Welcome To Teaching An Illustrated Guide To The Best Profession

WHAT YOUR COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING . . .
The magic of this book is that Fisher and Frey have presented a vast amount of complex professional
knowledge and so many research-based instructional strategies in a way that engenders a high level
of engagement. Teachers will pick up the book and continue to read Welcome to Teaching! voraciously
due to the ease with which the information can be digested. The authors have welcomed educators
to teaching by making the complexities of teaching appear simple, doable, and fun! As a teacher
educator and instructional coach in an alternative certification program, I am so very excited about
diving into this text with the preservice and novice teachers whom I support.
—Tiffany Coleman
Instructional Coach, Gwinnett County Public Schools
As educators, we need to read something that is not only relatable but is also respectful of who we
are, who our students are, and, most important, where they are, no matter where we are on our
journeys. Welcome to Teaching! is amazing and can be applied to anyone starting over or switching a
grade level and/or subject area. Many times we forget the little simple things that lay the foundation,
and this book places a strong emphasis on making sure these are amplified.
—Darius Phelps
Multicultural and Early Childhood Education
Lecturer, Columbia University
Educators trust Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey to write books that resonate with them, and this one
is no exception. Their illustrated guide takes a novel approach to making the six learning categories
engaging, accessible, and visible. Not only is Welcome to Teaching! a wonderful resource for those new
to the profession, but it also serves as a reminder for seasoned teachers to continue utilizing best
practices with their students.
—Michelle Shin
Program Director and Instructor, San Diego State University
Welcome to Teaching! is a must-read for all new teachers! It is an exceptional and practical guide to
implementing effective research-based instructional strategies, learning conditions, and practices
that will ensure high levels of learning in your classroom.
—Shannon L. Bussey
Principal, San Diego Unified School District
Welcome to Teaching! is written as a real-life account of the day-to-day life of a teacher. There are
many published books available with good information for teachers, but they are more theory than
application. Welcome to Teaching! provides guidance on how to cultivate a classroom environment
with a trusting, comfortable, risk-free climate.
—Lydia Bagley
Literacy Support Specialist, Cobb County School District
i
Welcome to
TEACHING!
30+
An Illustrated Guide to the Classroom Vid
of the Strateg
eos
ies
Best Profession in the World in Action
Douglas Fisher • Nancy Frey

Illustrations by Taryl Hansen
FOR INFORMATION: Copyright © 2024 by Corwin Press, Inc.
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CONTENTS
Videos and Online Resources vii

Acknowledgments ix
INTRODUCTION 1
SECTION 1: CREATING THE CLIMATE FOR LEARNING 7

How Do I . . . Foster a Welcoming Environment? 8
How Do I . . . Create a Sense of Community in the Classroom? 14
How Do I . . . Foster a Climate of Inclusivity? 22
How Do I . . . Create an Organized Learning Environment? 30
SECTION 2: PLANNING FOR LEARNING 39

How Do I . . . Know What Students Need to Know and Be Able to Do? 41
How Do I . . . Flow the Curriculum Over the Year? 47
How Do I . . . Create Learning Intentions and Success Criteria? 53
How Do I . . . Design Daily Lessons Aligned With the Standards and
Pacing Guide? 60
SECTION 3: ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING 67

How Do I . . . Get Students to Engage? 68
How Do I . . . Make Learning Relevant? 74
How Do I . . . Develop and Maintain Healthy, Growth-Producing
Relationships With Students? 80
How Do I . . . Develop and Maintain Healthy, Growth-Producing
Relationships With Families? 86
How Do I . . . Manage the Classroom? 92
SECTION 4: ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING 99

How Do I . . . Know Students Are Learning During the Lesson? 100
How Do I . . . Document Students’ Learning? 106
How Do I . . . Assess Students’ Learning Outside of School? 114
How Do I . . . Give Feedback to Students? 122
SECTION 5: INSTRUCTIONAL MOVES THAT ENSURE LEARNING 129
How Do I . . . Provide Students Input and Focus the Lesson? 130
How Do I . . . Guide Students’ Thinking and Scaffold Learning? 139
How Do I . . . Get Students Collaborating With Their Peers? 147
How Do I . . . Create Independent Learning Tasks for Students? 154
SECTION 6: STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING 163

1. Anticipation Guides 164
2. Close Reading of Complex Texts 165
3. Daily Review 166
4. Discussion Roundtable 167
5. Essential Questions 168
6. Exit Slips 169
7. Five-Word Summary 170
8. Flipped Instruction 171
9. Graphic Organizers 172
10. Interactive Read-Alouds 174
11. Interactive Writing 175
12. Jigsaws 176
13. Juicy Sentences Protocol 177
14. K-W-L 178
15. Note-Taking 179
16. Peer Tutoring 180
17. RAFT Writing 181
18. Reciprocal Teaching 182
19. Shared Reading 183
20. Teacher Modeling and Thinking Aloud 184
21. Text Rendering Protocol 185
22. Three-Read Protocol 186
A FINAL NOTE FROM THE DESK OF DOUG AND NANCY 189

Endnotes 191
Index 197
Visit the companion website at

resources.corwin.com/welcometoteaching
for videos and downloadable resources.
VIDEOS AND ONLINE RESOURCES
INTRODUCTION
I.1: Welcome to Teaching 1
SECTION 1: CREATING THE CLIMATE FOR LEARNING

1.1: Welcome to Section 1 7
1.2: Class Meeting: Elementary 19
1.3: Class Meeting: Secondary 19
1.4: Map Example: Elementary Student 27
1.5: Map Example: Secondary Student 27
1.6: Attention Methods: Elementary 34
1.7: Closure Activities: Secondary 34
SECTION 2: PLANNING FOR LEARNING

2.2: Pacing Guide Template 49
2.3: Teacher Sharing a Pacing GUIDE 50
2.4: Learning Intentions and Success Criteria: Elementary 54
2.5: Learning Intentions and Success Criteria: Secondary 54
2.6: Teachers Discussing How They Develop LISC: Secondary 55
2.7: Link to a Lesson Plan Template 63
SECTION 3: ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING

3.2: Sample List of Student Explanations of Each Level of Engagement 70
3.3: Posters for Each Level of Engagement 70
3.4: Levels of Engagement: Secondary 70
3.5: Talking to Students About Relevance: Elementary 77
3.6: Talking to Students About Relevance: Secondary 77
3.7: Building Student-Teacher Relationships 83
SECTION 4: ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

4.2: Universal Response 102
vii
4.3: Checking for Understanding: Elementary 104
4.4: Checking for Understanding: Secondary 104
4.5: High School Student Receives Feedback on Processing of a Task 125
SECTION 5: INSTRUCTIONAL MOVES THAT ENSURE LEARNING

5.2: Think Aloud: Secondary 132
5.3: Group Work: Elementary 150
5.4: Group Work: Secondary 150
SECTION 6: STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING

6.2: Close Reading of Complex Texts 165
6.3: Daily Review 166
6.4: Discussion Roundtable: Secondary 167
6.5: Essential Questions: Secondary 168
6.6: Exit Slips 169
6.7: Five-Word Summary: Secondary 170
6.8: Flipped Instruction: Secondary 171
6.9: Graphic Organizers 172
6.10: Interactive Read-Aloud: Elementary 174
6.11: Interactive Writing 175
6.12: Jigsaws 176
6.13: K-W-L: Secondary 178
6.14: Note-Taking 179
6.15: Peer Tutoring: Secondary 180
6.16: RAFT Writing: Secondary 181
6.17: Reciprocal Teaching: Secondary 182
6.18: Shared Reading 183
6.19: Teacher Modeling: Elementary 184
6.20: Teacher Modeling: Secondary 184
6.21: Text Rendering Protocol: Secondary 185
6.22: Three-Read Protocol 186
A FINAL NOTE FROM THE DESK OF DOUG AND NANCY

7.1: Final Words From Doug and Nancy 189
viii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A special note of thanks to the teachers who opened their doors for us to capture
videos. We hope their willingness to share inspires you to try on new approaches
to ensure student learning. We also owe a huge thank-you to Sarah Ortega for
coordinating all the videos and for her sage advice. Sarah is an amazing and
dedicated educator who we are honored to have as a colleague and friend.
PUBLISHER’S ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Corwin gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following reviewers:
Lydia Bagley
Literacy Support Specialist
Cobb County School District
Kennesaw, GA
Natalie Bernasconi
Educator, UC Santa Cruz/Education Dept
Santa Cruz, CA
Shannon Bussey
Elementary School Principal
San Diego Unified School District
San Diego, CA
Tiffany S. Coleman
Literacy Consultant, Teach Gwinnett Instructional Coach
Gwinnett County Public Schools
Gwinnett County, GA
Darius Phelps
Multicultural and Early Childhood Education Lecturer
Medgar Evers College and Teachers College, Columbia University
Brooklyn, NY
ix
x
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Teaching!
An Illustrated Guide to the
Best Profession in the World
Congratulations on your choice to become an educator! It’s an amazing
career and one that will bring you much joy and many challenges. We have been
teachers for many years, and in this book we will share with you some of the great
ideas we have collected throughout our careers, all of which have been proven to
increase student learning.
THE ROLE OF A TEACHER

You will have many roles, which are the big things that you will accomplish as an
educator, including . . .
• Providing mentorship and support and listening to others
• Inspiring learners to achieve their aspirations and potential
• Nurturing curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking
• Creating meaningful learning experiences
• Using technology to support learning
• Selecting the right instructional strategies that deepen learning
• Continuing to learn, grow, and develop as an educator
Exciting, right?
I.1: Welcome to Teaching

INTRODUCTION 1
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A TEACHER
Your responsibilities are the things that you need to do each day to accomplish
your role as a professional. Your five major responsibilities include
INSTRUCTION
• Provide instruction to individual
students, small groups, and the
whole class.
• Design instruction to meet student needs.
• Implement accommodations,
modifications, and specially designed
instructional strategies.
ASSESSMENT
• Conduct assessments and
use evidence formatively and
summatively.
• Provide timely and useful

feedback to students.
• Grade students based on

expectations.
• Administer local and state

standards-based measures.
2 WELCOME TO TEACHING!
COMMUNICATION
• Collaborate with other educators, including
specialists (art, PE, music), special educators,
and bilingual support personnel.
• Provide feedback to families and other

team members.
• Attend planning meetings, team meetings,

and individualized education program (IEP)
meetings.
• Collaborate with grade-level/subject-area

teams on curriculum and instruction.
LEADERSHIP
• Design the structure of the class
(e.g., curriculum, classroom management,
physical design, policies, materials).
• Supervise paraprofessionals and peer tutors.
RECORD KEEPING
• Record daily lesson and unit plans,
activities, and assignments.
• Maintain student records of progress and

grades on learning targets and standards.
• Maintain attendance records.
INTRODUCTION 3
WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN THIS BOOK
We have organized the information in this book into the following categories:
1. Creating the climate for learning

2. Planning for learning
3. Engagement in learning
4. Assessment of learning
5. Instructional moves that ensure learning
6. Tools and strategies that support learning
Notice that we’re focused on learning. The other aspects of teaching

you will learn from your administrators and colleagues, such as how to
collaborate with other educators. In this book, we welcome you into teaching
and know that you have selected this role because you want to impact the
learning lives of young people.
There are myths that persist in the field

of education. We identify several of these
in each section in hopes that they are not
perpetuated in your school.
You’ll see lots of images that will guide

your understanding of the content. We
have created infographics for each of the major
questions so that you can flip through this book
and find what you’re looking for.
First, you’ll find questions. These questions are the ones that we are commonly
asked as people become educators and are based on thousands of classroom
observations and our reading of the research.
For each question, we provide information

and an opportunity to elevate your
practice and take it to a higher level.
At the end of each question, there is a checklist

of items for you to consider. Addressing each
of these items will ensure that you develop
as a highly effective teacher.
We’ve included a lot of videos so that you can

see other teachers in action and hear from
us directly.
There are also links to additional resources

that you can use if you like. You may want to
return to a specific question later and use the
resources to expand your thinking.
Again, welcome to teaching.

We are lucky to have you as a
colleague, and we trust that you
will create incredible learning
experiences for your students.
INTRODUCTION 5
6
Section 1:
CREATING THE CLIMATE
FOR LEARNING
Your classroom is more than a physical space.
It can be a community of learners, but you
must build it with intention. A supportive
classroom community thrives when four
conditions are in place:
1. It is student-centered.
2. It promotes the social and psychological
growth of children and youth.
3. It is organized for learning.
4. It pairs high expectations with
supportive practices.
You recreate a climate for learning every day, not just during
the first week of school. It begins at the classroom door.
This is prime time for you, and it sets the tone daily for your
students. Be there every day to greet students by name, with
a warm tone of voice and a smile. Have your classroom space
organized for students before they arrive so that you aren’t
distracted by the logistics of preparation.
The fact that you prioritize greeting them carries the message
that this is a student-centered place. And keep your classroom
neat and organized, as it signals to students that you care
about the environment in which they are learning.
1.1: Welcome to Section 1

Section 1: CREATING THE CLIMATE FOR LEARNING 7

How Do I . . .
FOSTER A
WELCOMING
ENVIRONMENT?
8
A welcoming classroom climate is one
where students feel a sense of belonging,
A welcoming learning acceptance of who they are as individuals,
environment is crucial for and an esprit de corps where there is a
the success of students collective sense of identity, fellowship, and
(and you!). pride. You are the orchestra leader who can
make this happen.
MYTH BUSTERS
Students automatically trust the teacher.
After all, you know more than they do, and
that should be enough.
Just stick to the prescribed curriculum.

There’s no reason to personalize it for your
students.
Don’t smile before the winter break.

A Welcoming Environment
BEGINS WITH RELATIONSHIPS
Have you stepped into a new environment and immediately

felt a positive energy? A welcoming environment signals that
this is a place where confidence and curiosity are fostered.
A student-centered classroom exudes a positive energy. You don’t have to
spend lots of money on expensive decorations. You do need
to be intentional about the ways you are investing in the
climate of the classroom.
Learn every student’s name. A person’s name is central to

their identity. For younger students, you can start the school
year by having desks and cubbies labeled with students’ names
to form immediate associations in your mind. You can use a
silent interview with older students such that they introduce
one another to the class. They interview a partner by writing
questions to the other person and trading papers to answer the
questions. After several minutes, the students introduce their
partner to the rest of the class.
Learn how to pronounce names correctly. If a name is

unfamiliar to you, ask the student how to pronounce
it correctly. Ask them not to let you off the hook
until you can say it properly, even if it takes a
few days.
Learn about their interests. Use

getting-to-know-you games and
interest surveys to learn more about
students. Incorporate what you have learned into lessons.
Don’t limit connections to academic content. Ask a
student who skateboards about the latest trick they are
working on. Consult a student who loves video games about
recommendations for a gift you want to give to a relative in
your family.
Make sure they get to know you. Share

developmentally appropriate information
about you, your interests, and your goals.
Seek connections, including similarities
and differences, between your life and the
lives of your students.
A Welcoming Environment
IS BUILT ON TRUST
Teacher-student relationships form the bedrock of learning, and your trustworthiness is at the
heart of positive relationships. Your words, attention, and actions can build the trust students have
in you. These are the six messages you want to convey each day:
Be consistent in your demeanor. We all have frustrating mornings, bad days,

and long-term concerns about our lives. But we can’t let these spill over into
the classroom. Students need you to maintain an optimistic outlook about
them. Make sure the ways you react to the ups and downs of the learning day
do not vary wildly depending on your mood.
Be open. Student suggestions,

questions, and challenges are great Be reliable. Make sure that you
feedback to you about what’s working keep your promises. If students are
and what’s not. Show students that expecting a science demonstration
you are flexible and open to their ideas. or a trip to the local library,
follow through.
Apologize when you make mistakes. Relationships are

repaired when people own up to their errors. It shouldn’t
matter that they are younger than you.

