Elyse Raveill December 6, 2013

Teach Like a Champion Entries 6-10 Entry #6

Technique #4: Format Matters Description: It is not just what the students say that matters to the teacher and to the class, but it is important how the students communicate their knowledge. For students to be successful in learning, students must take their knowledge and express it to their peers and teach in their language that makes sense to that child. Grammatical Format- making the students determined and prepared to compete for jobs and for a spot in colleges by asking the students to selfcorrect inside of the classroom; which is to identify the error or to begin correcting that error. This is one of the fastest ways to help the students. Complete Sentence Format- the teacher or instructor should aim or strive to give the students the maximum amount of practice by building complete sentences without the teacher or instructor giving the students much notice. Audible Format- Whatever a teacher or instructor says in class that some material is important than it is very beneficial for everyone to hear what is being said. It is the teachers job to make sure that every student understands the material that is crucial for that year. Unit Format- The teacher or instructor needs to replace naked number, those without units, with ones that are dressed. Observations/Implementation: I have seen this technique being implemented by my fourth grade teacher, Ms. Howard. Ms. Howard changes the tone of her voice whenever she starts a new lesson or subject. For example, when she transitions from English to Science. After she makes sure that every student understands the material or content and that they finished all of the work that went along with that lesson. Also, whenever Ms. Howard had to say something important she would change her voice to make it sound more serious and she would drag out the sentence. She would also repeat the facts that were important so that the students knew that they might see that question on a test or quiz. Technique #6: Begin with the End Description: Teachers should always begin the lesson plan with the objective. Most of the time, teachers begin their lessons with the mindset of what is going to be taught tomorrow. The teacher or instructor should always frame the objective fist by having the students best interests at heart. The teacher or instructor should have this question in the front of their mind, What will my students understand today? Lessons should be thought of as parts that go into a larger unit that develops the ideas or concepts that gear towards mastering the larger concepts that you, as a

teacher, are trying to teach. When a teacher or instructor uses this technique they have to have this order when writing a lesson plan: objective, assessment, and activity. Observations/Implementation: My teacher, Ms. Howard, always starts lesson plans with the objective. Ms. Howard told me that when she knows what the objective is going to be for that lesson or activity, that it is easier to come up with the activity and the assessment. Ms. Howard has the objective that is used that week on the white board where all of their assignments are written on. Ms. Howard has the objectives written on the board because it is preparing the students on what they are going to learn that day and week. Usually, the students always are excited to learn the material that goes along with that objective. Technique #7: AMS Description: The four criteria for effective objectives are: manageable, measureable, made first, and most important. Manageable: an effective objective should of a certain size that can be taught in a single lesson. The teacher or instructor should keep in mind the steps that are necessary to achieve mastery of the objective. Measureable: an effective object should be written so that the teachers success in achieving the objective can be measured by the end of the class. When setting an explicit measureable goal before the lesson will help the teacher or the instructor with holding themselves more accountable. Made First: an effective objective should be designed to guide the activity, lesson, or unit. This is not to just justify how a chosen activity, lesson, or unit meets one of the specified purposes. Most Important: an effective objective should focus on what is the most important on the path that takes the teacher to future goals. Observations/Implementations: My teacher uses this technique on a daily basis. I have also implemented this technique when teaching the students. Some of the students in fourth grade get distracted easily and lose focus. Ms. Howard always tells the students at the beginning of each lesson and subject what they are going to learn that day and what is expected of them. By doing this, it helps the students stay on track with learning the lesson. The students know that they will assessed somehow and that it might be for a grade, so they will remember that when learning the lesson. When I taught a lesson, I told them at the beginning what they were going to learn from this material and what was expected of them. The students do better on tests, quizzes, and homework assignments when Ms. Howard tells them beforehand what they are going to learn that day. This also makes them more excited to learn that content because they mentally prepare themselves with that future lesson. Technique #11: Draw the Map Entry #7

