Taylor Blairs Teach Like a Champion Strategy Reflection Journal

ENTRY #1 Technique # 28 Entry Routine Description: Entry routines accelerate the beginning of lessons and provide maximum time for a lesson or activity. When students are taking up the teachers time to ask multiple questions about what they need to be doing to prepare for the lesson, the teacher is unable to prepare him or herself nonetheless have adequate time to answer the students questions and begin the lesson. When students know exactly what they need to be doing it implements responsibility by allowing them to take control of their actions and taking initiative. Students perform better when they have routine to follow. Familiarity results in students feeling comfortable and confident in what they are doing. Observation/Implementation: Each morning the students come into the classroom and have a word twist on the board for them to unscramble. This activity ensures that the students are on task immediately when they come into the classroom, and are engaging their minds in processing information, which is a great way to warm up the students minds. As second graders they are well aware of what they need to do as far as putting their book bag up and turning in homework before starting their morning work. Students also know that when they first come into the classroom they use their best judgment to answer their own questions, rather than students asking a variety of questions that will ultimately take away from class time. When students think twice about asking a question, they become more confident in figuring things out for themselves rather than always relying on someone else to tell them what to do. Technique # 30 Tight Transitions Description: Tight transitions require the teacher to be prepared and anticipating multiple different scenarios within the classroom. Transitions are sometimes scripted, and often rehearsed to ensure that no time is wasted. Breaking down transitions from point to point is an easy way for students to follow the directions and stay occupied and out of trouble. Silent transitions are another way to ensure that students are staying focused and not disrupting other classmates. When students are silent they are more likely to pay attention and are aware of what they need to be doing. The earlier these transitions are implemented in the classroom, the Observations/Implementation: In my action research group both of my students are very imaginative and talkative. It is very difficult to stay on task and to stop the students from rambling and derailing us from the purpose of the lesson or activity. I wanted to implement tight transitions to make the most of our time together, and have them be quiet once they answered a question. At our first meeting when I asked the students questions about their interests, they wanted to keep talking without letting me speak. I told the students that we only had a short amount of time together, and I wanted to get to know them as well as possible; the only way to do that was by letting me talk when I needed to and not

to talk while I am talking. When I would ask a student a question I would let him or her talk until I knew I had the information I needed and would say, I am so glad you shared that with me, what about. And lead into the next question. Other times I would try and quickly relate what they were talking about with the next question I would ask them. The tight transitions were extremely effective in regards to maximizing time allowing us to get to know each other.

ENTRY #2 Technique # 6 Begin with the End Description: A successful teacher plans a lesson with the end result as the focus. When a teacher is concentrated on what he or she wants the students to learn from the activity, the time spent on the lesson will be more productive. A goal is more likely to be reached when both the students and teacher are focused on it and are aware of what needs to be accomplished. It is difficult for students to stay interested when they do not see purpose in what they are doing. Students are more motivated during a lesson when they se what they are able to achieve through it. Observation/Implementation: During math the students were reviewing telling time on an analog clock. The first thing Mrs. Norris told the students was that the big idea of this review session was to make sure they all knew the difference between the big hand and the little hand. By making this statement the students were able to gear their focus toward one main idea and try to master it rather than divide their attention between multiple different areas of the activity. I observed that the students were able to clearly recognize the hour by remembering to distinguish between the short and long hand. During this activity I was sitting next to two students who reminded each other, remember, the short hand tells the hour and the long hand tells the minute; thats how you tell time. For a different activity Mrs. Norris began with telling the students, After you listen to this poem you are going to draw that character baby brother, so listen for describing words that will help you draw him. This big idea statement captured the students attention because they knew they were going to have a follow-up activity that would require them to pay close attention to the teacher while she is reading. Technique # 14 Board = Paper Description: This strategy requires the students to write down whatever the teacher writes on the board onto their paper. Keeping the students accountable for writing down what is on the board prepares them for taking notes and ensures that the students will have the information for future reference. When the students are required to write down what is on the board, they will be more likely to pay attention as a opposed to when they are just sitting and listening. Observation/Implementation: Each morning Mrs. Norris has magnetic block letters scrambled out of order on the overhead projector. The students have to unscramble the letters to form small words while trying to figure out the one big word. When the students present the words they found to the class, Mrs. Norris instructs the students to write down what his or her peer has found. Students will be able to see

different words that they did not find themselves. Not only will they see more words, but also it will give the students a better idea of what to look for, and different ways to unscramble the letters. I have also noticed that this strategy benefits kinesthetic learners. When students learn by doing they are more likely to retain the information when they write it down. When sitting next to a student I asked him what word his peer had found and shared with the class, and he could not tell me. The next student came to the overhead to present the words she found and the student I was sitting next to wrote down what she said, and when his peer sat down I asked him what she said and he was able to tell me.