ELEVATE YOUR PRACTICE
Interest surveys are a great way to get to know students. Use them periodically
throughout the year, as student interests change. Don’t forget to learn about
the interests of new students who join you later in the school year. Here are ten
questions you can ask to learn more about them!
1. What’s your favorite subject in school? Why?
2. What’s your least favorite school subject? Why is that?
3. When are you the happiest?
4. What is your favorite time of day?
5. What are three words or phrases that describe you best?
6. What do people ask you for help with?
7. When do you sometimes need help?
8. What topics do you hope we get to read and talk about this year?
9. Finish this sentence: I hope this class is ______ because _______.
10. What are three things I should know about you?
to
names and how
I learn students’ sts.
, and their intere
pronounce them
g
tently welcomin
I create a consis
students.
environment for
se
meanor and choo
I monitor my de
hool.
my attitude at sc
How Do I . . .
CREATE A SENSE
OF COMMUNITY IN
THE CLASSROOM?
14
A student-centered classroom thrives on beliefs about
belonging and a sense of ownership in the classroom.
These are key to self-determination1 and contribute to students’ well-being and motivation to learn.
AUTONOMY COMPETENCE RELATEDNESS

Autonomy to make choices Competence to demonstrate Relatedness to others through
and decisions, which skills and develop new ones social bonding such that one
contributes to the belief that doesn’t feel alone
you can achieve goals
MYTH BUSTERS
Students do better when teachers make all
the decisions.
Class meetings and other class cohesion

activities take time away from real learning.
Belonging is important for young children

but less so for adolescents.

Foster a SENSE OF BELONGING EVERY DAY
People are better able to learn when they • Nondirectivity: Student-initiated and
feel a sense of belonging: that they are student-regulated activities
valued, respected, and connected to others. • Encouragement of critical thinking as
A sense of belonging is an amplifier of opposed to a traditional memory emphasis
achievement and includes2
These student-centered practices are essential
• Teacher empathy: Understanding at any age. Establishing these conditions begins
• Unconditional positive regard: Warmth with the first interactions students have with the
• Genuineness: The teacher’s self-awareness teacher and continues throughout the school year.
TEACHER EMPATHY
How will your students feel connected with you?
• Begin lessons with a positive affirmation (e.g., favorite quotes,
a silly joke, a thought-provoking question).
• Establish time for students to drop in for academic support.
• Contact families regularly to talk about their student’s successes.
UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD

How will your students know you care about them as people?
• Weave into lessons what you have learned about students’
interests.
• Use materials that reflect the assets your students bring to the
classroom.
• Use voice feedback tools on student work so they can hear the
sparkle in your voice, rather than read your words without context.
GENUINENESS
How will your students know you care about
yourself as a professional?
• Dress and groom professionally.
• Project a demeanor that is optimistic about
them and you.
• Make it clear in words and actions that this is a
place for learning about themselves, the world,
and each other.
NONDIRECTIVITY
How will your students know you hold their abilities in
high regard?
• Hold individual conversations with students to help
them identify their strengths, goals, and growth areas.
• Ask questions that mediate the student’s thinking,
rather than ask leading questions.
• Use shared decision-making about curriculum
with students.
ENCOURAGEMENT OF CRITICAL THINKING

How will your students know you respect
them intellectually?
• Foster discussion among peers using questions
that open up their thinking.
• Include opportunities in every lesson for students to write
about, illustrate, or discuss their thinking with peers.
• Build choice and relevance into assignments and projects.

Foster STUDENT OWNERSHIP
OF THE CLASSROOM
el a
Students need to fe As the teacher, consider that many of
in the
sense of ownership the decisions reside with you, such as
e mean
classroom. By this w
scheduling and maintaining student
ice in safety. But wise teachers look for
that they have a vo opportunities to build student voice
the
decisions about how in the classroom. In doing so, they
.
classroom operates strengthen the social fabric of the
classroom community.
Communities of all kinds have

ways of coming together to meet,
talk, and reconnect. Classrooms
are no different in their need to do
this. Class meetings are a way to
set aside time to take care of one
another, make decisions, and build
a sense of ownership in what occurs
throughout the day.
Class meetings should be scheduled

at regular intervals to build the
habit of the community coming
together. These are short (no more
than 15 minutes) and are focused
on attending to the business of the
classroom community.
Preschool and primary teachers

often infuse class meeting elements
into a larger daily morning routine.
Middle and high school students can
participate in class meetings once
a week in a designated course or
advisory period.
FORMAT FOR CLASS MEETINGS
• Call to order. Start the meeting with a • New topics. These are nominated by
short greeting to one another (younger students or the teacher. Keep a box that
students) or a meaningful quote or students can use for submitting topics.
question to discuss with a partner Remind them not to use the names of
(“What is something you taught an other students (“Mark talks too much”)
older relative to do?”) but to describe the problem or event
so that it can be discussed (“We need a
• Ongoing topics. Any topics from the better way to figure out how to listen
previous class meeting that have not when someone else is talking.”)
been resolved.
• Recognition. End the class meeting by
inviting students to share compliments
and thanks with other members of the
class, as well as celebrations of success.
1.3: Class Meeting:

1.2: Class Meeting: Secondary
Elementary resources.corwin.com/
welcometoteaching

Families are valuable partners who enhance the learning climate of your classroom.
Schools with high levels of teacher-parent trust and parent involvement in school
decision-making outperform schools that do not.3 Do your part by making your
classroom a place where families are valued and welcomed.4
Regular and proactive communication Create homework activities that involve

is key. Make phone calls, send personal families. For instance, students learning
notes, and provide newsletters about about a historical event can interview a
classroom events. family member.
Make learning opportunities known to Encourage families to become involved

families. Not everyone can volunteer with classroom decision-making
in the classroom. Let them know about and school governance. Survey families
other ways they can help, such as regularly about their opinions and
attending school events, talking about seek feedback from individuals about
topics their child is learning, and sharing what is working well and what can be
important family news with you. strengthened.
I use tasks that de

monstrate to stud
that they belong ents
in the classroom
.
I have structures
, such as class m
create a sense of eetings, that
ownership in th
e classroom.
I have plans to en
gage families as
collaborators in
my classroom.
How Do I . . .
FOSTER A CLIMATE
OF INCLUSIVITY?
22
A climate of inclusivity requires a multipronged approach that involves
our own identities as teachers, understanding the identities of students,
and linking this knowledge to the ways we teach and assess.
1. We understand who we are as teachers

by examining our values and identities.
These affect our decisions about
how and what we teach.
2. We consider what we teach
about our content to
ensure we are taking
advantage of ways to
build relationships.
3. We are cognizant
of who we teach by
seeking to understand
the assets each person
brings to the classroom.
4. We pay close attention
to how we teach in
order to understand what
works best for each student.
Importantly, we understand
that there is no “one-size-fits-all”
strategy.
5. We pair how we assess with knowledge
of whom and what we teach to reveal
each student’s demonstrations of what
they have learned.5
MYTH BUSTERS
General education teachers aren’t qualified
to teach students with disabilities.
A teacher needs to share the same language

as a multilingual student if the student is
going to learn.
All students should be treated exactly the

same. That’s what’s fair.

INCLUSIVE FOR
Make Your Classroom
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Inclusive
w
practices allo
Inclusive practices align with federal laws
students with
regarding the least restrictive environment for
WD) to students with disabilities. By making relationships

disabilities (S more accessible, educators ensure that SWD
demic
access the aca receive the highest level of education possible.
he social
content and t Amplify your efforts to ensure that students with
of
environment disabilities are not labeled and marginalized.
the school.
Cultivate an inclusive attitude. An inclusive attitude
starts with knowing deeply that you are the teacher
of all your students, not just the ones with or without
identified disabilities.
Talk with families about positive supports. Families are the keepers
of their child’s history and a great source for learning what works well.
Schedule an informal conference with a primary caregiver to learn
about positive techniques and actions you can take to ensure success.
Use inclusive language with students and colleagues. Students with

disabilities receive extra supports and services that will require you to
work shoulder-to-shoulder with other colleagues. But when you start
using the language of “my students” and “your students” you signal
loud and clear that you have marginalized some of your students in
your own classroom. If a student is scheduled for a pullout service,
don’t schedule the science demonstration, trip to the school garden,
or other important event in your class’s shared memory while that
student is out of the room. This is another signal to classmates that
some students just aren’t that important.
The text-to-speech technology

Normalize disability in the classroom. Use accessible
you use to send a quick message on
technologies, including closed-captioned videos,
accessible websites, and assistive digital tools. Seek your smartphone was originally
books that feature people with disabilities in ways developed for people with visual
that show their strengths and gifts. Call out ableism and print disabilities.
in the same way you would racism and sexism.

Make Your Classroom INCLUSIVE FOR
MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS
We use multilingual learner as a more contemporary

designation for students who are adding English to their
language and literacy skills. "Multilingual" rightly positions
learning as an additive, whereas "English learner" can reinforce a
deficit mindset that highlights what a student can’t do.
Multilingual learners benefit from quality instruction that emphasizes

student talk to give students lots of experiences using academic
language. Set up your classroom environment so that students have lots
of opportunities to interact with each other about the content.
More than 10% Assess multilingual learners by balancing large-scale assessments

the
of students in
with individualized, informal ones that highlight strengths and do not
simply catalog deficits.6
are
United States
multilingual Multilingual learners deserve supplemental and intensive interventions,
learners.
especially when their performance pales in comparison with peers who
have similar backgrounds and experiences.
ENRICH YOUR LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

• Recognize that multilingualism is a
strength and will add value to your
classroom.
• Provide scaffolds, such as language frames

and word banks, for students to use.
• Learn common phrases in your students’

heritage languages and use them.
“Please” and “Thank you” go a long way.
• Learn about the communities around

your school.
• Talk with families and community

members about their recommendations
for expanding your classroom library.
START WITH YOUR CULTURAL ASSETS

Asset mapping is a MAP AND SHARE WITH STUDENTS
visual
student-generated • What are your cultural assets?
e
representation of th
d
cultural strengths an
• What/who has helped you achieve
your successes, and where did you get
s
community resource that help?
ents
they draw on. Stud
7
• Where do you go for support?
er
use inquiry to discov • What led you to become a teacher?
stories about their • What/who helps you grow and learn,
families, identify and where do you get that help?
s, and
individual strength • What is your cultural history?
and
draw on the values • What stories are a part of your culture?
ity
ideals of the commun
in which they live.
HOST A GALLERY WALK

Encourage students to build posters or displays about what they have
learned. Then host a gallery walk so that you and your students can learn
more about one another. In the process, you will learn much about your
students’ strengths, and they will gain from this self-knowledge.
1.4: Map Example: 1.5: Map Example:

Elementary Student Secondary Student

ELEVATE YOUR PRACTICE (continued)
INVITE STUDENTS TO EXPLORE

THEIR CULTURAL ASSETS
Younger students will likely respond well to questions that
encourage them to find out more about their family’s history,
develop timelines of their own life, and identify places and
traditions that are important to them. Ask useful questions:
• Who helps you?
• What do you know about your culture?
• Who can help you understand your culture?
• What traditions are important in your family?
• What traditions are important in your community?
Older students can add more about historical experiences that

have shaped their ancestors’ lives, identify local community
leaders and institutions they value, and report on their own
advocacy and service.
I create an inclus
ive environment
demonstrates re that
spect for all lear
ners.
I review the supp

ort needs of stud
so that I can addr ents with disabi
ess those needs lities
in the classroom
.
I plan lessons w
ith my multilingu
in mind so that al learners
I can foster their
skills while recogn literacy
izing their streng
ths.
How Do I . . .
CREATE AN
ORGANIZED LEARNING
ENVIRONMENT?
30
s a re o rganized
m
e c t i v e classroo u tines and
E ff T h e r o
ing. ent.
for learn e clear and effici
res ar daily or
procedu i b e t h e
s descr n
Routine t e m s t h at gover
ys
weekly s d a y . P rocedures
ing s.
the learn ze those routine
nali
operatio
Don’t make the mistake of decorating

The physical environment communicates the classroom like you do your home.
that the classroom is a place for learning, The classroom is for students and needs to
curiosity, and discovery. Students make be functional for their learning. Items on
judgments about you and themselves the walls should help students learn and
based on the organization of the should each serve a specific purpose.
environment. Is it organized and neat?
So is my teacher. Are there interesting
items on display for me to use? This is my
classroom, and I belong here. An organized learning environment makes
it possible for you to start students’ day the
right way. Be at the classroom door every
day, greeting each one by name.
MYTH BUSTERS
Students who have been to school in
previous years already know how to
work in your classroom.
Students don’t mind clutter

and disarray.
Class procedures have little impact

on student engagement or learning.

Organize THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Consider visibility, proximity, accessibility, and safety when arranging a classroom. Because each
classroom is unique, the arrangement you decide on will be influenced by your academic needs and
by student considerations. Keep in mind that students with disabilities may have learning needs
that necessitate particular placement in the classroom to increase visibility or minimize distractions.
Visibility. Are there areas of the

classroom where students cannot
easily view the board or screen? If
so, consider using these areas
for other purposes, including
small-group work or storage.
Proximity. Proximity is the physical

distance between you and a
student and is a useful tool for
increasing student engagement.
Look at the pathways for teacher
movement in your classroom. Can
you easily reach each student in the
room to provide extra instructional
or behavioral support? Can you
circulate during whole-group
teaching to monitor learning?
Accessibility. An orderly learning

environment allows you and
students to easily reach all areas
of the classroom. Students need
to throw away trash, enter and
exit the room, and retrieve and
store materials. How will this be
accomplished in your room? When
planning your room arrangement,
consider patterns of movement in
these high-traffic areas.
Safety. Above all, students must be safe in your classroom. All schools have specific
requirements for maintaining unobstructed exits in case of fire. Be sure to consult
these regulations when planning your room arrangement. Next, catalog the items
that may pose a threat to student safety. Is there science lab equipment stored in
your classroom? If so, this should be placed in a secure area.
Organize With ROUTINES AND PROCEDURES
There is a saying that “well begun is half done.” Think through the daily and weekly routines that
will assist you and your students in making the most of instructional time. Here are questions and
advice to assist you in making decisions before the first day of school.
How will you schedule What will students do upon

learning? Consult with your entry into your classroom?
school leader or grade-level Consider what you want
chair to learn about bell students to do when they
schedules, recess and lunch arrive. This time is likely to
times, dismissal, and early include putting away belongings, turning in
release days. These will homework and projects, and engaging in an
shape your daily schedule. independent learning activity. Don’t make the
mistake of leaving students to figure out what
TIP: Post a daily schedule in to do, as you probably won’t like it!
the same location each day so
that students can anticipate TIP: Instruct students
transitions. where their belongings
should go (in a cubby, on
the back of their chair).
Make sure they know not
to leave items in the aisle where they can be a
How will you take tripping hazard. Post a task for them to
attendance? Most complete upon entering the classroom while
schools use a digital you take attendance.
platform to report
absences and tardies.
Meet with the registrar or How will you distribute
attendance clerk to learn about it. Then ask a and collect materials?
colleague for advice about including this step Identify materials that
in the workflow. students can retrieve on
their own. Schedule time for
TIP: Teach students the yourself at the beginning or
attendance procedure end of the day to set out specialized materials
you devised. Younger that will be needed for the next lesson, such as
students might place microscopes, calculators, or art supplies.
their names in a bowl
when they arrive. TIP: Some assignments
Secondary students might check off their are submitted digitally, so
names. You will still need to do a visual demonstrate and practice
accounting. naming conventions and
submission procedures. To keep
papers organized, set up two plastic file crates
and label them Completed Work and Graded
Work. Place a hanging file for each student,
labeled with name and student number, in the
file crates.

