As we think so we become (Buddha)

Week 8, Term 3...hhmmmm...must be practice exam time, right? 

I am not a fan of Benchmark exams. 
Here's why:

• They mess with my routines
• The marking trebles  
• Exams (hand writing essays while sitting for hours) are not cool in the personalised blended educational world of 2016

And yet, I am a fan of Benchmark exams.
Here's why:

• They give the students new routines to embed
• Students get quality feedback on their progress
• Exams provide an individual snapshot of an ability to think on the spot in the personalised blended educational world of 2016

See, I do get it!

Mention of routines reminds me of this, the habit loop, from the Ditch That Textbook mastermind - Matt Miller:

We are a creature of our habits. Duhigg breaks down how practically any habit works in this cycle:

• Something triggers a routine in your life (the cue).
• You perform that routine.
• You get some reward (the reason you keep doing the routine).
• If the trigger didn’t exist, we would never engage in that habit.

The rewards from Benchmarks seem fairly obvious - successes and failures are individually recognised!

Top tip - read that Buddha quote again!