ENTRY #3 Technique # 25 Wait Time Description: Occasionally students will raise their hands not fully thinking about the answer they will say out loud. When a teacher waits and is silent while the students think before he or she asks a student to give his or her answer, all of the students have an equally opportunity to take time and be intentional about what they think. Silence in the room creates a serious environment and encourages the students to focus and to not be overwhelmed. Silence calms the students minds and allows them to think clearly. Observation/Implementation: In Mrs. Norriss classroom she most often uses this strategy to get the students to listen when they are being too loud. She will sternly say, I am going to wait for everyone to be quiet before I give you instructions. When she allows time for silence, the students recognize the seriousness of the situation, and also when the room begins to quiet down the students recognize how loud they are being. Technique # 22 Cold Calls Description: Cold calling means that the teacher is going to call on a student whether or not that child is raising his or her hand. Students will disengage when they think they dont have to pay attention because they know they are not going to be called on. Also when students are called on unexpectedly the teacher will not accept I dont know as an answer; this forces students to think and to pay attention. Cold calling allows every student to have a chance to explain his or her thinking, and it gives the teacher an accurate measure of the students progress. Depending on the teachers response cold calls can boost confidence in students ability to explain and understand concepts. When students are required to step out of their comfort zone, they learn things about themselves they otherwise would have never known if they werent being held to a higher standard. Observation/Implementation: The students in Mrs. Norriss class are fully aware that they will be called on regardless of their hand being raised or not. There are a few students in the classroom who have a difficult time paying attention and this strategy is one of many ways that Mrs. Norris tries to keep them actively participating and engaged. Even when a student is not paying attention and he or she is called on, the students are immediately aware that they must say something because I dont know is not acceptable. This is another strategy that gives students time the opportunity to speak and participate.

Even when a student doesnt know the answer, but replies to the question he or she benefits just from the opportunity to speak out loud.

ENTRY #4 Technique # 37 What to Do Description: This strategy requires specific instructions for the students to follow to ensure that they comprehend what the teacher is asking of them. There are times when students are not following instructions simply because they did not understand or did not receive specific instructions. In order for directions to be effective they must be specific, concrete, sequential and observable. Breaking down instructions step by step also helps the students to compartmentalize their actions. Instructions given to a student all at once can be overwhelming and difficult to follow. Observation/Implementation: Mrs. Norris is constantly calm and collected in the classroom. She gives direct instruction to the students and always tells the students what to do specifically rather than reacting to students behavior and telling them not to do something. Before any activity or lesson Mrs. Norris gives detailed instruction and answers the students questions if they are confused before she begins. The strategy clearly describes the difference between incompetence and defiance. From observing in the classroom Mrs. Norris knows her students well enough to recognize when students are being defiant or are incompetent. Technique # 34 Seat Signals Description: Students can use hand signals at their seats to minimize disruptions if they have to use the bathroom, get water or sharpen a pencil. When students have to raise their hand and ask to use the rest room, they interrupt the entire class, and when one student goes the rest want to go. Signals are a discreet way for students to do what they need to do without taking up class time or distracting other students. Seat signals are a very important technique to use when students are easily distracted. This technique will also teach students to be patient when waiting for the teachers acknowledgement. Observation/Implementation: Mrs. Norris uses a unique kind of seat signal the students use when they have to use the restroom. There are two tags hanging on the wall next to the door. When a student needs to use the restroom he or she grabs the one boy or girl tag from the wall and places it on their desk. The use of these tags eliminates students speaking out loud and the tag at their desk allows the teacher to instantly realize where the student has gone. Some students make a big deal out of getting up to go get their tag to put on their desk, and sometimes other students are distracted by them getting up. Even though the disruption is not completely eliminated, I think this use of a signal is the closest way to

ENTRY #5 Technique # 9 The Shortest Path Description: The shortest path to the objective is the most effective in the classroom. Teachers are often preoccupied with making an objective very wordy and over the top, but students are more likely to stay engaged, focused and understand the objective when it is simple and to the point. When giving directions the students will be able to listen to the full instruction when it is not lengthy. The best results are produces when more information is presented to the students in the shortest way possible. Interesting and stimulating approaches to a lesson or activity can have a positive influence, but primary students need to have clear concise directions to follow instead of being distracted by multiple different elements within the instruction. Observation/Implementation: I have observed that the students in Mrs. Norriss class are always very attentive to directions and execute them well. Mrs. Norris begins with stating the objective of an assignment before instructing the students. Once the objective is established and the students are comfortable, the teacher is able to go into more detail and begin the lesson or activity. I have noticed that the sooner students are aware of the purpose for the activity, the more focused they are and are motivated to reach the objective. Technique # 13 Name the Steps Description: A teachers goal is to help students succeed. In order for students to succeed, they must have steps set before them that they can follow. The four key components to naming steps for students are identifying the steps, making the steps stick, building the steps and using two stairways. Identifying the steps entails that the steps are clear to follow and the students are comfortable and not overwhelmed by the steps. In order to make steps stick with the students, names for the steps help students remember and make references. Building the steps allows students to be challenged to discover the rules for themselves. Two stairways allows the teacher to use one to state the steps used to solve a particular problem, and the other staircase to hold the steps that lead to solving problems of the same kind. Observation/Implementation: Mrs. Norris names the steps during instruction to support the shortest path to the objective. Teachers normally see the big picture of something, but in order for the students to learn best, the teacher must break down the large concept into multiple steps. Specifically in math, Mrs. Norris names the steps in which the students must take to solve a certain problem and demonstrates these steps before expecting the students to do the problems on their own. For example the students are learning multiple ways to add and subtract different numbers that reach the same solution. In the beginning, Mrs. Norris first demonstrated the steps necessary to try and solve these kinds of problems; still leaving room for the students to explore their options with problem solving and critical thinking.