How will you manage How will you signal
technology? Classrooms students?
typically use rechargeable Determine how you
devices that need to be will gain attention
secured. Meet with when the classroom is noisy as well as how you
instructional technology will call students back when they are quietly
personnel to learn how these engaged in independent learning.
procedures are performed.
TIP: Signals should be taught
TIP: Teach students the procedures for storing, daily during the first week
recharging, and retrieving devices. Number of school and reinforced
classroom equipment so you can track what frequently until students
is being used and by whom. You may ask respond quickly and
students to turn their consistently. A consistent
screens toward you signal combines a verbal command with a hand
when you are giving gesture (for example, “Give me five . . .” while
directions or providing showing a decreasing number of fingers.)
information. Use a timer to display the time left to
complete an activity.
How will you call on How will you dismiss

students? Don’t rely on students? Don’t let the
raised hands, as you will bell dismiss students;
miss the majority of students who rarely, if ever, you do. Determine
volunteer. Decide on how you will provide what your routine will be for the last five minutes
equitable response opportunities. of the class period or school day. This may
include exit slips, cleanup, and reminders about
TIP: Introduce, practice, homework and other announcements.
and use a system for
identifying which TIP: Beginning
students you want on the first day,
to share. use the closing
routine, including
announcements,
cleanup protocols,
and reminders about
tasks they need to complete.
1.7: Closure
1.6: Attention Activities: Secondary
Methods: Elementary resources.corwin.com/
welcometoteaching
When you and your students are organized, you

minimize wasted time on transitions and maximize
your instructional time. Use this checklist to
consider how students will be organized.
STORAGE WALL AND BOARD SPACE

Use storage bins to hold Decide where you will post
markers, scissors, rulers, and daily learning intentions and
other frequently used student success criteria.
materials. Decide where you will post the
Create a designated place lesson agenda.
for students to turn in paper Keep a space on your board
assignments and collect graded for you and students to work
work. Secondary teachers should through lesson content.
organize by class period.
Reserve wall space for posting
Teach elementary students how necessary items students will use
to keep their desks organized. (e.g., alphabet cards, periodic
Label everything! table of elements.) Make sure
they are visible to all students.
Section off wall space for
displaying student work. Change
frequently!

SPECIALIZED LEARNING AREAS MAKING YOUR CLASSROOM
Set up space for you to meet MORE SUSTAINABLE
with small groups and individual Replace paper with dry-
students. erase boards.
Create a quiet area for individual Post assignments and materials
students to read and work. on your learning management
Minimize the number of items system whenever possible.
in this area.
Place materials that will be
used across class periods in clear
plastic holders to minimize the
number of copies you will need.
Teach how to use the
recycling bin.
Add indoor plants.
I teach students
the procedures I
them to use in th expect
e classroom.
I have an organi
zed physical envi
provides me acce ronment that
ss to all students
and ensures safe
ty.
I create an enviro
nment in which
the walls help m
e teach.
38
Section 2:
PLANNING FOR LEARNING
Stephen Covey1 says that there are seven habits of highly effective people:
Habit 1: Be Proactive: Remember, Habit 2: Begin With the End in

we're in charge of our lives and the Mind: Have a plan that allows you
choices we make about how to respond to decide which actions to take to
to the situations that arise. achieve the plan.
Habit 3: Put First Things First: Habit 4: Think Win-Win: Everyone

Decide what is important to you and can win, and they want to. How can
make decisions that are based on the you feel like a winner as you allow
things that matter. students to feel the same?
Section 2: PLANNING FOR LEARNING 39

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Habit 6: Synergize: Be vulnerable
Then to Be Understood: Listen and open and know that there are
before you talk and you’ll learn a lot others who are vested in your success.
from those around you, including Collaborate often with your colleagues.
other teachers, leaders, and students.
And you want to be an

effective teacher, right?
In this section, we’ll focus on
habit number 2: Begin with the
end in mind.
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw: Keep It means knowing what you want
a life-work balance, and continue to your students to know and be
educate yourself as there is still much able to do and plan students'
to learn. experiences accordingly. Know
the standards for your grade and
content area. Plan experiences
that close the gap between what
students already know and what
they need to know.

resources.corwin.com/
welcometoteaching
How Do I . . .
KNOW WHAT
STUDENTS NEED
TO KNOW AND
BE ABLE TO DO?
41
written by
Standards are
d u c a t o rs o r p olicymakers
e
to ensure
for educators
onsistency
that there is c
s.
in expectation
Standards provide concise, written

descriptions of what students are
expected to know and be able to
do. For students to learn, there
needs to be a relationship
between curriculum,
instruction, and assessment.
MYTH BUSTERS
Standards set the ceiling
or highest level of
expectations for students.
Standards are optional,

and teachers should teach
what they want.
Standards include only

skills and not important
content knowledge.
Standards are fixed, and

they never change.
THE CURRICULUM
What Students Are Learning
1. The official curriculum, or written curriculum from the

government, gives the basic skills and concepts to be learned
and the scope and sequence of the development of the skills
and concepts.
2. The operational curriculum is how it is taught by the teacher and
how it is communicated. This includes what the teacher teaches
in class and the learning outcomes for the student.
Curriculum is the 3. The hidden curriculum includes the norms and values of the
WHAT of learning. surrounding society. These are messages that students receive,
There are at least even when they are not part of the formal, official curriculum.
five levels of any 4. The null curriculum consists of what is not taught. Consideration
curriculum.2 must be given to the reasons behind why things are not included
in the official or operational curriculum.
5. The extra curriculum is composed of the planned experiences
outside of the specific educational session.

Creating the OPERATIONAL CURRICULUM
Nouns and Noun Phrases in a standard generally represent what it
is the student needs to know. These are the concepts.
Verbs and Verb Phrases in a standard speak to the skills students

must acquire in order to make the concepts useful.
Here’s a fourth-grade standard:
Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively

(e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, timelines, animations, or
interactive elements on web pages) and explain how the
information contributes to an understanding of the text in which
Standards it appears.
are written as
statements. The concepts and skills students need to learn, include:
The nouns and

verbs help us
understand
the skills and » Information presented visually » Interpret
concepts students » Information presented orally » Explain
need to learn. » Information presented

quantitatively
» Charts, graphics, diagrams,
timelines, animations,
interactive web pages
» Text
COMMON SKILLS (VERBS) THAT STUDENTS NEED TO LEARN
You may have instructional materials that Download the template and
have been adopted by your school or district. analyze a standard of your
It’s good practice to analyze the standards so choice. You may be teaching
that you know what students are expected to several standards at the same
know and be able to do. When you analyze time, so you need to analyze all of them
the standards, it’s easier to understand what together. Consider the big ideas that help you
the writers of the instructional materials were design assessments and think about why it’s
doing, and it’s easier to develop your own important for students to learn, so you can
materials. establish relevance.
Grade: Subject:
Standard(s):
Skills (verbs): What students should be Concepts (nouns): What students should know
able to do
What are the big ideas in this/these standard(s)?
Why is this important for my students to learn?
I read th
e standards and id
entify skills and co
before I design un ncepts
its of instruction
and daily lessons.
I focus
on the skills and
determine what
each skill require
s of my students.
I am aw
are of the hidden
curriculum
that my students
are learning.

How Do I . . .
FLOW THE
CURRICULUM
OVER THE YEAR?
47
There are a lot of skills and concepts to teach each year of school,
and simply covering them does not ensure that students learn.
There is a difference between things that

students need to know and things that
would be neat for them to know. Your
school system or colleagues may have
priorities for learning, often called
essential or key standards. If not, you
should design lessons to ensure that
the most important standards are
taught and assessed. Check with
your administrator to be sure of the
expectations at your school.
As you plan your daily lessons,

recognize that these need to fit into
an overall pacing guide and curriculum
map. Again, your school system may
have curriculum maps and pacing guides
that you can use to steer your lesson
development. Or you may have to develop your
own curriculum maps and pacing guides.
MYTH BUSTERS
Curriculum maps and pacing guides
are too rigid to take advantage of
teachable moments.
The textbooks provide a curriculum

map and pacing guide.

cannot be changed during the year.

take a lot of time to develop and aren’t
very useful when it comes to day-to-
day teaching.
CURRICULUM MAPS and PACING GUIDES
You know your students much

better than the writers who created
your texts. They know content
development; as a professional, you
ide
Textbooks are a gu know where you are going with
and resource, but students’ learning. That’s why we start
the teacher is the with the end in mind, called backward
professional. planning. We start with the intended
outcomes and then design a sequence
of lessons, assignments, tasks, projects,
presentations, and assessments that
will lead students there.
PACING GUIDE CURRICULUM MAP

A pacing guide is your timeline for A curriculum map is the big plan for
teaching. Ideally with your team, you instruction. It’s updated in real time and
decide what you are going to teach focuses on what has been taught and
and when. The individual lessons and learned, versus what still needs to be
teaching approaches can be different, taught and learned. It should identify
but the content is taught and assessed at each component of the curriculum
generally the same time by all members and help educators identify gaps and
of your team. That way, your team can redundancies. The components are the
analyze data and make decisions for concepts and skills you identified in the
improving student learning. standards.
2.2: Pacing Guide Template

welcometoteaching

CURRICULUM MAPS and PACING GUIDES
(continued)
COMMON COMPONENTS OF A PACING GUIDE
Essential Target Vocabulary:

Understandings: Which terms will be
What are the necessary for students
overarching to learn to understand
understandings the concepts and skills?
that transcend
units of study
and support larger,
transferable ideas? Instructional
Materials: What
resources, such as
Essential Questions: primary sources, the
What are the overarching textbook, videos,
questions that guide and images, will
inquiry into and support provide students
achievement of the access to the content?
essential understandings?
Tasks and
Assignments: What
are the various tasks
Week/Timeline: In which and assignments that
week of the school year will allow student to practice
these lessons take place? the skills and develop their
knowledge of the concepts?
Focus Skills: What are Assessments:

the skills that will be How will you
taught and check for
assessed? These understanding
come from the and determine
analysis of the what students
standards. have learned?
2.3: Teacher Sharing a

Pacing Guide
welcometoteaching
You may have pacing guides that have been adopted by your school or
district. It’s good practice to analyze these documents so that you know what
students are expected to know and be able to do at specific times during the
year. If not, download the template and begin to outline the year.
Course: Instructional Unit: Time Range:
Essential Understandings
Essential Questions
Key Vocabulary
Standards Topics and Week Tasks and Assessments Texts and

Focus Skills Assignments Resources
ts and skills
ine which concep
I determ to know versus th
ose
my students need ow.
at for them to kn
that would be ne
epts
the skills and conc
ve a plan for teaching
I ha of the year.
th e st an da rd s over the course
from
allow
aterials that will
id en tif y instructional m d skills.
I
of the concepts an
me to teach each

How Do I . . .
CREATE LEARNING
INTENTIONS
AND SUCCESS
CRITERIA?
53
Learning intentions are what you intend for students to learn.
Based on your The learning intention is a statement of learning to come:
We are learning about momentum. Daily learning intentions
analysis of the
allow you to check for understanding.
standards and the
pacing guide, you must In addition, you need to know what successful learning
looks like. Success criteria allow you and your students
decide what students
to monitor their progress. Success criteria help students
need to learn each day in see the path to the destination. Success criteria signal
your class to develop to students how they know they have learned it. For
proficiency. example, I can describe what happens when two forces act on
an object in opposing directions.
2.5: Learning
2.4: Learning Intentions and
Intentions and Success Criteria:
Success Criteria: Secondary
welcometoteaching
MYTH BUSTERS
Objectives are the same as learning
intentions and success criteria.
Students don’t need to know what they

are learning; they need to focus on
the tasks.
Learning intentions and success criteria

can be the same over many days.
Focusing on LEARNING INTENTIONS
Learning intentions adapt the language of the

standards into student-friendly and manageable
CHECKLIST FOR QUALITY
statements. Learning intentions ensure that the LEARNING INTENTIONS 3
standards are taught in lesson-sized chunks. They are Learning intentions are visible
statements of what a student is expected to learn and and usable for students.
help students answer the first clarity question:
Learning intentions are
What am I learning today? discussed at the beginning,
middle, and end of the lesson.
Typically, they start with “I am learning …” or “We are
Students are given time to reflect
learning …” and include know, about, understand, or
on, ask questions about, and
be able to.
discuss the learning intentions.
There may be several learning intentions in a lesson, Connections are made to
depending on the focus of the lesson. But they are the learning intentions while
more global statements about what students will learn students are engaged in
from the lesson. They do not focus on how the student the learning.
will learn it. Learning intentions can focus on content,
Students are asked to monitor
skills, or processes. For example:
their progress using the learning
intentions.
Learning intentions are directly
connected to the standard(s).
Learning
intentions are not
tasks or assignments
you want students to
complete, but rather
what they will learn
from the tasks.
2.6: Teachers Discussing How

They Develop LISC: Secondary
welcometoteaching

Focusing on SUCCESS CRITERIA
Success criteria provide a means for students and CHECKLIST FOR QUALITY
SUCCESS CRITERIA
4
teachers to measure progress. They indicate what the
intended learning destination is. Success criteria make
the learning visible to both the teacher and the student. Success criteria are visible and
Often, one learning intention will have several success usable for students.
criteria. They are statements of how a student will Success criteria are shared and
know that they have learned and help them answer the clarified with students before,
second clarity question: during, and after learning.
Success criteria communicate
How will I know that I learned it?
I will know I have learned it when I
Typically, they start with “I can …” but can also be shared can… with specific parts or steps
via rubrics, checklists, teacher modeling, or student work needed for success.
samples and exemplars. Success criteria include worked
examples, exemplars, or models
Success criteria align with the learning intentions but
for clarity.
are more specific in terms of how students will know
that they learned something. Success criteria can be Students are asked to use the
focused on content, skills and processes, or dispositions. success criteria to self-assess
For the sample learning intention “We are learning learning progress.
about the impact of heat on water,” different success Students are asked to provide
criteria could be developed, including: feedback to peers using
success criteria.
Success criteria are used to provide
feedback to students.
Each criterion for success moves the
students incrementally closer to the
learning intention.
Success
criteria are not
restatements
of the learning
intention.
Students can monitor their own progress, notice when they

haven't been successful, and seek feedback as needed when the
success criteria are clear to them. One way to increase clarity is to
co-construct success criteria with students.
Start with projects and assignments that

have concrete visual examples. Invite
Students appreciate students to discuss the tasks and extend
having input on the invitation to jointly develop success
determining what
criteria. In the process of determining what
successful learning looks like, students will
success looks like. likely have a better understanding of what
they need to do and learn.

