showing how small changes can lead to big results in the school setting and beyond. By focusing on the power of habits, individuals can unlock their full potential and achieve their goals. The power comes in community and in sharing great routines and habits with each other students, teachers and parents alike to foster an ideal learning environment that collaboratively nurtures healthy successful young people who make things better in their own lives and in the lives of others.