Stage 3: Achievement – Emotional Engagement

This stage of change is closely tied to the theory of positive reinforcement and emotional engagement in educational transformation processes. According to McChesney, Covey, and Huling (2012), when teachers and students begin to see tangible results, their emotional commitment to the change is strengthened. Visible progress creates a sense of validation that motivates teachers and students to continue the journey.

From the perspective of intrinsic motivation theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), progress boosts a person’s sense of self-efficacy. When individuals feel more competent, they are more likely to keep moving forward. In the Influencer Model (Patterson et al., 2013), this phase enhances emotional connection to the change, allowing deeper engagement and long-term investment from educators and learners.

Celebrating progress, even small wins, reinforces purpose and motivation, helping build a sustained commitment cycle that ensures continuity and long-term impact.

What to Expect:

As early signs of progress become visible, the emotional commitment to change will strengthen. Teachers will see the direct impact of their efforts in students’ improved reading comprehension and writing skills. This tangible improvement strengthens the emotional connection to the Wildly Important Goal (WIG), validates the team's work, and keeps motivation high.

This is the ideal moment to celebrate accomplishments and update the results scoreboard, creating a shared sense of achievement within the learning community. However, despite promising outcomes, concerns about sustainability may still arise. For this reason, it is essential to continually reaffirm the team's purpose and provide ongoing encouragement to consolidate progress and embed the change into daily routines.

Discipline 3: Keep a Compelling Scoreboard

This discipline focuses on creating and maintaining a visual, accessible, and regularly updated scoreboard that enables the team to track progress toward the Wildly Important Goal (WIG). According to McChesney, Covey, and Huling (2012), the scoreboard should be simple, displaying only the essential data; visible so that every team member can easily consult it; and include both lag measures (historical outcomes) and lead measures (predictive actions), allowing for a comprehensive assessment of performance.

The key principle is that any team member should be able to look at the scoreboard and determine whether they are winning or losing within five seconds or less. This clarity increases emotional engagement and strengthens group motivation. A transparent and interactive visual system transforms progress monitoring into a dynamic and participatory process, reinforcing shared accountability and a collective sense of accomplishment.

Application within the Innovation Plan

Action 1: Classroom Scoreboards for Literacy Growth

Each second-grade classroom will feature a visual scoreboard tracking reading comprehension, writing engagement, and participation in I-Ready and Amplify strategies.

Format: Color-coded charts or digital dashboards will display weekly progress on reading tasks, writing submissions, and time spent on platforms.

Responsibility: Teachers will update the scoreboards weekly using data from formative assessments and platform analytics.

Purpose: Make growth visible for students and promote reflection on goals and effort.

Action 2: Team-Level Progress Monitoring

A shared team scoreboard will track progress toward the collective Wildly Important Goal (WIG) across classrooms.

Metrics Tracked:

• % of students meeting weekly reading benchmarks.

• Participation rates in literacy stations.

• Completion of assigned sessions on adaptive platforms.

• Use in PLCs: Scoreboards will be reviewed during Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings to celebrate successes, analyze trends, and adjust strategies.

Action 3. Recognizing and Celebrating Wins

Weekly Highlights: Teachers will spotlight academic and effort—based student accomplishments during class meetings.

Monthly Recognition: The school or grade-level team will highlight classrooms showing consistent improvement, reinforcing positive reinforcement and healthy competition.

Influencer Model Action: Strengthening the Sense of Community and Collaboration to Promote Collective Success

Fostering a collaborative environment where all teachers feel supported by their peers is essential. A strong sense of community enhances emotional motivation and ensures everyone remains committed to the Wildly Important Goal (WIG).

How will it be implemented?

Create collaborative spaces:
Organize regular meetings where teachers can share progress, discuss challenges, and propose solutions. These sessions encourage exchanging ideas and best practices, reinforcing teamwork and mutual support.

Recognize individual and collective achievements:
Celebrate academic outcomes and the team's continuous effort, collaboration, and dedication. Acknowledging individual and group successes will reinforce a culture of appreciation and motivation.

Promote team cohesion:
Implement team-building activities that cultivate a sense of belonging and shared purpose. These activities will help teachers feel they are part of a unified mission, beyond their responsibilities.