Strong Start - The First Five Minutes

Fast Llamas,

When I think back on my first years in the classroom, I kind of cringe when I think about how I used to start class.  Think... LOTS OF TIME WASTED.  And it wasn't that I didn't know time was flying by, I just didn't have the skills to get started.  Madeline Hunter had taught me about the lesson cycle, but, how to start?  Quantum Learning shares that the brain love's clean beginnings, endings, and craves tradition.  Llama Training tells us to have sharp systems.  Fundamental Five tells us to Frame the Lesson and Teach like a Champion says to have a Strong Start.  It wasn't until I learned all of the things and put them into practice that my class got efficient.  It took effort, on my part... but, the students did what was asked of them on a daily basis once it became an established routine.  Amazing.

In Strong Start teachers design and establish an efficient routine for students to begin class.  You are shaping the opening minutes, being proactive and creating energy.  This time allows for learning goals to be discussed and review of content to be a routine occurrence (a tradition). 
Remember, they are entering your class and you are greeting them and setting expectations.  Once they enter, there is an established routine of picking up papers, sharpening pencils, turning in work and getting to their seat. 
Once bell rings students should have a short review of previously learned material.  This is in the form of a warm-up question at Labay. (some call it bell work, a Do Now, etc...)  We want students to not lose, through disuse, what they have previously mastered.  Adding to the warm-up is a review of Content Posters or Anchor Charts.  Remember 10-24-7.  We are always recapping!

Things to consider:
1. Set a timer for students to complete warm-up,
2. Walk around while they finish, (you can take attendance on TAC quickly and then get back to the power zone, I tried unsuccessfully to use my phone to take attendance... maybe you could be better at it)
3.  Count down once timer goes off... "pencils down and tracking me in five... four... " this creates urgency... when down to one, students are ready
4.  Some teachers check answers, some don't... the latter usually have students turn in their weeks warm-ups for a grade.  Students get feedback later.
5.  Go to Anchor Charts and have students say and do as you do to recap important info for the unit.  Have kids stand up.  Encourage body mnemonics and having them saying the words.  So students are hearing, seeing, doing and saying the words for what you want them to remember.  Have students recap with a partner. Set a timer for this too.

Finally the TPO (Three Part Objective) is discussed.  The students can read it together, the teacher can read it, or get one kid each day to read it.  The important part is that it is read and talked about out-loud everyday.  This is the goal for the class period and it is really important students know why they are in class that day.  The TPO tells them what they are learning, why they are learning it and how they will show what they learned.

I encourage setting timers so that this doesn't become a 20 minute routine... this should be quick and energetic. 
Here's a quick montage of Champion Teachers using timers, setting the pace and creating urgency.  Some cool ideas to try.

Greeting Your Students - Leveled up Llama Style!

Hey all fast llamas!

Today, I thought a good place to start talking about in terms of classroom culture and management is to start at the literal beginning.  The first interaction you have with your students as they enter your classroom... the threshold.

In Teach Like a Champion 2.0, Doug Lemov describes this as "the first opportunity to set high expectations", and I couldn't agree more. Getting it right and keeping it right are much easier than trying to fix it once it has gone wrong (I love this statement).

Here's what it looks like, sounds like and feels like:
Remember Everything Speaks - first impressions matter!  be purposeful and use this moment intentionally (lagniappe)
1.  Choose how you will greet students - this sets the tone for the rest of class.  Will you use it for rapport building? Academic success? Character building?  (a mix?)
2.  Stand astride the door if you can... so you can see what's happening in your classroom and outside.  (this may not always be possible, but, it is the goal)
3.  Greet students, remind them that they are in your class now (sending a message that no matter what expectations they are coming from, your expectations are in play now, and you expect their best)
4.  Send a warm, strict message, you are glad they are here, but, we are here to learn... business with a smile
5.  Use this time to:
    *build rapport, "nice game last night", "looking for great things from you today", check badges or "cool shirt"; You are MODELING how to talk to Speak with good Purpose...
    *build academic success, "we have a quiz today, be sure you review your warm-ups", "flash cards" 
    *build character - how to shake hands, make eye contact, high five, side hug or fist bump (ask kids what they want), talk about the 8 Keys of Excellence (all Labay kids will be trained through science classes by the end of September)

6.  Split time between greeting and talking to kids in the class... you literally have eyes on everything. calling attention to it, sends a message to students that you are watching, monitoring and helping them be successful.

