No Wasted Time

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. Alternate using 
specific and odd time increments to help keep students on task and attentive. Giving students say,  "7 minutes", the students are more likely to focus and work more efficiently. It's novel and grabs their attention, As a teacher, having specific time allotments shows the students that you value their time, are organized and have thought about their learning. 

Ratio

Fast Llamas,

We will be talking about what Doug Lemov of Teach like a Champion, 2.0 refers to as "Ratio". This is thinking intentionally about the ratio of participation of your students and the thinking that is happening in your classroom. Think of participation ratio as the engagement of the students and think ratio as the rigor of your lessons. It's always a good thing when we purposely plan for the kids in class to carry the cognitive workload. They should be the ones working harder than you! They should be the ones writing, thinking, talking & analyzing. This idea is the brainchild of KIPP schools founder David Levin and when you think about it, is what skilled teaching is all about.
The question is... if we know students should be answering questions, talking about their learning with each other and writing critically, how can we get there? What strategies can we use to stop being the 'sage on the stage?' How do we ensure that our questions aren't engaging 5 students and the rest passively watch and play along?

Let's start with the question technique called Wait Time. Using Wait Time as an intentional technique raises both the participation ratio and the think ratio. Your most likely to get better answers from more students... brilliant.


Do you think that you are modeling "how" to think when you encourage time to think? I'll wait...

If you answered yes, then you are on the right track. A big part of our job as teachers is teaching thinking skills as we teach our content. What a tremendous gift to to give our students.

Wait Time - wait what? That old thing? Yes, that old thing... I was introduced to this idea in my Methods Course at TTU in the 80's (well, 1989, but still ) & that means it's been around a loooonnng time... Which means you know about it too... the idea here is to level up and refine the practice.



Here are some ideas to use Wait Time effectively:
1. Practice using it actively... Count in your head if needed
2. Narrate to students the amount of time you will give them... "I'll give you 6 seconds to think about it, then raise your hands"
3. Do not accept "shout outs"... this will take some work if you have allowed it... talk to kids about the change in strategy and stick to it
4. Narrate hands raised... "I see one hand up, I see three hands, I see 6 hands, waiting to see 10" if you have created a culture of high expectations and safety, you will get the hands raised
5. If you still get crickets and very few hands raised... allow and encourage students to use their notes... (because reading is thinking too)
6. Affirm to students what to do with the time... show them what it means to think, say things like,"The six seconds I gave you is over, but, I see people still jotting down ideas and reading, I'll give everyone more time", "I see people using their notes, this is a good idea", " I want you to think deeply on this question, so think before you raise your hand"
7. Stop Talking - be careful with your affirmations and that you actually give students silence to think. So, d0n't affirm the entire time... say it quick and then stop talking.
8. Show students what successful thinking looks like... preface your questions when they require details and deep thinking by telling students what you expect out of the answer. For example, you could ask, "What is a chemical change?" or you could be explicit with expectations and say, "this question requires some examples, be sure to refer to your notes to backup your answer"

Here are some clips in action...

https://youtu.be/dBnuSUL0ymM

https://youtu.be/lecW6Ie9dVo

References:

Lemov, D. (2015). Teach like a champion 2.0: 62 techniques that put students on the path to college. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Strong Start

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 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. All of these strategies have one thing in common, get to the learning fast.  It wasn't until I learned all of these ideas 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, getting their technology out 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. (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.
A quick discussion of the daily objective/learning outcomes would be inserted here. Depending on your campuses criteria for this practice.
I encourage setting timers so that this doesn't become a 20 minute routine... this should be quick and energetic.

No matter what you do, make your morning routine, just that routine.  Research says it can take up to 66 days for a new habit to form - so maintain your beautification schedule - same thing everyday.

-Tracy

Let's Talk about Relationships

Fast llamas,

This is a repost... but a good one!  

Some of the best ways to motivate students to learn are by building strong relationships, creating a positive learning environment, and allowing them to make real-life connections to their learning.

These long-term strategies go a long way to creating a highly engaged classroom. For a quick boost in motivation or to influence your students to complete a particular task, check out these six strategies from the neuromarketing best practices found in the book Brainfluence by Roger Dooley and the science of persuasion in the book Influence by Robert Cialdini.

1. Leverage a crew mentality

People are hardwired to want to connect with other people and feel like they are part of a group. Marketers have used this very effectively in campaigns like the "Hello, I'm a Mac/And I'm a PC." ads. In this instance, it was done overtly, but other times, it is done organically by consumers (think about a self-identified "Coke person" versus a "Pepsi person").