TIPS FOR CO-CONSTRUCTING

SUCCESS CRITERIA
• Place learners into small groups, give
them student work samples, and
ask them to identify the level of
performance. Allow time for discourse
and debate. Move among groups to
ask clarifying and probing questions.
• Ask students to identify essential
characteristics of each sample.
• Ask groups to share the criteria
selected, determine commonalities
across the class, and negotiate which
criteria will be included in the final
success criteria.
• Once success criteria have been
determined, decide on the approach
for showing and knowing expectations
of success (e.g., I can statements, a
single-point rubric, an analytic/
holistic rubric).
ng intentions
y and share learni
I identif
ith students.
for each lesson w
s criteria
y and share succes
I identif
ith students.
for each lesson w
iteria
use the success cr
te ac h students how to ss .
I asse
progress and self-
to monitor their
59
How Do I . . .
DESIGN DAILY
LESSONS ALIGNED
WITH THE
STANDARDS AND
PACING GUIDE?
60
What we do each day in the classroom has the potential
to ensure that students are learning. Daily lesson plans
are essential to operationalizing the curriculum and
ensuring meaningful opportunities to learn. Over time,
many of the aspects of the lessons you teach will be
automatic, and you won’t need to write down many of
the details. However, highly effective teachers know what Highly effective
they want students to learn each day and develop plans
teachers know
to increase the likelihood that students will learn.
what they want
Lesson plans require that teachers consider who they are students to learn each
teaching, what they are teaching, how they will teach
day and develop plans to
it, and how they will know if their students understand
what has been taught. increase the likelihood
that students will
learn.
MYTH BUSTERS
Teachers don’t need lesson plans because
the textbook explains what to do.
Lesson plans are generic and can be

implemented by anyone, even if they
didn’t develop it.
Lesson plans constrain teachers and

take the flexibility and spontaneity out
of teaching.
There’s only one way to plan an

effective lesson.

Components of the LESSON PLAN
There are different formats for daily lesson planning, and each reflects a specific philosophy
of learning. Later, we focus on instructional moves and explain how to ensure that learning
occurs. In this section, we focus on effective lesson components that are generic but valuable.
Importantly, there is no prescribed order to these components.
Purpose: What you want students to Anticipatory set or hook: How will you invite
learn. Sometimes this is expressed as an students into the learning? How will you make
objective, but we prefer learning connections to things that students value and are
intention because it has interested in?
fewer constraints
and rules. Input or modeling: Teachers provide information
about the concepts and skills students
need to learn. This can range
from direct instruction
to demonstrations to
Closure: This is the modeling or lectures.
end of the lesson The key idea is what
and should not be new information
skipped! A good or experience
lesson closure students need.
leaves a lasting
impression on Practice:
the students Students
and provides practice
an opportunity and apply
for them what they
to review are learning.
what they This can be
have learned. under the
guidance of
the teacher,
with their peers,
or on their own.
Transitions: Tools Students are likely
teachers use to move asked to practice
from one task to another several times during
while ensuring that learning is a lesson, with increasing
still occurring. complexity.
Check for Understanding: How will you know, in real time, if students are
understanding the lesson? You can observe students’ body language, ask and
invite questions, or have them complete a task.
QUESTIONS USEFUL
IN LESSON CLOSURE
• What’s one thing you are
more comfortable with after
today’s lesson?
• What are you most proud of

from today’s lesson? TECHNIQUES FOR TRANSITION
• How did you overcome any • Teach and practice transitions
challenges? between activities
• How did you feel after • Use a timer so

today’s lesson? students know how
much time until the
• How did you help others during
next task or activity
the lesson?
• Use a consistent
• What’s one thing you don’t yet
attention signal,
understand about this material?
such as a train
• The most critical insight you whistle or “Give me 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1”
gained was …
• Use choral response (“Ready to rock?”
s…
• The best thing about today wa and students respond, “Ready to roll.”)
s…
• The most surprising thing wa • Use music and when it ends, students
need to be ready for the next task
2.7: Link to a Lesson

Plan Template
welcometoteaching

Sponge activities describe “learning activities Play 5 x 5. Have a grid of 25 squares

that soak up precious time that would ready with different categories that
otherwise be lost."5 Sometimes lessons run you’ve been studying at the top of
short, and we need to quickly implement tasks each column and randomly chosen
that keep students learning and practicing. letters down the left side. Have
students call out words that fit
Daily Message. Students are asked to each category or have copies that
write a message, 140 or 280 characters they can work on with a partner.
or less, from the perspective of a
person (or sometimes a thing) that Read-Aloud. Keep some funny,
they are studying. short stories or a book of poems
available for a quick read.
Whip Around. Students each write
down three things that they learned Progressive Writing. Have
that day. As they finish their list, students start writing about a
students stand, and the teacher topic you have assigned. After
randomly calls on students to share one minute, have them pass their
one item from their list. As the paper to a student on their right
identified student does so, the others and continue writing on the
listen and check the item off their paper they received. After another
list if they have it. Once a student minute, pass the papers again. This
has all their ideas checked off, they can continue for several minutes
sit down. The last person standing as students read previous writing
is recognized for having the most and add their own.
unique idea.
mponents are
All the essential co
of my lessons.
included in each
transitions
have ways to ensure that
I ooth.
d activities are sm
between tasks an
short.
plan for times when lessons run
I have a
66
Section 3:
ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING
In the opening to Section 2, we introduced It’s not as simple as telling students what to do
Stephen Covey’s habits for highly effective and then expecting them to engage. Creating
people. Remember that one of the habits an engaging classroom requires attention and
was win-win? We all want to feel like we nurturing. It starts at the beginning of the
got the win. When students are engaged in year with setting expectations and developing
learning and the tasks you assign, it feels classroom agreements, and continues through
pretty amazing. It’s also a win for the students the relationships you develop with students
because they know that they are learning, and as well as the structures that you put in place
they appreciate being in spaces that honor who to support students as they learn, including
they are and what they bring to the classroom. academic content and life skills such as those
identified by UNICEF, UNESCO, and WHO:
• Problem-solving
• Critical thinking
• Effective communication skills
• Decision-making
• Creative thinking
• Interpersonal relationship skills

The classroom climate
you create is critical • Self-awareness building skills
to feeling that you’re
• Empathy
winning, and remember,
students don’t have to • Coping with stress and emotions
lose for you to win.

welcometoteaching
Section 3: ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING 67

How Do I . . .
GET STUDENTS
TO ENGAGE?
68
Engagement is not an either-or situation.
Students are not simply engaged or
disengaged. Instead, there is a continuum
of engagement, and we can teach
students to recognize their levels of
engagement. In fact, engagement has
cognitive, behavioral, and emotional
dimensions.
DIMENSIONS OF ENGAGEMENT
» Participates in class tasks, activities, assignments, and

discussion
Behavioral Engagement
» Follows school rules
» Completes assignments
» Desires challenge and studies

» Self-regulates and monitors understanding, asking
Cognitive Engagement
questions as needed
» Plans, monitors, and evaluates thinking and learning
» Is comfortable talking to peers

» Engages in group learning
Emotional Engagement
» Is interested, inquisitive, and curious about
academic content
MYTH BUSTERS
Students should know how to engage in
learning, and it’s not necessary to teach it.
Behavioral engagement occurs first and

is the most important.
Teachers can bribe and punish students

to engage.

Teaching ENGAGEMENT AS A CONTINUUM
Engagement exists along a continuum.1 Notice that

3.2: Sample List of engagement and disengagement can be passive
Student Explanations (participating or withdrawing) and become more active
of Each Level of
further from the center (driving or disrupting). This can
Engagement
change over the course of a lesson. And there are actions
you can take to move students further to the right.
Your students need to know what each of these looks

3.3: Posters for Each like, behaviorally, cognitively, and emotionally. You can
Level of Engagement brainstorm with students about what each of these levels
of engagement looks like in the classroom. Once your
students have developed their understanding, you can
• Have them set their intention for the class
3.4: Levels of • Reflect on their levels of engagement

Engagement: Secondary
• Use a shared vocabulary in quiet conversation
when someone is disengaged
Not every lesson requires that students drive their
learning. Your goals might be: You can teach behaviors that
are teacher pleasing:
• Participating: I want students to follow my
lead and complete certain tasks. S = Sit up straight in
the chair.
• Investing: I want students to be interested in
learning and actively involved in the process. L = Lean forward toward
the teacher.
• Driving: I want students to be proactive and
collaborative learners. A = Act interested.
N = Nod and smile
occasionally.
T = Track the teacher

with your eyes.

Design your tasks to promote engagement! Examine your

current tasks and assignments to see how they can be strengthened.
The following ideas focus on moving learning forward.2
From closed to open tasks. Look for ways students can enter
from more than one entry point, or by considering more than
one perspective. For example, pose problems to students that
can be solved in multiple ways.
From information to understanding. Design some tasks so

that students need to compare and contrast two phenomena,
identify rules and patterns, and figure out when seemingly
dissimilar ideas are actually related.
From telling to asking. Create tasks that allow students to

try out their ideas first to see what works and what doesn’t.
For instance, ask students what might work best to resolve
a problem, such as a dilemma a character in a story is facing,
before reading what the character did.
From procedure to problem-solving. Foster a group’s

reliance on one another by providing them insufficient
information at first, giving them only some of the steps, or
including some irrelevant information.
out engagement.
I teach students ab
tention
st ud en ts se t th eir engagement in
I have ent.
r level of engagem
and reflect on thei
to learning.
invite students in
I design tasks that
How Do I . . .
MAKE LEARNING
RELEVANT?
74
Students of all ages want to know:
Students who • Why am I learning this?

find their learning • When will I use this?
relevant are more
likely to engage in • What does this have to
learning tasks and do with me?
regulate their own Address relevancy to foster motivation
behavior. When and deepen learning as students begin
content is relevant, to connect to larger concepts. An
eir
students devote th understanding of the relevancy moves
time, effort, and students forward from declarative or
energy to learning. factual knowledge, through procedural
and conditional knowledge, or from what
to how to when.
MYTH BUSTERS
Academic learning is inherently boring and must
be endured.
Discussing why students are learning something takes

time that could have been spent on teaching content.
There is no relationship between relevance and

motivation.

Addressing RELEVANCE ON A CONTINUUM
Relevance can be defined across a continuum.3
Personal association is through a connection to an object

or memory, such as enjoying reading about horses because
the student is learning to ride one. When students make
connections to their personal experiences, it can spark interest.
Personal usefulness is based on students’ beliefs that a task

or text will help them reach a personal goal. For example, a
student reads articles about soccer because improving passing
skills is valued. Or students persevere through a mathematics
course because they believe that the knowledge will help them
gain admission to a specific college.
Personal identification is the most motivating type of

relevancy and stems from a deep understanding that the
task or text aligns with one’s identity. When students get
to learn about themselves, their problem-solving, and their
ability to impact others, relevance is increased. For example, a
student who reads about female scientists sees herself in their
experiences, further shaping her aspirations.
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK STUDENTS

3. What’s next? Reflect on today’s
1. What? Take a few moments to
learning and its implications for
write down what you already know
future learning. What do you
about this topic. Based on your
anticipate you will learn about
prior knowledge, what are your
soon? Your ability to predict
predictions? Next, write one or two
future concepts based on present
statements or questions you have
knowledge is a good indicator of
about today’s topic. What don’t you
your learning.
know but hope to learn?
2. So what? Relevance is important in
learning. Based on what you know
and what you hope to learn, in what
ways might this affect other learning
that you're doing or the skills you
want to develop??
Students notice when their teachers are bored by the
content and when their teachers aren’t really interested
CHECKLIST FOR MAKING
in the topic. As you design learning experiences for LEARNING RELEVANT 4
students, ask yourself these questions: There is a consideration of the

relevancy connection for the lesson
• Does the content lend itself to
prior to instruction.
application outside the classroom?
Relevancy statements are clos
ely
• Do students have opportunities to connected to students and not to
a
learn about themselves and their distant goal.
problem-solving? Providing the relevancy stateme
nt
supports students moving from
• Does the content help them become civic-
declarative to procedural and
minded and engaged in the community? conditional knowledge.
• Does it connect to universal human Relevancy statements allow stud
ents
experiences, or ask students to grapple to make a personal association (a
with ethical concerns? connection to an object or memory
).
Relevancy statements promote
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, the
belief that a task or text will help
your students will likely find the learning
students reach a personal goal.
increasingly relevant.
Relevancy is provided so student
s
recognize that the task or text is
aligned with their identity and the
ir
ability to impact others.
3.6: Talking to Students

3.5: Talking to Students About Relevance:
About Relevance: Secondary
welcometoteaching

PASSION INVENTORY
5
______ 1. I am enthusiastic about my teaching. It is something I

enjoy and look forward to doing. It is a fun, exciting, and
stimulating activity for me.
Consider the passion inventory
and note areas that you might ______ 2. My students can sense my enthusiasm. They have
want to focus on. Score 1 point conveyed this impression to me in their evaluations or in
for each item that depicts you their personal comments.
or your students. ______ 3. I am continuing to learn. I am active in research. I read
and attempt to keep up with the appropriate literature.
I obtain new information from my students.
YOUR SCORE ______ 4. My students are witnesses to my interest in learning.
They see me doing research, reading the literature,
conversing with colleagues, participating in professional
conferences, and actively engaging with my discipline.
______ 5. I can get absorbed in my work, but not so self-absorbed
that others are excluded. I am likely to share what interests
me and bring my interests to the attention of others.
______ 6. I continue to try new approaches in my teaching. The
class that I have taught several times is different from and
better than when I began. Sometimes I try things that do
not work, but these failures do not prevent me from taking
new risks or experimenting with my teaching.
______ 7. I care about my students. I want them to learn, to realize
their potential, and to succeed in class and in other useful
and challenging endeavors.
______ Total Points
to
s, I identify ways
When I plan lesson .
nce of the learning
explain the releva
levance
ns id er th e esse ntial aspects of re
I co lar basis.
e items on a regu
and practice thes
y students.
d passionate for m
I am dynamic an
How Do I . . .
DEVELOP AND
MAINTAIN HEALTHY,
GROWTH-PRODUCING
RELATIONSHIPS
WITH STUDENTS?
80
FIVE COMPONENTS FOR A
STRONG RELATIONSHIP
6
1. Express care.
Show me that 2. Challenge growth.
I matter to you. Push me to keep 3. Provide support.
getting better. Help me complete tasks
and achieve goals.
4. Share power.
Treat me with respect 5. Expand possibilities.
and give me a say. Connect me with people and
places that broaden my world.
To paraphrase the late Rita Pierson, young people do not

learn from people they do not like. Developing strong, Part of a healthy, growth-producing
healthy, growth-producing relationships with students is relationship is trust. When teachers
one of your best tools for effective classroom management are trustworthy, meaning that they are
and ensuring that students learn from you. It will also open, honest, reliable, and have students’
serve you well and reinforce that you made the right best interests at heart, students are
career choice. Relationships with students are something more likely to want to get to know you.
teachers cherish, and we love it when former students Students want teachers that they know
come back to visit and ask, “Do you remember me?” they can learn from.
MYTH BUSTERS
Teachers shouldn’t smile for the first months
of the school year.
Teachers should be friends with their students.
Students want to maintain a distance from

the professional adults in their lives.

