Practice Perfect

Practice Perfect

by Doug Lemov, Erica Woolway, Katie Yezzi, Dan Heath
Released January 2018
Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
ISBN: 9781119422334

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Book description

Rules for developing talent with disciplined, deliberate, intelligent practice

We live in a competition loving culture. We love the performance, the big win, the ticking seconds of the clock as the game comes down to the wire. We watch games and cheer, sometimes to the point of obsession, but if we really wanted to see greatness—wanted to cheer for it, see it happen, understand what made it happen—we'd spend our time watching, obsessing on, and maybe even cheering the practices instead. This book puts practice on the front burner of all who seek to instill talent and achievement in others as well as in themselves. This is a journey to understand that practice, not games, makes champions.

In this book, the authors engage the dream of better, both in fields and endeavors where participants know they should practice and also in those where many do not yet recognize the transformative power of practice. And it’s not just whether you practice. How you practice may be a true competitive advantage. Deliberately engineered and designed practice can revolutionize our most important endeavors. The clear set of rules presented in Practice Perfect will make us better in virtually every performance of life. The “how-to” rules of practice cover such topics as rethinking practice, modeling excellent practice, using feedback, creating a culture of practice, making new skills stick, and hiring for practice.

  • Discover new ways to think about practice. Learn how to design successful practice. Apply practice across a wide range of realms, both personal and professional
  • The authors include specific activities to jump-start practice
  • Doug Lemov is the best-selling author of Teach Like a Champion

A hands-on resource to practice, the rules within will help to create positive outliers and world-changing reservoirs of talent.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Contents
  3. Title
  4. Copyright
  5. Foreword
  6. Dedication
  7. Preface: Why Practice? Why Now?
  8. Introduction: The Power of Practice
  9. Rethinking Practice
    1. Rule 1 Encode Success
    2. Rule 2 Practice the 20
    3. Rule 3 Let the Mind Follow the Body
    4. Rule 4 Unlock Creativity . . . with Repetition
    5. Rule 5 Replace Your Purpose (with an Objective)
    6. Rule 6 Practice “Bright Spots”
    7. Rule 7 Differentiate Drill from Scrimmage
    8. Rule 8 Correct Instead of Critique
  10. How to Practice
    1. Rule 9 Analyze the Game
    2. Rule 10 Isolate the Skill
    3. Rule 11 Name It
    4. Rule 12 Integrate the Skills
    5. Rule 13 Make a Plan
    6. Rule 14 Make Each Minute Matter
  11. Using Modeling
    1. Rule 15 Model and Describe
    2. Rule 16 Call Your Shots
    3. Rule 17 Make Models Believable
    4. Rule 18 Try Supermodeling
    5. Rule 19 Insist They “Walk This Way”
    6. Rule 20 Model Skinny Parts
    7. Rule 21 Model the Path
    8. Rule 22 Get Ready for Your Close-up
  12. Feedback
    1. Rule 23 Practice Using Feedback (Not Just Getting It)
    2. Rule 24 Apply First, Then Reflect
    3. Rule 25 Shorten the Feedback Loop
    4. Rule 26 Use the Power of Positive
    5. Rule 27 Limit Yourself
    6. Rule 28 Make It an Everyday Thing
    7. Rule 29 Describe the Solution (Not the Problem)
    8. Rule 30 Lock It In
  13. Culture of Practice
    1. Rule 31 Normalize Error
    2. Rule 32 Break Down the Barriers to Practice
    3. Rule 33 Make It Fun to Practice
    4. Rule 34 Everybody Does It
    5. Rule 35 Leverage Peer-to-Peer Accountability
    6. Rule 36 Hire for Practice
    7. Rule 37 Praise the Work
  14. Post-Practice
    1. Rule 38 Look for the Right Things
    2. Rule 39 Coach During the Game (Don’t Teach)
    3. Rule 40 Keep Talking
    4. Rule 41 Walk the Line (Between Support and Demand)
    5. Rule 42 Measure Success
  15. Conclusion
  16. Appendix A: Teaching Techniques from Teach Like a Champion
  17. Appendix B: Sample Practice Activities
  18. Acknowledgments
  19. About the Authors
  20. Summary of Rules
  21. Index

Product information

  • Title: Practice Perfect
  • Author(s): Doug Lemov, Erica Woolway, Katie Yezzi, Dan Heath
  • Release date: January 2018
  • Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
  • ISBN: 9781119422334