The ultimate goal of Threshold is twofold:
1.  help you establish a personal connections with your students though a brief individual check in (use their name)
2. Reinforce your expectations for what students should be doing as they enter your class.  

Set a goal to level up your Threshold and monitor the results you see in your classrooms Use Threshold to build academic success and build rapport!

Next week... We will talk about Starting Strong! 

Recapping Effect Size

I decided to start here with the work of John Hattie, because it really comes down to being efficient with the time we have with students and the time we have to plan for our students.  
Remember, John Hattie completes a meta-analysis of hundreds of instructional strategies every year and ranks them according to their effectiveness and influence on student growth.  One years input yields one years growth.  A hinge point of .4 equals one year growth.  We should strive to use strategies that are effective in providing at least one years growth or more!  For more information, see https://visible-learning.org/hattie-ranking-influences-effect-sizes-learning-achievement/  
(DO NOT let the second most influential strategy called "Self-Reported Grades" turn you off... most people see that as kids grading themselves... nope...
John Hattie explains that....
"Children are the most accurate when predicting how they will perform,  if I could write my book Visible Learning for Teachers again, I would re-name this learning strategy “Student Expectations” to express more clearly that this strategy involves the teacher finding out what are the student’s expectations and pushing the learner to exceed these expectations. Once a student has performed at a level that is beyond their own expectations, he or she gains confidence in his or her learning ability."

Below is the clock face strategy shared with you during August PD.  We didn't have the time to really model this strategy for you as it should have been. This modeling would have taken over an hour, I demonstrated it in less than 30 minutes.  What would have happened differently, would have been more recapping, going back to the different numbers and having you all standing up and teaching each other 1 -12 repeatedly, until you knew them.  Then, the next day, we would of practiced them again.  This strategy is a good one to use in your classroom if you have lists of items that need to be remembered.  The strategy works when it is chunked as it is taught, and recapped frequently with students saying and doing the motions.  It is a lot like a narrative chain (stay tuned), in that storytelling is used to help remember lots of information.  Clock face add numbers 1 - 12 to aid in retention.

What I really like about this clock-face, is all of the strategies mentioned are influenced by teacher actions and aid in development of teacher to student relationships.  Which we all know is the heart of learning.  

Stay tuned to next weeks blog, where we will dive into classroom management strategies.  

Welcome Fast Llamas

Hello Fast Llamas!
Welcome to my strategies blog.  Here, strategies for classroom management, classroom culture, high expectations and instruction will be shared.
Each Sunday evening, I will be sharing a "Sunday Night Motivation" strategy with you.  Some of the strategies could be something new, something you can adapt, adopt or replace in your classroom.  Some of the strategies could be something that you have learned before, but, because we are all so busy, the strategy got lost in all the other things you had going on.  Sometimes, the strategy could affirm that you are already doing the best you can do your for students.  My hope is that you take something away each week.

I will be tapping into the expertise of Weston Kieschnick, Doug Curry, Todd Whitaker, Annette Breaux, George Lemov and of course John Hattie.  

To start out, I am sharing a picture from Doug Curry @fastllama.  

Here a teacher has left nothing to chance and her expectations and procedures are clear and explicit.  Now, this is an example of a 5th grade classroom, so ignore the cubby and other lining up procedures, but, the rest is good stuff.  Never underestimate a students knowledge of what success looks like.  Elementary teachers are masters at systems and so should middle school teachers.  The students are kids, just in bigger bodies.  Set students up for success by being clear of what is expected.  This teacher shares this with parents at Open House.  Parents want to help with behavior, so this gives them examples of language you use in class.  A win-win...

Stay tuned for more each Sunday!  Stay fast llamas!  Don't let the tigers get you!