Most of the students taught in your school this year are coming back next year.
And so, viewing the end of the year as a finishing post isn’t always the most useful way to look at December. In many ways, December is just the month of learning and collaboration before the next month of it all… with a few celebrations chucked in.
A model I’ve found to be a better lens for December is the old A-B-C model of human behaviour. It’s not absolute or without exception, but it’s been helpful to me.
A is for Antecedents. These, broadly described, are conditions or events that precede or influence the next behaviour. Think about getting drunk at the staff Christmas party. There are often factors like stress, free/cheap alcohol and even personal choice that make the behaviour much more likely.
B is just the Behaviour.
C is the Consequence of that behaviour. And while teachers have suggested to me that career limiting moves like a disastrously tipsy midnight performance appraisal of your principal are possible consequences, the most logical one is the old-fashioned hangover.
What we forget is that, in this instance, the hangover is also an Antecedent. A hangover can increase the likelihood of eating poorly, missing an exercise session or even driving drowsy. For those behaviours, more consequences abound.
You see the ABC model is a cycle, not a sequence.
Providing a positive December isn’t just about celebrating 2024. It’s an investment in the behaviours to come in 2025.
Invest positively in learning, progress and achievement to the last day, even the last moment. The return on that investment will come next year.
Keep fighting that good fight,
P.S. I wanted to let you know about some pretty exciting changes coming to Real Schools in 2025.
We’ve updated our partnership model so it’s more flexible – we now offer four tiers of partnership starting under $10,000, with more flexible delivery options, including online professional learning.
You can find out a bit more on our website here, or better yet, just book a time for us to catch up so I can learn more about your school context and how we might be able to work together.
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