Actions ThatFOSTER STUDENT-
TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS
You want to create a welcoming place where students feel that they
belong. That's how the classroom should feel to students, and you
have a major role to play in creating that climate. Page 10 provides
some ideas, such as knowing students' names and their interests.
There are some other things you can do as well.
Bring the right attitude to school. Your attitude is infectious.

A poor attitude signals to students that they are not important.
Set clear expectations and boundaries. Guidelines ensure a sense

of order and predictability, which are important as students learn
to trust their teachers and know that they can learn from them.
Recognize efforts and show appreciation. We all like a little

thank-you and to know that our efforts have been recognized.
Adding recognition and gratitude to your habits fosters a
strong relationship.
QUICK TIP
Use the 2 × 10 strategy to get
to know a student.7 You talk
with the student for 2 minutes
per day, for 10 consecutive
days, about anything except
your class! Just get to know
PROXIMITY
the student. Students notice where you are in the classroom.
Circulate often and attempt to be within an
arm’s length from each student at some point
in the class. It signals that you are connected
and that you value them. It’s also a good way to
redirect students’ behavior and may help some
students refocus on their learning.
REPAIR A DAMAGED
How to
RELATIONSHIP WITH A STUDENT

Once trust is violated, it is human nature to look
for additional evidence that the person is not
trustworthy. But there are ways that you can repair
the relationship if something happens to harm it.
Apologize. When you make Allow time. As the saying goes, “Time heals all
a mistake, own it and apologize. wounds.” Sometimes, depending on the damage
We are all human and we all make done, you might need a light touch with a student
mistakes. An apology can go a long way or group of students. Don’t shy away from them,
toward rebuilding trust. but recognize that it may take some time for them
to trust you again.
Listen. Listen to learn where the

hurt lies so that you can address that Be reliable. Redouble
hurt. If you broke trust with students, your efforts to be reliable.
they may need some time to vent to Follow through on
move past the hurt. Of course, you are your promises.
still the adult, and there are parameters
about student conduct. You may want to
invite a colleague to mediate the conversation.
Forgive yourself. Teachers
are humans first and, as such,
Make amends, but do fallible. But sometimes we
not make promises you forget to forgive ourselves.
cannot keep. Your goal is That is not to say that we
to make things right, but ignore the consequences of
don’t make the problem our actions, but rather that
worse by making a promise we come to terms with them
you can’t keep. Amends can and learn to forgive.
come in a range of ways, from direct
approaches such as fixing physical
damage to indirect approaches such 3.7: Building Student-
Teacher Relationships
as providing time.
welcometoteaching

Recruit students with whom you do not yet have a strong relationship
by intentionally implementing the actions that teachers tend to use
with students they believe are higher achieving.8 These actions signal
to students that you care about them and their learning. Ask yourself
the following (or have a peer observe you), considering the student
with whom you want to foster a stronger relationship:
• Did I greet the student by name when they entered

the classroom?
• How many times did I use the student’s name (not as a

correction) during the lesson?
• Did I ask the student a critical thinking question related

to the content?
• Do I show this student that I expect that this student

will succeed?
• Did I ask the student a personal question?
• Did I give the student a compliment?
• How many times did I praise the student for their

learning performance?
growth-
about developing
I am intentional ts.
nships with studen
producing relatio
names
l of my students’
I work to know al
ounce them.
and how to pron
res occur.
nships when fractu
I can repair relatio
How Do I . . .
DEVELOP AND
MAINTAIN HEALTHY,
GROWTH-PRODUCING
RELATIONSHIPS
WITH FAMILIES?
86
We are temporary yet Much like developing
important members "Share good relationships with
of the system of students, establishing
news, assume
support for our and maintaining
students. Their positive intent, and trust with family
families are in it for grant yourself and members is critical.
the long term. When families a little When teachers are
we develop healthy, grace." trustworthy, meaning
growth-producing that they are open,
relationships with honest, and reliable
parents and caregivers, and have students’
then students’ academic best interests at heart,
achievement, social caregivers are more likely to
competencies, and emotional want to get to know you and
well-being improve. When families support you. Sharing good news,
and teachers work as partners, students assuming positive intent, granting yourself
do better in school and at home. You should and the family a little grace, and being yourself
communicate with families about all help to develop trust.
• Classroom learning activities
• The child’s accomplishments
• How family members can help at home

with their child’s learning
MYTH BUSTERS
Families are too busy to care about
what happens during school hours.
Families should be used as part of the

discipline plan for students.
Not all families are capable of being

partners with the teacher.

TEACHER-FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS
The Three Cs
Communication. Frequent, two-way communication is important

for teachers and family members to stay current about what is
happening at school and at home. You can email or message, make
phone calls, create a newsletter, or make home visits.
Consistency. Knowing which routines and procedures are used

in the classroom and at home reinforces the idea that teachers and
family members are working together in a unified way. Let family
members know your organizational structures so they can support
you and you can support them.
Collaboration. An effective partnership focuses on collaborative

problem-solving and identifying effective strategies for helping
students achieve their aspirations and potential. Share your goals
for the class and stay focused on finding solutions.9
SURPRISE A
FAMILY MEMBER REPAIR A RELATIONSHIP
All too often, contact from a teacher is bad The same tools for repairing relationships
news. Make a plan to share good news with with students work with family members:
family members. A personal call to share a
• Apologize
quick bit of good news goes a long way in
developing and maintaining relationships. • Listen
Topics for the call include
• Make amends, but do not make
• Introducing yourself promises you cannot keep
• Telling the family what their • Allow time
child is studying
• Be reliable
• Sharing the student’s progress,
strengths, or achievements • Forgive yourself
• Closing with a personal anecdote
EFFECTIVE FAMILY
COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
It’s not possible to rely on a single

method of communication that will
reach all homes with a given message, as
families have different ways of accessing
information. When you do communicate
• Share the positives about a child’s

learning, behavior, and experiences.
• Be open and honest. Give the caregiver

accurate information on what you observe.
• Think before you speak, especially when you’re talking

with families about difficult or sensitive issues.
• Ask for the family’s input.
• Let families make informed decisions. You can suggest

ideas, but it’s up to families to decide what to do next.
• If you’re not sure about what to say next or how to say

it, you don’t have to respond straightaway.10
at EJ
ur ch ild ’s tea ch er. I’m so pleased to let you know th
Hello! This is yo
of ar riv ing on tim e to cla ss. Thank you so much for
has had three days ng the
t an d en co ur ag em en t. No w we need to work on starti
your suppor in class. So I see progress
s be en on th e ph on e, bu t
tasks. Each day, EJ ha lp EJ
to pr ob lem -so lve th e us e of the phone. How can I he
and I want next?
s on th e lea rn ing ? W ha t do you think we might do
focu

Plan your communication with families/caregivers. The following checklist

can be used to help educators prepare their communications.
Establish a schedule. Decide how often the class in general? Let families/
you will communicate with families/ caregivers know if it is specific to
caregivers. Not all students need the their child.
same amount of communication home.
Some need weekly. Others monthly. Keep it brief. Outgoing messages should
Share your plans with individual be brief so that receivers can process the
families/caregivers. information. You can include links for
more information. Invite them to ask for
Assess communication preferences. more information, as needed.
Ask families/caregivers about their
communication preferences. Some Follow the rules. As you administrator
prefer email or texting while others if there are guidelines at the school or
prefer calls. Some like video conferences district level that you need to be aware
and others don’t want to be on video. of before communicating. Also note
that there are regulations such as the
Determine what information will be Family Educational Rights and Privacy
shared. Decide if you will share academic Act (FERPA) that protects student
and behavioral information, more information.
general class information, or perspectives
on the overall development of students.
Identify the scope of the message. Are

you sending information specific to a
student or sharing information about
ps with
strong relationshi
I work to develop unication,
m em be rs , co ns idering my comm
family tion.
goal for collabora
consistency, and
contacts.
em bers with positive
I surprise family m
ith family
communication w
I have a plan for anageable.
em be rs th at is reasonable and m
m
How Do I . . .
MANAGE THE
CLASSROOM?
92
You’ll notice that we placed classroom management after
teaching engagement, creating relevance, and developing
There is a difference relationships with students and families. It’s because these
between proactive three have profound impacts on the ways in which you
and reactive classroom can manage the classroom. The investment in these three
aspects of your classroom will pay significant dividends.
management. You’ll want
to focus a lot of energy on You should also know the discipline protocols of your
being proactive. school and what is expected across the school in terms of
responses to problematic behavior.
In studies of universal classroom management, several

factors are important:11
Teacher self-regulation: Intentional relationship

Understanding and managing building: As we have noted,
your emotions and responses focus on getting to know
to problematic behavior your students
Constructing an image Classroom community:

of caring and authority: Create a community
Maintaining authority and in which students
compassion so that students want to belong
know you care and you expect
certain behaviors Developmentally and
culturally responsive:
Opportunities for The language or learning is
response: Frequent response developmentally consistent
opportunities promote and draws on the assets and
learning and engagement unique abilities of the young
and reduce disruption people you teach
MYTH BUSTERS
There is a cookbook for classroom management
that solves these problems.
Punishment and control are the most efficient

and effective ways to manage student behavior.
Classroom rules should be developed by the

teacher and shared with students.

Create CLASSROOM AGREEMENTS
Agreements rather than rules are the social contract
of the classroom community, rather than a narrower
set of behavioral guidelines that have been written
by the teacher alone. Often, they are connected to
values that have been explained to students.
A review of 15 studies on the characteristics of Make them specific in nature. Agreements that
these agreements confirmed what many are specific in nature state explicitly what the
teachers already know:12 expected behavior should be, which is key to
building students’ ability to self-regulate.
A fewer number, rather than
more, works better. The Post the agreements.
recommendation is about 3–5. Once developed, they should be
clearly posted in your classroom and
Co-construct them with referenced often. When they are not
students. That’s why we followed, a conversation with
call them agreements. Even the student can be helpful.
young students have a good
sense of what is right and fair.
Teach and rehearse
State them positively. Beware of the expectations. The
lists where each item begins agreements should be
with the word “No . . . .” These taught and revisited
do not tell students what they occasionally throughout the
should do, only what they should not. remainder of the year, especially
after school breaks.
Responding to PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR
Sometimes you will need to react to problematic behavior. Try to remember that
students are learning prosocial skills and are still developing their emotional regulation.
Also, remember that all behavior is communication. The student may be seeking
attention, trying to obtain something tangible or intangible, or avoiding something.
Address the behavior explicitly.

Privately, if possible, provide a
redirection for the student and let
them know what is expected.
Avoid public humiliation,
Check your emotions. as it will likely
If you become escalate the
emotionally situation.
charged, you may
do something you
regret. Having an Seek a
emotional response commitment
is natural, and we need from the student.
to remember to regulate it. When the student is
calmer, ask the student
to commit to the
classroom
agreements.
Attend to any
victims. Check
in with students who were Seek assistance
harmed by the problematic if needed. Asking
behavior and determine if for help is a sign
they need something else to of strength, not
make it right. weakness. When
challenging situations
arise, communicate with
peers and leaders and ask for
recommendations.

Remember the routines you

identified on pages 33 and 34? Make
sure they are practiced often. You'll
also want to consider routines for
• Leaving class to use the toilet
• Using personal
technology devices
• Seating, such as assigned seats
• T
ransitions between tasks, such
as using a timer
• Classroom jobs, such as

greeter, tech support,
or brain-break coach
I have collaborated with

students to
develop classroom agree
ments.
I can respond to problem

atic behavior
and redirect students to
learning.
I have taught students

procedures that
automate many aspects
of the classroom.
98
Section 4:
ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING
Assessments help us know if students are learning. There should be a direct link
between what we want students to learn, the experiences we design, and the
assessment tools we use to determine the impact of our lessons.
Sometimes, assessment data are used to make changes in the lesson while it is
happening. Teachers can design response opportunities for students to see how
the lesson is going and then make decisions about what to do next. There are
also ways to check for understanding after the lesson to make decisions about
where to go next. These decisions regarding next steps allow teachers to use
assessment information formatively.
There are also tools to determine if students have learned something. Often
called summative tools, these are typically used to determine if students have
reached proficiency and are used for grades and report cards. Wise teachers also
use this information to plan future lessons for students.
Assessment information can be used

to provide students with feedback or
to make future instruction decisions,
which is often called feed forward.
In the latter case, the data are used
to plan and design new instructional
interventions. In the former, feedback,
we provide students with information
that is just-in-time, just-for-them,
given when and where it can do the
most good.1

welcometoteaching
Section 4: ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING 99

How Do I . . .
KNOW STUDENTS ARE

LEARNING DURING
THE LESSON?
100
When you are clear about what you want students to learn
and what successful learning looks like, it’s easy to check
for understanding (CFU). The point is to see if students
are processing and retaining information while you are still
teaching. There are more formal assessments you can use to
determine if students remember the information later and
still other assessments to see if they can apply what you have
taught. Checks for understanding allow you to adjust the
lesson while it is still occurring.
Where am
I now?
We use CFU to see TEACHER

what is sticking and
what is not. INQUIRY
How do
Where am
I close
I going?
the gap?
MYTH BUSTERS
Assessments come at the end of the lesson.
Universal response opportunities are useful

for young children only.
Teachers use results of checking

for understanding to inform future
lessons but not the current lesson
in progress.

UNIVERSAL RESPONSE TO CFU
Universal Response
allows you to CFU
among all students, MUDDIEST POINT
not just those who CFU at mid lesson. “What has been the
know the answers. muddiest point so far?”
Nonverbal hand signals give you a way to conduct a

quick check. Ask students to hold their hand signal FIST TO FIVE
close to their chest so you can see it, but others can’t.
“I don’t understand.”
Whiteboards for students Response cards of preprinted

allow them to write and answers (yes/no, true/false)
hold up their answer. allow for quick checks.
“I understand some things.
I need more examples.”
Four corners give Digital polls are
students a way great for checking
to determine and understanding. After
discuss their opinions answering, ask students to explain
about a topic. Post opinions to a neighbor why they chose the
(strongly agree, disagree, answer, then ask the question again. “I get it and I’m ready
strongly disagree) in the four Hint: Turn off functions that award to move on.”
corners of your classroom. points based on response time.
WHAT DO I DO WHEN THEY DON’T GET IT?