Description: Planning and controlling of the physical environment, which should support the specific lesson goals for that day. This includes arrangement of the inside of the classrooms. For example, the desks and where the aisles are located. Instruction walls or boards are important too because they should avoid clutter and overstimulation for the students. Observations/Implementation: I have observed this in Ms. Howards fourth grade class at McElwain Christian Academy. Ms. Howard has the schedule written on the white board everyday, so the students know what they should do before they start their morning activity, which is usually math. A routine is helpful for the students because it makes them aware of their surroundings that are inside of the classroom. Because the students know that they have assigned seats makes them more comfortable and ready to focus on learning. Also, Ms. Howard has the room set up the same way everyday. Everything is organized and put up in the designated spot. This helps the students relax when first entering the classroom. Entry #8 Technique #12: The Hook Description: Teachers need to use a short, engaging introduction to entice the students about learning. The hook is not necessary for every lesson and it should not be confused with effectiveness. A ten second hook works just as well and maybe even better than a three minute hook. A hook should go along with the teachers objective, but it should not distract the students away from the objective. Some examples of hooks include: story, analogy, media, status, and a challenge. Observations/Implementation: I have seen this technique being used in the classroom since I started school when I was a little girl. Hooks capture the students attention and excited them to learn more about that lesson or activity. Ms. Howard used this technique everyday and all day. She told me that if you do not use some sort of hook before you start the lesson or activity, chances are that you will not get the information through to the students. When a teacher or instructor uses a hook, the students will listen more attentively and learn the objective in a more clear and organized way. Technique #16: Break it down Description: One of the best ways that teachers and instructors can present information to the students is to respond to a lack of student understanding. Teachers and instructors can do this by breaking down the main idea into component parts. Teachers need to prepare for the possibility that students might not understand a concept that they are given. Teachers need to identify the potential trouble spots and anticipate the incorrect answers. Teachers need to be prepared to come up with possible ways that can be used to help the students be more successful. There are several different way for teachers to follow up on student achievement. These ways include: provide an example, provide context, provide a rule, provide the missing step, rollback, and eliminate the false choice.

Observations/Implementation: Ms. Howard was always prepared for anything and everything. After she would teach a lesson, she would then play a video or a song that went along with that lesson that the students just learned. After the video or song was over, she then would call on students to answer problems. If the students did not know the correct answer, then she would explain the steps again until that student or students understood the new material fully. Ms. Howard would then have the students complete a worksheet and when finished, they would hand the worksheet to her and she would check their work. After checking the students work, she would call the students who missed a problem to come up to her desk one by one. Ms. Howard would explain to the students what they did wrong, so that the students know for in the future how to do that equation correctly. Entry #9 Technique #19: At Bats Description: This technique is about repetition. Students need a heavily amount of practice such as ten to twenty repetitions, instead of just two or three. The key points that teachers need to remember: go until they can do it on their own, use multiple variations and formats, and grab opportunities for enrichment and differentiation. Observations/Implementation: Ms. Howard uses this technique every morning when the students first arrive at school. The students immediately take their binders out of their book bags and leave their book bags out in the hallway. They then go to his or her seats and pull out their agendas to write down the homework that is assigned for that night. The students will give Ms. Howard their homework and lunch money, if they are buying their lunch that day. After they read everything that is on the board that tells them what to do, they will complete their morning work. Technique #25: Wait Time Description: Delaying a few moments after a teacher or instructor asks a student a question before the teacher or instructor asks a student or students to begin answering that question. There are benefits of giving students wait time and they include: length and correctness of student responses are likely to increase, number of failures to respond is likely to decrease, number of students who volunteer to answer is like to increase, and the use of evidence in answers is like to increase. There are also challenges of jot giving wait time and they include: answers are unlikely to be reflective or developed, encourages students to raise their hands with the first answer that they can think of rather than the best answer, and more likely to waste time processing a poor answer before the teacher gets to discuss a good answer. Observations/Implementation: Ms. Howard uses this technique as well. She always pauses after asking a question because she wants to let every student have the opportunity of answering the question. Yes, sometimes the students who answer the question are not always the right answers, but that is why Ms. Howard uses this

technique. This technique allows children to think of the answer to the problem on their own. This teaches them independent work and the importance of opinions. Entry #10 Technique #28 Entry Routine Description: Teachers need to make it a habit of what is efficient, productive, and the best academic advice after the greeting process is through and the students take their seats and class begins. Observations/Implementation: I have seen this technique implemented in Ms. Howards fourth grade class because they do the exact same thing every day, except for the lessons. The students know what subject comes next and what time it is based on what subject they are learning. If a student finishes an assignment or activity before everyone else finishes, then that student will go to the carpet and futon area and read a book that is from the classrooms library. This way the students that are finished with the assignments are quiet and are not distracting their classmates that are not yet finished with the assignment. Technique #34: Seat Signals Description: Teachers or instructors need to have signals for common student needs, especially when students get out of their seats. The teacher needs to be available to manage requests for the bathroom and other things that get the students out of their seats because it can be a distraction to the rest of the students. The criteria for seat signals are: students must be able to signal their request from their seats, students must be able to signal requests nonverbally, signals should be specific, and make the rules about when the students can ask for certain privileges that requires seat signals. Observation/Implementation: I have observed that no matter what age a child is, the teacher or instructor should give very specific and clear instructions to the students, especially permitting the students to know when it is appropriate to ask for out of seat commands. If Ms. Howard let every student just get up out of their seats without asking her if they can go or do something, then it would defeat this purpose of respect.