Be explicit and spell it out. List the low-impact habits you’re seeing (ranting, side quests, one-voice shows), flip each into a high-impact look-for, and lock in 2-3 non-negotiables you’ll live every meeting. Post them on the agenda, time-box the discussion, and decide ahead of time what happens when norms slip. Clear roles and guardrails mean fewer detours and more decisions that move learning.
Move teams from “we tried it once” to a cause-and-effect mindset that expects iteration. The idea isn’t to dismiss a strategy after a single attempt; it’s to document what you did, what students did, what changed, and what you’d adjust on the next pass. After all, many practices need multiple cycles to show results. Use a quick Strategy Review: what was implemented, intended outcome, observed student/teacher actions, tips/pitfalls, and a fast rating for impact and ease. Over time, these entries form a living playbook that helps teams sunset low-yield moves and scale the winners, all while understanding the required effort. As evidence of combined efforts grows, collective efficacy builds faster.
You can do a lot in 30-45 minutes with a tight structure and shared data. Run a clocked agenda, assign a facilitator/recorder, and end with one clear deliverable: who’s doing what, by when, and how you’ll check it next time. Allow a 2-5 minute “vent” window, then it’s solutions only. When everyone’s looking at the same unified data (no spreadsheet safari), minutes shift from organizing to acting: grouping students, planning reteach, and queuing next steps that actually stick.