Push the pause button: Have Ask them what part did
students explain to their group make sense.
what they get and what’s
confusing. As a group, what is Model your thinking as you
the most important question reteach what was confusing.
they want to ask? Use I-statements (not you-
statements) so they witness 4.2: Universal Response
your thinking processes. resources.corwin.com/
welcometoteaching

QUALITY QUESTIONS TO CFU
OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS
Quality questions give 1. What might happen next?
students the chance to 2. How do you know that?
elaborate on their thinking. 3. What does this remind you of?
You need this information 4. How does your idea link to _____’s idea?
to determine what 5. How would you describe _______?
happens next. 6. What might be a different way to _____?
7. How are _____ and _____ alike (or
different)?
8. Why is it so?
Avoid too many closed-ended 9. What could be a different way
(yes/no) questions. If you ask a to solve it?
closed-ended question, follow it 10. Is there anything in the text that makes
with an open-ended one. you think that?
11. What evidence can you point to that
supports your claim/response/opinion/
prediction/answer?
WRITING TO CFU
Writing helps students
consolidate their thinking.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LESSON

• sk students to respond to a prompt that
A FOUR QUICK-WRITE
links previous content to what they will learn PROMPTS
today. This is often called a “do-now.”
1. Summarize what has
• hese quick reviews activate students’
T
happened in the book so far.
background knowledge and allow you to
assess their ability to recall information. 2. Make a prediction about
what we’ll learn tomorrow.
AT THE END OF THE LESSON 3. What is something from

today’s lesson that might
• Ask students to respond to a prompt that links show up on the exam?
to the success criteria for the lesson.
4. Draw it: What was the most
• Ask students to place their response in the container that important idea today?
best reflects their understanding, such as the graphic on
the bottom of page 101.
• Review these exit slips to assess students’ content
knowledge and their ability to self-assess.

Purposeful pausing fosters

reflective thinking.
WAIT TIME 1 WAIT TIME 2

• Give the the student 3 to • Pause again after
10 seconds to think about the student finishes
your question. Thinking answering. This gives
begins after you finish them the space to
the question. extend, speculate,
and inquire.
• Consider that multilingual learners
need extra time to code-switch between • Follow with probes when needed:
languages.
“Tell me more.”
• This wait time provides time for the student “How do you know that?”
to muster the emotional courage to answer.
“Where did you find that info?”
at least three
fo r ch ec ki ng fo r understanding
I have a plan g the lesson.
(b eg in ni ng , m id dle, and end) durin
times
e data
sson based on th
I can adjust my le
e lesson.
I obtain during th
check
of techniques to
I can use a range
g.
for understandin
4.4: Checking for

4.3: Checking for Understanding:
Understanding: Secondary
welcometoteaching

How Do I . . .
DOCUMENT
STUDENTS’
LEARNING?
106
There are several ways
Importantly, the assessments used to document
learning, which are commonly included in grade
to confirm that learning books, need to reflect what has been taught rather
of
has occurred, but none than what students know from other parts of their
them are perfect. life. And these assessments need to directly reflect
what is in the standards—the content of what
they are supposed to learn—and not compliance
with rules or procedures.
Teachers use a range of strategies to document Educators need to be aware of bias in assessments
learning, including projects, tests, essays, and and work to reduce and eliminate this from the
performances. These tools help us gain insight tools they use.
about students’ understanding of the content and
their ability to use the skills and strategies we have
taught them in different contexts.
EXAMPLES OF ASSESSMENT BIAS

Confirmation bias is the search for further evidence TOOLS FOR REDUCING
to confirm what we already believe to be true. ASSESSMENT BIAS
• Be clear on the success criteria.
Optimism bias happens when we dismiss a student’s • Involve students in the direct
learning gap because we want to believe they are monitoring of their learning.
doing just fine.
• Make feedback part of a high-
trust environment.
Pessimism bias is the belief that things are not going • Use a range of assessment
well and that the student is not capable of learning. approaches that allow students
to demonstrate their mastery in
more than one way.
Implicit bias includes the assumptions we make
based on student demographics and characteristics.
MYTH BUSTERS
Assessments are generally free of bias.
Assessments are either formative or

summative.
Assessments are of limited value for

grades and report cards.

QUIZZES and TESTS
The items used on tests should be valid,

When you use quizzes and
meaning that they should measure what they tests, be on the lookout for
say that they measure. They should also be these factors and adjust
reliable, meaning that they should generally the assessment if you
give the same results each time they are used.
determine that they are not
valid and reliable.
There are several types of questions on quizzes The key is to select the most appropriate
and tests, such as those below: type of item for the expected learning.
Each of these types of assessment tools has
strengths and weaknesses; none of them is
perfect. But they represent a genre, one way
to determine students’ understanding of
the content. The items should represent a
range of challenge so that you can identify
basic levels of understanding versus more
advanced levels.
The instructions for the assessment are very

important. If students do not understand
the instructions, the assessment is not valid.
Make sure that you have taught assessment
vocabulary such as simplify, explain,
compare, analyze, or summarize.
CHECKLIST FOR BINARY (TRUE-FALSE) ITEMS

2
Can each statement be clearly judged true or

false with only one concept per statement?
Have specific determiners (e.g., usually, always) been avoided?
Have trivial statements been avoided?
Have negative statements (especially double negatives)
been avoided?
Is there an approximately equal number of true and false items?
Has a detectable pattern of answers (e.g., T, F, T, F) been avoided?
Reprinted by permission of Pearson Education, Inc.

CHECKLIST FOR SHORT-ANSWER ITEMS
3
Has highly academic language

been avoided?
Have the items been stated so that Are there instructions about the
students understand expected length of the response?
the expectation?
Are the items free of clues (such
Are the answer blanks equal in as a or an)?
length (for fill-in responses)?
CHECKLIST FOR MULTIPLE-CHOICE ITEMS

4
Does each item stem present a Is there only one correct

meaningful problem? or clearly best answer?
Is there too much information Are the items free of clues
in the stem? that point to the answer?
Are the item stems free of Are the distractors and answer
irrelevant material? presented in sensible
If used, has negative wording (e.g., alphabetical,
been given special emphasis (e.g., numerical) order?
capitalized)? Have “all of the above” been
Are the distractors brief and free avoided and “none of the above”
of unnecessary words? used judiciously?
Are the distractors similar in

length and form to the answer?
CHECKLIST FOR MATCHING ITEMS

5
Is the material for the two lists Do the directions indicate how
homogeneous? many times each response
Is the list of responses longer or may be used?
shorter than the list of premises? Are all of the matching items
Are the responses brief and on the on the same page?
right-hand side?
Have the responses been placed in
alphabetical or numerical order?
Do the directions indicate the
basis for matching?

WRITTEN RESPONSES
Students can demonstrate understanding through
extended writing. These essays can be assigned to
be completed outside of class or during class time.
If completed outside of class, make sure that your
guidelines for artificial intelligence and the use of
sources are clear. If assigned during class time, make
sure that you have allocated sufficient time for
students to organize their thinking and then write
their responses.
The format of the writing prompt is important.

Students should be able to analyze the writing In advance of assigning the essay assessment,
prompt to determine the following: make sure that your students understand the
grading criteria. Have a scoring guide so that
• What is my purpose for writing this piece? students can make informed choices about
how to spend their time responding to the
• Who is my audience?
prompts. For example:
• What is the task?
• Do you allow for partial credit?
• Are there required components

of the essay?
• How should sources be cited?
CHECKLIST FOR ESSAY ITEMS

6
Are the questions designed Are appropriate time limits

to measure higher-level provided for responding to the
learning outcomes? questions?
Does each question clearly Are students aware of the time

indicate the response expected limits and/or point values for
(including extensiveness)? each question?
Are students aware of the Are all students required

criteria on which their answers to respond to the same
will be evaluated? questions?

Students can also demonstrate their understanding through projects and

performances. These tend to take longer than quizzes, tests, and essays.
They are not better than those other formats of assessment, just different.
These types of tasks are complex, authentic, process or product-oriented,
open-ended, and yet time-bound.7
When you assign a project or performance, make sure that there are
check-in points so that students don’t wait until the end to start working.
Sometimes students are assessed as a group. If developing collaboration

skills is one of your goals, then some assessment should assess the process
and the products of students working together. Well-designed group
projects can strengthen student learning, but improperly designed group
tasks allow one student to do all the work for the group.
Also, encourage students to self-assess and

seek peer feedback as their project or performance
progresses. This allows for continued learning as
the assessment task is being completed.

CHECKLIST FOR PROJECT AND

PERFORMANCE TASKS
8
Does the task focus on learning outcomes

that require complex cognitive skills and
student performances?
Does the task represent both the content and skills
that are central to learning outcomes?
Does the task minimize dependence on skills
that are irrelevant to the intended purpose of the
assessment task?
Does the task provide the necessary scaffolding
for students to be able to understand the task and
achieve the task?
Do the directions clearly describe the task?
Are students aware of the basis (expectations) on
which their performances will be evaluated in terms
of scoring rubrics?
pe
t items with the ty
I align assessmen
udents are doing.
of learning my st
bility and validity

I consider the relia
t items.
of my assessmen
ria
g and scoring crite
I have clear gradin
students.
that I share with

How Do I . . .
ASSESS STUDENTS’
LEARNING OUTSIDE
OF SCHOOL?
114
Students need to practice for the instruction you provide if it’s
going to have a chance of sticking. Assigning tasks for students
to do outside of school (homework) is one way to increase the
amount of practice that students complete. However, there are
Practice drawbacks to assigning significant amounts of practice at home,
makes learning including interruption of family and recreation time, favoring
permanent, not students who have the space and resources to complete these
perfect. tasks, and the fact that much of the homework assigned is
busy work and not contributing to students’ learning. Sending
students home with tasks based on concepts they don’t yet
fully know is frustrating, and students are likely to practice
incorrectly—and then learn it that way.
GOOD HOMEWORK INCLUDES

9
Purpose: What is the goal of the tasks being assigned? What might
be the various ways that students can accomplish the goal?
Efficiency: How can the practice tasks be accomplished in a

reasonable amount of time with reasonable amounts of effort?
Ownership: Students understand the why behind the tasks

and the ways in which it will benefit them.
Competence: Homework tasks are based on the student’s current

level of performance and are not simply assigned to all students
at the same time.
Appeal: The way that the task appears influences the likelihood that
students will complete it.
MYTH BUSTERS
Students need mass practice to learn.
When class time runs short, assign

the rest for homework.
Homework is graded versus evaluated

to determine future learning needs.

TYPES OF HOMEWORK That Work
That may be because students are getting a lot of help when
they are younger or because of the types of homework that are
typically given: low-level, rote practice. The best homework is an
Homework opportunity for students to practice something that they know
generally is how to do.
more impactful at Distributed or spaced practice works better than mass practice
the high school level for students to remember and apply information. Distributed
than at the middle practice means that students complete fewer tasks more often
or elementary and not many tasks all at once.
level. Deliberate practice is also more effective because it is the

specific actions of the “teacher [that] improve specific aspects of
an individual’s performance through repetition and successive
refinement,”10 meaning that the practice is aligned with what the
learner needs right now.
TYPES OF HOMEWORK TASKS
Fluency tasks allow students to practice using familiar skills and

concepts so that they automate these practices and the demand on
working memory is reduced.
Application assignments are intended to provide students with

time to utilize concepts that are becoming more familiar to
them by applying what they know to new situations.
Spiral review consists of practice with concepts that were previously

taught but are practiced on an ongoing basis.
Extension tasks allow students to innovate and apply what

they have learned and demonstrate understanding in ways
that are meaningful to them.

PURPOSE OF REFLECTIVE
CHARACTERISTICS
HOMEWORK11 QUESTIONS TO ASK
» Offers multiple » Do students fully understand how

opportunities for practice the skill is performed?
» Focuses on one or two skills » Is the difficulty level low enough
» Serves as an access so that they can focus on speed/
point for other skills or rate/fluency, instead of how it is
knowledge performed?
» Are the number of skills required
limited such that students can
build fluency?
» Allows a skill to be used to » What rule or principle will the

solve a problem, or apply a students use to solve the problem?
rule or principle » Do the students possess the
» Uses a previously learned background knowledge and
skill for a new situation prior experiences necessary for
understanding the new or novel
situation?
» Allows student to utilize » What previously taught skills or

previously learned skills knowledge are important for future
or knowledge learning and assessment?
» Allows student to confirm » In what ways will this strengthen
their understanding and students’ metacognitive awareness
assess their own learning of how well they use skills and
» Is related conceptually to knowledge?
current learning » What previously taught skills or
knowledge serve as a basis for
current classroom instruction?
» Offers potential for » Does the assignment lead to a new

development of new knowledge base or set of concepts?
understandings » Will the students create a new
» Results in a new product or product or innovation that they
innovation have not done before?
» Requires the use » What skills or knowledge will
of a variety of skills students require to complete the
or knowledge assignment?

READING AT HOME
One of the most effective ways to improve learning at home

is to get students to read. Reading widely builds background
knowledge and vocabulary and allows students to practice
the skills and strategies that have been taught.
The data suggest that outside-of-school reading

volume correlates with overall achievement:12
STUDENT A STUDENT B STUDENT C

reads an average of reads an average of reads an average of
20 minutes per day 5 minutes per day 1 minute per day
outside of school and outside of school and outside of school and
reads 1,800,000 words reads 282,000 words reads 8,000 words
scoring in the scoring in the

scoring in the
TOP BOTTOM
90% 50 %
10%
Focusing on reading volume as a practice and homework
task is worth the investment of time. Here are some ways
to increase reading volume at home:

ABCDs OF RAISING READING VOLUME
13
ACCESS
If there is little to read in your home, you’re
less likely to read. To raise the volume of
reading, students must have access to
narrative and informational texts. There have
BOOK TALKS
been a number of efforts to “flood” students When trusted others make recommendations
with things to read, but a steady diet is about a text, potential readers are more likely
probably a better approach. This means that to read it. To promote wide reading, students
books need to be going home with students need recommendations from others. Book
and that students need access to books as talks conducted by trusted adults and peers
they do to technology and the Internet. can spur voluntary reading.
CHOICE
When students have choice over their
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TEXTS
reading materials, they are more likely Readers need opportunities to talk about
to read. Choice is key to motivation and what they are reading with others. These
.
academic independence. Students who have can be blogs and other digital interactions,
opportunities to choose their own books or they can be times that students interact
develop elaborate strategies for selecting synchronously. Book clubs and literature
books and are more likely to become circles are especially useful, and students can
intrinsically motivated readers. schedule these to occur outside of class.

Assigned homework should be evaluated and

used for next steps in instruction.
A simple way to evaluate homework is more

holistic. Quickly review each student’s work
and distribute the homework into three piles:
Demonstrating competence. Exceeding expectations. This Needs guidance. This pile is

This pile is for students who are pile is for students who have for students who demonstrate
making expected progress, even demonstrated early mastery or specific learning needs and will
if they have some errors. You can who have creative and innovative require additional assistance to
analyze the errors and decide ways of accomplishing their ensure their competence.
what to do next. learning. Talk with them about
their learning and where
to go next.
Based on your analysis, determine if you need to reteach the whole class or design some small-group
interventions and additional practice opportunities. Avoid using class time for students to grade their
(or a peer’s) homework, as this is time that could be used for new learning.
ork
cts of good homew
I consider the aspe
sks to students.
before I assign ta
students
with my goal for
I match the task view).
cy versus spiral re
(for example, fluen
where
k tasks based on
I design homewor ney.
their learning jour
my students are in

How Do I . . .
GIVE FEEDBACK
TO STUDENTS?
122
The verbal and written comments created for students
should represent your best thinking about how they
can move their learning forward. Feedback is not
advice (“Maybe you could add something to this
part?”) and is not a grade, which does almost nothing
to influence future learning. Here are seven qualities
to use when formulating feedback.14
Assessment that is
used formatively is
fueled by feedback.
Tangible and transparent.