And, we’re all aware of the power of a little rivalry—just think about how much more we engage with sports when a "rival game" is coming up. The city of Dallas becomes a sea of orange and red for the annual University of Texas versus University of Oklahoma gameday, and people who usually have no interest in college football are instant super fans.

Creating this kind of (friendly) rivalry between class sections or groups can be a great way to increase students’ motivation. Just be careful to always base your rivalries on something random like class section instead of any academic gender or demographic differences.

2. Influence choice by providing a decoy

Providing choice is a well-known way to motivate students because it gives them ownership over their learning. However, offering those choices while still maintaining control over your classroom and making sure that students learn what they need to can be easier said than done. Sometimes, giving your students a gentle push toward a specific choice can help.

To influence students' choices, try providing a decoy—a similar alternative to your preferred choice that is in some way inferior. This makes the preferred choice more attractive because, as Brainfluence author Roger Dooley states, "Our brains aren't good at judging absolute values, but they are always ready to compare values and benefits."

Let’s say you’ve just wrapped up a unit, and you want to give your students the ability to choose which project they complete to demonstrate their understanding. However, you also really want more of your students to get some experience with video editing, so you want to ensure that a solid majority chooses that option.

Instead of just giving them three completely unique options—for instance, creating a shoebox diorama, a PowerPoint presentation, or a video—add a fourth option similar to creating a video, like creating a video with a written essay. Few students will choose the video with essay option because it's more work, but having it available makes the standard video option look a lot more attractive and will entice more students to choose it.

3. Utilize the power of scarcity

Want your students to sign up for a club or after-school tutoring? Let them know that there are a limited number of spots available (if this is true), and emphasize what they stand to lose if they don't join.

4. Use consistency

People want to be consistent with what they have previously said or done. To demonstrate this, Cialdini cites a famous set of studies in which residents of a neighborhood were asked to erect a wooden sign in their yards to encourage safe driving.

In one neighborhood, very few residents agreed to put up the sign, but in a similar neighborhood nearby, four times as many people agreed to put up the sign. Why? Ten days previously, those in the second neighborhood had been asked to put a small postcard-sized sign in their front windows to support safe driving, and because it was such a small ask, many people agreed to do it.

Because of that initial commitment, many more people said yes when they were later asked to put up the larger wooden sign. To use this strategy most effectively, try to gain small, voluntary, and public commitments first; it works even better if those commitments are in writing.

Want your students to turn in their homework? Instead of handing them a list of homework assignments for the week, make students write down their assignments (and due dates!) themselves in a planner. Writing down the assignment is a small commitment that can lead to students actually completing the work or journal.

5. Be likable

This one is simple—people prefer people who they like. So, if you want to be more persuasive, it’s important to take a hard look at how likable you are. For some people, this is pretty easy, but for others, especially introverts who may be perceived as aloof or pretentious, it will take a little effort.

There are three important factors that determine whether we like someone: we like people who are similar to us, we like people who give us compliments, and we like people who cooperate with us. Keep in mind that this isn’t a judgment of whether or not you’re a good person—it’s about evaluating the kind of impression your behavior leaves.

Look for similarities between your childhood experiences and those of your students, and draw those parallels when opportunities arise. For instance, if you have a student who is really into Star Wars, mention the Millennium Falcon model that you are working on at home. I've heard the phrase, "Students don't have to like me, but they do have to respect me." That may be true, but you'll have more influence if they like you and respect you.

6. Take advantage of positive peer pressure

People do what other people are doing. Cialdini cites research that when the sign that is now common in hotel rooms reading, "Please reuse your towels because it helps the environment" was replaced with a sign that read something like, "75% of our guests reuse their towels; please do so as well," then the percentage of guests who reused towels increased by 26%.

When the sign said, "75% of the guests who stayed in this room re-used their towels," the increase was 33%. So, the consensus effect is amplified by how similar the other people who are exhibiting the desired behavior are to us.

Are you trying to convince your students to use the test-taking strategies you’ve spent so much class time on? As students are working, walk around the room and say something like, "Almost all of you are using the strategies we’ve been practicing; that's great, and it's going to help you get a better grade."

Or, once the papers are graded, say, "About 90% of you used all of your strategies on the test, and you will notice how it helped you to answer more questions correctly." This technique can also work with getting students to line up quietly, turn in homework on time, or do nearly anything else that a majority of the students are already doing.

Check out more...ideas about learning!
Until next time!

What do Students Really Want?

Fast Llamas,

I was on my old high school Facebook book group the other day and a fellow SHS Raider posted this question:

         Name teachers from our high school days.  

Wow, the comments filled up so quickly with the names of teachers, their subjects and the experiences we had.  I personally remember my physical science teacher taking us outside to view a Solar Eclipse and he taught us how to make a tool out of paper so we wouldn't hurt our eyes; my 9th grade English class, she was always so creative, we seemed to do a lot of art with words; and finally, Mrs. Jackson, (who I will directly name here) my Biology I and II teacher, who turned me on to science and took us to Houston to see open heart surgery and tour the medical school.  Some of the teachers mentioned, I loved, some I had wished I had (though I really loved my senior year English teacher, there was a another one that everyone always talked about at lunch, super jealous still).  I have a few ex-teachers as friends with on the facebook platform.  It has given me insight to the culture of my high school. 

I came to a quick realization that we were listing the teachers who we liked.  Nobody mentioned the teachers who had reputations for being "mean" or "she doesn't like anyone or worse, she only likes her "pets". (what other words would a 15 year old use to describe a teacher?) Those teachers came to my mind, but I didn't list them.  I didn't want to disrupt the positive vibe that was happening in the comments.  Everyone was celebrating who they remembered fondly... but I am sure the sour faced teachers came to the forefront of their minds.  Mine certainly did... 

Why was it worth our time to stop and mention these teachers?  Why do I remembered the teachers who wouldn't look at me?; the teacher, who in November, was still was mispronouncing my last name?; the teacher who talked to me sharply, only to talk to the next student kindly?  Why is it 38 years later I remember them? 

The only good thing I can say is, I knew exactly the teacher I wanted to be... and the one I did not... 

What are the three characteristics of teachers that appeal to students?  There are a ton of websites that describe the characteristics of ideal classrooms, of ideal teachers, and of excellent teachers.  There was one  I went to said there are 8 characteristics... I would agree it takes a lot of effort to be a great teacher, I have narrowed the list down to three...

Three characteristics - 

Firmness, Compassion and Stimulating teaching style.

Why do you think even disruptive students would find these characteristics appealing? 

Firmness

Firm teachers are consistent.  They have explicit rules, norms, procedures, systems and routines in place.  When you walk into their room, you know what you are gonna get... and it feels good.  Students are more likely to participate, engage and behave when they feel safe.  These teachers also have high expectations of their students and have firm boundaries.  Knowing that not only are students capable of learning their content, they are capable of rising to behavioral expectations.  What makes these teachers different is they believe their classrooms will be whatever they want them to be... and they treat their students with dignity and respect.  They show dignity and respect by teaching students social skills and view teaching students how to be successful humans as a privilege not a chore.  Finally, they embed social skills within their content and the opportunity to show kids what excellence looks like effortless. They never miss an opportunity.  By having clear expectations around their routines (norms, procedures, rules or systems, whatever you all them) and being consistent builds strong relationships.

Compassion

Teachers are kind... I could leave it here.  Kind teachers make their students feel welcomed, cared for and loved.  There is an unconditional positive regard for their students and belief in their students capacity to learn.  They trust that their students are bringing their best.  I like to say that these teachers set up a beautiful dinner for their students and welcome them to the table.  I spoke about dignity and respect before when talking about firmness.  When we have clear boundaries (and when those boundaries are tested and they will be tested) these teachers are able to communicate their consequences without losing students losing their dignity.  Because they are predictable and consistent, when a rule is broken, the consequence is logical and allows the student to serve whatever sanction they earned with dignity.  Finally, these teachers reflect on how they can set their students up for success, thinking about the risks students will take in their learning.

Stimulating Teaching Style

This is not about having fireworks everyday in class. There is a wide variety of instructional strategies used with students.  Relying on a teaching cycle is great way to make sure your students state is factoring into the daily lesson.  I used EELDRC.

Enroll and Experience - using hooks and experiences to grab students attention throughout the lesson

Labeling - the direct teaching is interactive and engaging - lots of drawings, videos, pictures, stories and questions

Demonstrate - students have ample opportunities to practice, there is a wide variety of strategies put into play 

Recall - students have ample opportunities to review

Celebrate - teacher acknowledges effort and learning in big and small ways

All of this is great stuff, but let's not forget, students are watching and listening. Mirroring happens. If the teacher is excited to be at school, excited about the content, excited about the learning, students will pick up on that and follow along.  

Students find that teachers who exhibit these characteristics deserve their respect and respect is the cornerstone of healthy RELATIONSHIPS. That Biology teacher I mentioned earlier?  I actually went to Texas Tech University because that's where SHE had gone.  She and I formed a relationship I still wish I had today.  She passed away several years ago, but her legacy lives on.  