Goal-referenced.
If they’re having difficulty
Your feedback
doing something, record it
should advance
for them so they can see and
their stated
hear it. This works great for
learning goals.
disfluent readers.
Actionable. User friendly.

Timely.
Outline next steps and Don’t use jargon.
Delayed feedback gets
give them the chance to Make sure they can
stale quickly.
strengthen their work. understand it.
Ongoing. Consistent.
The best feedback occurs through Align your feedback to the rubrics,
the learning so that students can adjust exemplars, and teacher modeling you
their performance. use to explain success criteria.
MYTH BUSTERS
Students automatically incorporate
feedback from their teachers.
Corrective feedback is the most

effective form.
The majority of feedback students

receive is from their teachers.

Conditions That Make
EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK
The acceptance of feedback is impacted by the
Not all feedback relationship you have with students. There are
four conditions that improve the likelihood that
impacts student feedback will work.
learning.
CARE CREDIBILITY
A learning atmosphere of trust and The belief that the other person is
respect. When care is absent, students worthy of listening to and learning from.
are guarded and may not expose Essentially, students ask themselves,
their misunderstandings or be willing “Can I learn from this person?” If the
to accept feedback as a growth- answer is yes, then feedback is much
producing event. more likely to have an impact.
CLARITY
The understanding that there are things
worth learning, what that learning is,
and what it means to successfully learn.
COMMUNICATION
When these conditions are present,
learners are much more likely to accept The way in which the message is
the feedback because they see it as sent and whether or not learners
valuable for the goals they have agreed can understand, and act on, the
to and desire to accomplish. information shared.
Care and credibility set the foundation for who is giving, receiving, and integrating
the feedback. Clarity sets the foundation for what feedback is given, received, and
integrated. Communication sets the foundation for how the feedback is given.15

TYPES OF FEEDBACK
There are at least four types of feedback that
teachers can give to students.16 Note that some
are more effective than others and that they
can be combined to increase students’ learning.
Also, note that you can praise students, but
the praise should be more specific. Although
students deserve praise, it does not directly
impact future learning.
LEVEL OF
EXAMPLE LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENESS
FEEDBACK
“You answered the first and third

About the Task Effective for feedback about mistakes;
questions correctly. The second
(Corrective inadequate when the learner lacks
question isn’t right, and you might
Feedback) knowledge or skill
want to reread section 2.”
About the “I can see that you’re graphing Very effective, as it labels cognitive and
Processing data to analyze it. That seems to metacognitive strategies the learner is
of the Task be working well for you.” using or should be using
“I saw you were frustrated when

Very effective, as it helps learners
About Self- you got it wrong, and I noticed
to self-assess their ability, actions,
Regulation that you reviewed the task sheet
and knowledge
and found your error.”
Ineffective, because it doesn’t

About the Person “Well done.”
yield task-specific information
Hint: One of the best ways to ensure that feedback is effective is to teach students to seek out feedback.
You can model seeking feedback from your students and have them use their success criteria to ask for feedback.
4.5: High School Student

Receives Feedback on
Processing of a Task
welcometoteaching

To increase the amount of feedback your students receive, you can
mobilize their peers. The risk is that students will give inaccurate
feedback to one another and thwart learning. It’s already happening
as well-intentioned students give each other a lot of feedback, both
There are a lot correct and incorrect.
more students
You can use feedback frames to help students practice giving and
than there are
receiving feedback. You’ll want to create a climate and culture in your
of you. classroom that focuses on helping. Students should be expected to
help one another, but not simply tell others the answers.
GIVING RECEIVING
I noticed that . . . I appreciate you noticing that . . .
I wondered about . . . I hadn’t thought about . . .
I was confused by . . . I heard you say that . . . confused you.
I suggest that . . . Based on your suggestion, I will . . .
Have you thought about . . . Thank you; what would you do?
You might consider . . . I’m not sure what that looks like; tell me more.
ensure that
d on th e co nd iti ons necessary to
I have worke ished a climate
ck is effec tive, and I have establ
feedba are accepted.
and peer support
in which mistakes
, and I
types of feedback
I understand the .
support students
use them wisely to
.
seek out feedback
I teach students to
each other
ve ta ug ht st ud ents how to give
I ha learning.
the things we are
feedback based on

128
Section 5:
INSTRUCTIONAL MOVES
THAT ENSURE LEARNING
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY
“You do it
Independent
alone.”
“You do it
Collaborative
together.”
Guided Instruction “We do it.”
Focused Instruction “I do it.”
TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY
Source: Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2021). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for
the gradual release of responsibility (3rd ed.). ASCD.
There is no one, right way to teach. There are many ways to engage
students in meaningful learning tasks. The tools, techniques, and instructional
strategies we have available fit into four major categories, including1
Focused instruction: Providing students with

information about what they will learn as well as There is no prescribed order to these
input that they can use during the learning process phases of learning, but each of them is
important to ensuring learning. You can
Guided instruction: Scaffolding experiences without cycle through these phases several times
telling students what to think, which includes in one lesson, returning to different phases
responding to errors and misconceptions throughout the experience.
Collaborative learning: Engaging students in peer-to-

peer learning through the use of academic language
and argumentation skills
Independent learning: Assigning students tasks that 5.1: Welcome to Section 5

allow for practice and application resources.corwin.com/
welcometoteaching
Section 5: INSTRUCTIONAL MOVES THAT ENSURE LEARNING 129

How Do I . . .
PROVIDE STUDENTS
INPUT AND FOCUS
THE LESSON?
130
FOCUSED INSTRUCTION
There are several ways that students acquire Each of these needs to align with the learning
new knowledge, skills, strategies, and concepts. intention for the lesson. At some point in the lesson,
Sometimes, these are developed from videos teachers share the learning intentions and success
and readings, and other times input comes from criteria and discuss the relevance of the learning.
teachers or peers. Instruction time should be devoted to students
understanding what they are learning.
Some options teachers have to provide input include
Direct instruction: Providing

Modeling: Sharing
information directly and
examples and thinking
systematically for students
aloud for students to
approximate
Demonstration:
Showing students
something with an
Reading:
explanation provided
Obtaining
information
from texts
Lecture: Providing
students with
information
Video: Combining
visuals and
language to share
information Simulations and experiments:
Discovering information based
on the experience designed
for students
MYTH BUSTERS
Input must come at the beginning of the lesson.
Lectures have no place in the classroom.
Direct instruction is boring and ineffective.
Students should be left to infer what they are learning

from the various tasks they are assigned.

MODELING and THINKING ALOUD
When teachers explain their expert thinking in a way that students

understand, students are better able to imitate the thinking of their
teachers. Students are not simply replicating the work of the teacher but
rather exploring the ways other people think. Thinking is invisible, so
teachers must talk about their thinking. By listening to a teacher think,
students are guided through the same cognitive processes that the expert
uses, as if an apprentice.
Modeling includes “I statements” such as the examples below:
Modeling also includes the thinking behind the statement so that

students can consider the way that the teacher was thinking. This
provides students with an apprenticeship opportunity and begins
to develop the habits that are modeled.
5.2: Think Aloud:

Secondary
welcometoteaching

In addition, teachers can add the following components to
expand their think-aloud as appropriate for the learning:
State the purpose

Name the strategy, of the strategy,
skill, or task. skill, or task.
Assess the use Explain when the

of the skill. strategy or skill is used.
Use analogies to link

Alert learners to prior knowledge to
errors to avoid. new learning.
Demonstrate how the

skill, strategy, or task
is completed.

DIRECT INSTRUCTION and DEMONSTRATIONS
Direct instruction requires that the It’s more than telling

teacher break down the information students informatio
n.
into smaller parts. Each of the parts It’s providing the
becomes a lesson, and students information and ha
are provided information in a ving
straightforward and explicit way.
students practice it
several times.
Some things to keep in mind for direct instruction:
Begin the lesson with a short review of previous learning.

Going from the known to the new is powerful.
Begin a lesson with a short statement of goals.
Present new material in small steps, providing practice

for students after each step. This can be accomplished by
using pauses for students to reply. For instance, saying
“repeat after me” encourages students to engage.
Give clear and detailed instructions

and explanations.
Demonstrations are appropriate for tasks

that involve movement, coordination, or any
complex physical component. They involve
students observing the action and hearing
the explanation. Demonstrations help
students learn the nuances of the action as
someone is actually performing the action.

LECTURES
Yes, there are good lectures!

Lectures are good when the information is accessible
to the listener and when there are opportunities to
interact with the information and other people as
part of the process.
As with all the ways that teachers provide input,

the timing of the lecture is important. If it’s
too long, students get lost.
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE LECTURES

3
Characteristic Elements
Social Equity » Uses inclusive examples

» Uses non-biased language
Presentation Skills » Is knowledgeable, current, and accurate

in the subject
» Uses examples that are relevant and
meaningful to students
» Verbally fluent, with good public speaking skills
Motivation » Arouses a sense of curiosity among students

» Stimulates student interest
» Presents the material in interesting ways
Modeling » Shows enthusiasm for the subject and the students

» Is an academic role model
Mode of Lecture » Paces the lecture to allow students to take notes

» Provides summaries throughout the lecture
Critical Thinking » Encourages independence in learning

» Challenges students’ views of the world to stimulate
critical reasoning
Cognitive Processes » Has a clear structure

» Builds on students’ prior and background knowledge
» Pauses so that students can consolidate their thinking

LOOK-FORS IN FOCUSED INSTRUCTION
PACING RIGOR AND ALIGNMENT

• The time allotted for input • The input and focus are grade-
and focus is developmentally appropriate and aligned with
appropriate. standards or expectations for
learning.
• The input and focus are concise
and make efficient use of time.
• The pace of the lesson is steady

and consistent.
STATEMENT OF GOALS EXPLANATIONS AND EXAMPLES

• The input and focus include • Explanations are clear and
a statement of the goal for developmentally appropriate.
the lesson.
• Examples and non-examples
• The teacher names the skill, illuminate the skill or concept
concept, or strategy being being taught.
demonstrated.
MODELING
• The input and focus include
modeling of the skill or concept
and the decisions made to use it.

Students can STUDENT THINK-ALOUD CHEC

be taught to share KLIST
Let your listener(s)
their thinking with read through the
entire question or text
before you
their peers through begin your think-aloud.
student-led think-
Use “I” statements.
alouds.
Explain why you th
ink you are
correct, or how you kn
ow you are.
Speak loudly enough
These student-led think-alouds for your
can be provided for small groups partner(s) to hear.
of students or the whole class. You Don’t go too fast or
can use the checklist to debrief your too slow.
think-alouds and then have students Make sure your think
-aloud doesn’t
use it as a guide when they are go on for more than 5
minutes.
thinking aloud for their peers.
skills, strategies,
id en tif y the knowledge,
I to learn.
y students need
and concepts m
that in cludes
e students input
I provid
king.
sharing my thin
ures and direct

m ak e sure that my lect ractive.
I cessible and inte
instruction are ac

How Do I . . .
GUIDE STUDENTS’
THINKING AND
SCAFFOLD
LEARNING?
139
GUIDED INSTRUCTION
When learners get stuck, teachers must
know how to respond. This response, Scaffolding and guiding students’ thinking
designed to improve understanding, correct starts with understanding the error,
an error, or address a misconception, leaves misconception, or unfinished learning. From
the student feeling either successful or there, the teacher provides prompts and
with a sense of helplessness. We call this cues to support students’ thinking. And the
phase of the teaching and learning process teacher monitors students’ understanding
guided instruction. It represents a shared and adds additional scaffolds as necessary
responsibility between the teacher and for the student to experience success.
students. When guided instruction is done
well, students feel supported, and teachers
feel rewarded.
Guiding students’ thinking can occur with

the whole class, with smaller groups of
students, or individually with students who
need it. The process is the same, regardless
of the number of students.
MYTH BUSTERS
Guided instruction is the same as
direct instruction.
Failure is the only way to learn.
It’s best to address student needs

within the whole class.

PROMPTING
KIND OF PROMPTS
Prompts are statements made by the teacher to
support students in completing a learning task.
Prompts are designed to uncover things that have
already been taught but may have been forgotten
or are not being used. Prompts fall into two
broad categories: cognitive and metacognitive.
COGNITIVE PROMPTS
A cognitive prompt is intended to trigger
academic knowledge, especially factual and
procedural information needed to complete the
task. Cognition is about thinking, and a cognitive
prompt focuses on the reasoning necessary to
process information and apply it.
METACOGNITIVE PROMPTS
Other prompts are metacognitive. Cognition is about
thinking; metacognition is thinking about thinking.
Metacognitive prompts require students to consider
ways to problem-solve (heuristics) and to reflect upon
their learning.
Teachers can prompt students’ background knowledge

and experiences, the rules they have been taught,
or the procedures commonly used to solve problems.

PROMPTING(continued)
There are several types of prompts:4
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE PROCESS OR PROCEDURE

Reference to content that the student Reference to established or generally
already knows, has been taught, or agreed upon representation, rules,
has experienced but has temporarily or guidelines that the student is not
forgotten or is not applying correctly following due to error or misconception
REFLECTIVE HEURISTIC
Promotion of metacognition—getting Engagement in an informal, self-directed
the student to think about their problem-solving procedure; the approach
thinking—so that the student can use the student comes up with does not have
the resulting insight to determine next to be like anyone else’s approach, but it
steps or the solution to a problem does need to work
When prompts
don’t resolve the
issue, teachers can
move to cues.

CUEING
Cues are like little hints and require more teacher
on to
Cues shift attenti
direction than prompts. Cues include visual, verbal,
a source and intonation cues, as well as gestural, physical,
focus learners on and even environmental cues. They differ from
at will
of information th prompts, which are cognitive and metacognitive,
crea se th ei r u n derstanding, and they are more direct and specific.
in
error or
or to highlight an There are several types of cues that serve to scaffold
g.
misunderstandin students’ learning and understanding,5 including:
VISUAL VERBAL
A range of graphic hints that guide students Variations in speech used to draw attention to
through thinking or understanding something specific or verbal attention-getters that
focus students’ thinking
GESTURAL ENVIRONMENTAL
Teacher’s body movements or motions used Using the surroundings, and things in the
to draw attention to something that has surroundings, to influence students’ understanding
been missed
When prompts and cues don’t work to resolve the issue, teachers resort to
additional instruction, which might include modeling or direct explanation.
Students cannot be left hanging. Teachers must ensure that students have
a successful learning experience, even if that means giving the student
the answer. Following the direct explanation, the teacher should monitor
students’ understanding by asking them to repeat the information back in
their own words or share their understanding with a peer.

LOOK-FORS IN GUIDED INSTRUCTION
GROUPING GOALS
• The students are grouped • The goals of the lesson are stated at
according to a similar the beginning and revisited at the
instructional need. end so that students can monitor
their success.
RIGOR SCAFFOLDING
• The content of the lesson is • The content of the lesson is
complex and challenging for complex, and the teacher uses
students. prompts and cues whenever
possible to facilitate a cognitive lift
• The content of the lesson is on the part of learners. Students do
grade-appropriate and aligned to the majority of explaining, making
standards or expectations. connections, and asking questions.
• The teacher notices students’

needs and is responsive while
fostering the independence of
students whenever possible.