Until next time!

Can I Have Your Attention Please?

Fast Llamas,

For many of you, you have realized that classroom management can be one of the biggest challenges you face in your classroom.  There are many parts to the system that is your classroom culture.  The physical environment, the foundational aspects, the design and delivery of your content all work together to create the atmosphere - the climate of your room.  Is it cloudy or sunny today?  When one aspect of this system is out of sync, over-developed or underdeveloped, it affects the other parts.  Such as a reliance and focus on super fun and engaging lessons but missing the training and teaching of the behavioral expectations that occur during this amazing lesson.  Or the flip side of this scenario... Class is quiet and compliant, but no impactful learning is happening.  

One of the easiest to use tools to use to help create a positive culture and help with classroom management is the use of an attention getter (or call to attention).  Using this strategy allows for you to monitor the volume in the class, manage time, increase the chances of everyone listening and monitor and manage your students' states... all while not raising your voice.  

Here are a few to try:

1.  Join me when you can - Teacher starts snapping and students join in, I like the ending to do 5 snap, 4 snap, 3 snap, 2 snap, and 1 snap.  This is a good strategy when you have to be quiet for surrounding classrooms.  

2. Clap - Teacher claps a pattern and students repeat.  The old if you can hear me clap once, if you can hear me clap twice works too. 

3.  Narrate a countdown - Teacher narrates what they want to see as they count down.  "Voices off in 5, pencils down in 4, laptops closed in 3, eyes on the promethean in 2..."

4.  Give me 5 - Sometime you have to have a quiet attention getting, simply raising your hand with fingers extended will fit nicely.

5.  Song - Playing a song to cue a certain task is a great way to notify students when time is up or it is time to line up excetera.

6.  Timers - I am a lover of all things timered.  (wait is that a word?)  Setting a visual timer is a super easy way to maintain an orderly classroom.  

7.  Call and Response - A creative way to get students' attention is to use this strategy.  Students and teachers can work together to create a saying that suits them.  

8.  A sound or tone - not my favorite, but lots of teachers ring a bell or have a sound effect that works to get students' attention.  

For each of the attention getters we just discussed, there are two important points to remember.

1) explicitly teach the students the expectations for their response.  Practice until everyone can perform the attention getter and praise for their effort.  

2) WAIT  and patrol - when you call students to attention, it is VERY important that students know you are patrolling and looking for students who are successfully stopping their conversations and/or whatever they are doing to actually stop and listen.  Hold students for 3 to 4 seconds, pausing and looking at students.  Say Nothing... then once the students know you are serious, then talk... (don't hold them for long lengths of time... this can create a power struggle, the wait I am talking about is brief and subtle, but sends a message you are serious).

 

Praise and reinforce students for being quiet too, great way to continue to build relationships. 

Last thing, I would use my attention getter to manage volume.  When I thought tasks were getting little to loud, I would use my call to attention, wait, and then do a check in.  A very easy way to monitor voice level.  

Until next time!

Building Relationships with Agency

Fast Llamas,

I once heard that "Learning how to learn is the most important thing you will ever learn".  Talk about an impact statement!  

When we think about this statement, you might automatically think about learning content, which is true... learning and memory and closely tied together and when you learn how to master working memory (especially attention), the learning happening in your classroom will make a major positive shift.  

But, we all know that there are many factors that work together to create and enhance the learning happening in your classroom.  Great teachers assess and reflect on their physical environment, their atmosphere, the foundation and the design and delivery of their content.  These work as a system together to create an optimum learning environment.  

Let's talk about foundation.  Your foundation in your classroom are the rules, systems and procedures that you have created and taught to your students.  Everything is built on this solid foundation.  (it's foundational!)  It also includes your consequences and social skills.  Now, we think learning how to learn is not only content learning, but social skill or behavioral skills that carry the class along.  

I found this graphic and I really like it...

At first I was a little confused with the "Can't".  But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.  Students "can't" do these things due to lack of skill or stressors in the environment.  This shifts the mindset of the teacher to either change the environment or teach skills.  

How do we teach skills?  same as content.  We grab students attention, provide the direct teaching, provide ample practice and review.  We also can provide reasons the behavior benefits the student.  If you then this, statements are quite powerful in motivating students.  

Review is important, these skills are reviewed frequently throughout the day in quick reminders of expectations of how to behave.  We never want to leave students not knowing our expectations. Without clear expectations for the behavior we want to see, students tend to make up their own.  And not always in the most positive ways.  

As we head to the end of our fall semester, that January reset is looming.  Start thinking about skills teaching you will be doing in the new year!

until next time, stay fast!