When teachers identify patterns of errors and QUESTIONS TEACHERS ASK

misconceptions in the classroom, grouping
students for instruction becomes very important.
THEMSELVES WHEN FORMING
We do not want to waste time for students who GROUPS OF STUDENTS FOR
already understand, and yet we need to scaffold GUIDED INSTRUCTION
the learning for students who need it.
1. What are the goals and
While the rest of the class is engaged in objectives for the lesson?
productive group work or independent tasks, the
2. What are the needs of
teacher calls specific students to a specific area of
each student?
the classroom for additional guided instruction.
There should be a reason that each student is 3. How many students need
meeting with the teacher, and that is the focus of additional guided instruction?
the small-group experience. 4. Which areas of need can I teach
the whole class?
5. How can I engage the students
who do not need additional
guided instruction?
identifying
pr oc esse s an d procedures for
I ha ve ning.
nc ep tio ns , an d unfinished lear
errors, mis co
learning by
affold students’
I can sc d cues.
using prompts an
r additiona l
oup students fo
I can gr eded.
instruction, as ne

How Do I . . .
GET STUDENTS
COLLABORATING
WITH THEIR
PEERS?
147
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
When students interact with their peers, they are much
more likely to consolidate their understanding.
In addition, they can practice and develop their Sometimes, collaborative learning occurs between
academic language when they interact with others. you and the students. This is known as
On average, the goal is that about 50% of the teacher-mediated discussion because you often
instructional minutes each week are spent with interject between students speaking. Other times,
students interacting with their peers. it’s peer-mediated discussion and collaboration,
which will also free you to meet with small
This requires classroom routines and structures groups of students who need additional learning.
that ensure that student-to-student interaction Regardless, we want students to use language for a
is effective and efficient. Having several go-to variety of functions such as those listed below:
strategies helps students build their habits of
interacting with you and each other. Changing
structures too frequently takes away valuable
instructional time because you have to review
the procedures.
MYTH BUSTERS
New learning should be introduced
during collaborative learning.
Students will just go off task during

peer interactions.
Teachers will not know who

understands what from
collaborative tasks.

A GOOD CONVERSATION
Students do not arrive in every classroom knowing how to have a good discussion.
They need to be taught how to have these conversations and receive feedback from
their peers and their teachers as they develop the skills of an effective communicator.
Some of the rules of a good conversation follow:
1. Avoid unnecessary details.

2. Don’t ask another question before the first one has been answered.
3. Do not interrupt another while speaking.
4. Do not contradict, especially if it’s not important.
5. Do not do all the talking.
6. Don’t always be the hero of your story (but have a hero).
7. Choose a subject of mutual interest.
8. Be a good listener.
9. The conversation should be in
harmony with the surroundings.
10. Do not exaggerate.
11. Do not misquote.
12. Cultivate tact.
Sometimes, students have ideas about what to say but are not sure how to say it.
You can provide sentence frames to help scaffold student interaction:

GROUP WORK and PRODUCTIVE GROUP WORK
There are many different tasks and strategies that
are useful for encouraging collaboration between
students. They fall into two main categories: group
work and productive group work. One is not better
than the other.
Group work has

no accountability or
group accountability.
It’s best when you want students to share with

their peers, and it is useful when you want students
to clarify their beliefs, opinions, values, or ideas.
Productive group work has individual

accountability. It’s best when you want students
to problem-solve with their peers or figure
something out, and it is useful when you want
students to consolidate their understanding using
argumentation.
Sample Group Work Tasks Sample Productive Group Work Tasks
Turn and learn: Given a prompt, students talk with Numbered heads: Each person has a number,
their partner. and each table has a number. The teacher poses a
question, and students “put their heads together”
to figure out the answer. They then roll the dice,
identifying the person who will share their thinking
with the class (e.g., person 4). The group makes sure
that person is ready.
Partners A and B: Partner A responds to a prompt Literature circles: In their book clubs, students have
by talking with Partner B. The next prompt has specific roles for which they are accountable.
students switch roles.
Novel ideas: Students write down ideas and share Collaborative poster: Students are given an
one at a time, checking off their ideas if someone assigned color marker. They write their name on
else shares something similar. The conversation the poster in that color and then contribute to the
continues until there are no new ideas. poster in the assigned color.
5.4: Group
5.3: Group Work: Work: Secondary
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LOOK-FORS IN COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
DISCUSSION ROUTINES
• Students have opportunities to • The collaboration routine is
engage in discussions with peers. familiar to students. If the
routine is newer to students,
• The discussion is aligned with the it is accompanied by explicit
academic learning and vocabulary instruction and modeling of
of the lesson. the routine.
• The collaboration routine used is

developmentally appropriate.
MONITORING TASK DESIGN

• Student thinking is observed and • Students set goals before a
monitored by the teacher. collaborative task and monitor
their success after the task.
• The teacher provides affirmations
and redirection when needed. • Students are asked to draw
conclusions and make
• The teacher and students provide connections to new or prior
feedback to one another about knowledge.
the collaboration.
LINKS TO LEARNING
• Students set goals before a
collaborative task and monitor
their success after the task.
• Students are asked to draw

conclusions and make
connections to new or prior
knowledge.

Teach students about Teach students the components of

language registers.7 We all argumentation so that they know
shift through several registers every day, that they can disagree without being
and when they understand that school is disagreeable. The components of
typically consultative, their collaborative argumentation include
conversations will be stronger.
• Making a claim
Fixed or frozen: Reciting the Pledge • Providing evidence

of Allegiance • Asking for evidence
Formal: One-way speech, such as in • Offering a counterclaim
a sermon or lecture
• Inviting speculation
Consultative: Two-way speech
used to discuss ideas, such as in the • Reaching consensus
school and workplace
Casual: Two-way speech among

friends, marked by fragments,
interruptions, and inside humor
Intimate: Reserved for our closest

friends and family, such as a mother
cooing to a baby
minutes for
al lo ca te instructional
I ers.
ract with their pe
students to inte
nversations.
students how to have quality co
I teach
s based on
collaborative task
I plan ntions.
the learning inte

How Do I . . .
CREATE
INDEPENDENT
LEARNING TASKS
FOR STUDENTS?
154
INDEPENDENT LEARNING
Practice is essential to learning, but it needs to be the
right practice at the right time. Students need a lot of
practice. In fact, they should probably overpractice FOUR QUESTIONS THAT
if they are going to learn something and then be CHALLENGE LEARNERS
able to apply it. High-quality practice, not mindless TO CONSIDER AS THEY
compliance tasks, is what speeds the pace of learning.
ENGAGE IN PRACTICE
9
Goals are crucial in practice, just as they are in

1. What am I trying to
every other aspect of learning. Practice work that
accomplish?
is distributed across the week and that includes
student self-assessment and goal-setting increases 2. What strategies
the likelihood that the learning will stick. This is am I using?
known as deliberate practice8 and involves students 3. How well am I using the
really focusing on the practice activities, working strategies?
toward a goal, pushing themselves and being willing
4. What else could I do?
to struggle, and responding to the feedback that is
provided.
Source: Anderson, N. J. (ED-99-CO008, 2002).
Spaced practice occurs across time with many
opportunities to complete tasks rather than mass
practice that occurs all at once.
In addition to practice, students need to apply

what they have learned to new situations.
This allows them to generalize their learning
and increases their ability to be independent
learners, not dependent learners.
MYTH BUSTERS
Independent learning is
inherently boring.
Application assignments are better

than practice assignments.
Students should practice only at

home. School is for instruction.

INDEPENDENT LEARNING at School
There are some tasks that students can do at school,

individually and independently, that provide them
opportunities to practice and apply what they are learning.10
Journal and essay writing. Students can

respond to prompts or tasks that require QUESTIONS TO ASK
them to convey information, entertain
readers, share an opinion, argue a WHEN PLANNING
perspective, or share an experience. INDEPENDENT
LEARNING TASKS 11
Independent reading. Students What digital and print-

can read from texts that have
based information do
been assigned or texts that they
students need to find?
have selected.
What digital and print-
based information do
Designing, drafting, and completing
students need to use?
projects. Longer projects can be drafted
at school, even if they are partially What digital and print-
completed at home. based information or
products do students
need to create?
Performances and presentations.
Sharing with the class or wider audience What digital and print-
allows students to practice organization based information do
and public speaking skills as well as to students need to share?
receive feedback from peers.
Preparing for discussions, debates, and

Socratic seminars. Students may need
time at school to organize themselves and
prepare for tasks that require that they
interact with others.
Research. Time to find things, including

Internet searches and visits to the library,
are useful for students investigating
a topic as they prepare to use that
information for another task, such as
writing or debate or presentation.

INDEPENDENT LEARNING at Home
Homework. Some teachers, administrators, parents, and even students love it.
Others hate it. As it is currently implemented, homework has virtually no impact on
learning at the elementary level, a moderate impact at the middle school level, and a
reasonable impact in high school.
Homework is traditionally assigned too early in the instructional cycle. When

students are newly learning something, it’s not a great time for homework. Instead,
they need to practice and apply with their teacher ready to scaffold so that they don’t
learn it wrong. Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent.
There are four types of students when teachers assign traditional homework:12
The completers, who do the homework The neglecters, who don’t do the homework
flawlessly because family is available to for whatever reason (and you have no idea
provide the necessary scaffolding what that reason is)
The error makers, who give the homework a The pleasers, who copy their homework
try even though they don’t really know how from another student in a desperate
and might make a lot of errors attempt to please you

INDEPENDENT LEARNING at Home
(continued)
Typical
homework do
es
not add acade
mic
value for man
y
students.
FUNCTIONS OF HOMEWORK
13
Keeping Up: Homework can be used to

ensure that students are maintaining
the pace of the class.
Getting Ahead: Teachers can give

students homework so that students
have an advantage in future learning.
Retention: Tasks can be structured to

help students remember information
that they learned.
Catching Up: At-home practice

can be used to help address
unfinished learning.
Application: Students can learn to

apply their new understandings, which
can help with transfer of learning.
Excitement: Well-structured tasks can

create positive energy about what is
being learned.
Home-School Relationships: Some
tasks invite family members to engage
with their children and the school as
part of the learning process.

LOOK-FORS IN INDEPENDENT LEARNING
TEACHER KNOWLEDGE AND TEACHER HABITS AND

DECISION-MAKING ON PRACTICE DISPOSITIONS ABOUT PRACTICE
• Students have been taught about • Submitted practice work is
the role of practice in their learning. accompanied by timely teacher
feedback, usually within one week.
• The practice work is based on
student learning data, including • Student performance on practice
student feedback. work is used to inform future
instruction.
• Practice work includes
opportunities for students to set • A student who struggles to
goals and self-assess. complete practice work is not
labeled as “unmotivated” but rather
receives additional support to build
practice habits.
STUDENT KNOWLEDGE STUDENT HABITS AND

ABOUT PRACTICE DISPOSITIONS ABOUT PRACTICE
• Students know about the role of • Students set practice goals for
practice in their learning. themselves.
• Students view practice as • Students engage in self-

being more than just a form of assessments that narrow
compliance. their focus on what needs to
be practiced
• Students know about the benefits of
spaced and deliberate practice.

Worksheets have a bad reputation, and some of them are really bad.
They probably could be called “shut-up” sheets. But just because
something is copied on a piece of paper does not make it bad. In fact,
there is a continuum from “busysheets” to “powersheets”:14
THE WORKSHEET CONTINUUM
BUSYSHEET POWERSHEET
keeps kids busy but has directly supports learning;
little educational value may support other tasks
graphic organizers
word searches recall questions
skills practice note-taking
word scrambles comprehension templates
questions (only as needed and
irrelevant coloring, not for a grade) data collection tools
cutting, and pasting labeling stuff
planning sheets
Source: Gonzales, Jennifer (2018). Frickin’ Packets. Cult of Pedagogy.
Review the materials that you copy for students and classify
them along the continuum. Eliminate those on the left side of the
continuum and focus on tasks on the right side of the continuum.
I consid
er both practice
and application
the independen in
t tasks I assign st
udents.
I enga
ge students in in
dependent
learning tasks at
school.
I consid
er students’ deve
lopmental levels
needs, and family , instructional
when I assign ho
mework.
I focus
on powersheets
when selecting
copy materials fo
r students.

162
Section 6:
STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING
In this section, we focus on instructional routines that have the
potential for engaging students and accelerating their learning. We
selected these strategies because they are fairly easy to implement
and they invite students into learning. Of course, there are more
complicated strategies that you will add to your repertoire over the
years. You should feel free to pick and choose the tools that work for
you and your students. Just remember, these strategies are designed
to have an impact on students’ learning. If they don’t, feel free to
change the strategy.
1. Anticipation Guides 12. Jigsaws

2. Close Reading of Complex Texts 13. Juicy Sentences Protocol
3. Daily Review 14. K-W-L
4. Discussion Roundtable 15. Note-Taking
5. Essential Questions 16. Peer Tutoring
6. Exit Slips 17. RAFT Writing
7. Five-Word Summary 18. Reciprocal Teaching
8. Flipped Instruction 19. Shared Reading
9. Graphics Organizers 20. Teacher Modeling and Thinking Aloud
10. Interactive Read-Alouds 21. Text Rendering Protocol
11. Interactive Writing 22. Three-Read Protocol

Section 6: STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING 163

ANTICIPATION GUIDES
Anticipation guides activate prior knowledge, encourage
predictions, and stimulate curiosity about a topic. Anticipation
guides include true/false or agree/disagree statements to engage
students to actively think and make connections before reading.
These are useful because students read the text with purpose to
prove or disprove their responses to the statements.
An anticipation guide
• Sets a purpose for reading
• Clarifies misconceptions
• Engages students in critical thinking
1. Identify the key concepts in the reading that 4. Have students read the text for support of
students are expected to learn. their responses.
• Think about your students’ prior • Students may change their responses
knowledge. while reading.
• Think about misconceptions your • Students should write evidence that proves
students may hold. or disproves their responses.
2. Write 5 to 10 statements that are related 5. Guide an after-reading discussion.
to the text. • Encourage students to discuss
• The statements should be true/false or misconceptions.
agree/disagree. • Ask students to discuss evidence from the
• The statements should relate to general text that proves or disproves responses.
concepts and not specific facts.
• The statements should focus on the key
concepts you identified in the text for
students to learn.
3. Have students complete the guide
before reading.
• Briefly discuss responses, encouraging
students to defend their responses.

CLOSE READING OF COMPLEX TEXTS
Close reading is the practice of having

students critically examine a short text,
especially through multiple readings and
often over multiple lessons. It has been
utilized most commonly at the secondary
1. Select a complex text, one that does not give up its
and college levels but is now common in
meaning easily.
elementary classrooms as well. Students
discuss their thinking about questions the 2. Teach students to annotate as they read and reread.
teacher asks as they work to uncover the These three tools are a start to annotation:
meaning of the text. • Underline key ideas or information.
• Circle words and phrases that are confusing
or unclear.
• Write comments in the margin to summarize
and synthesize the information in the text.
3. Structure the lesson so that the students read the

texts several times, deepening their understanding
as they go.
4. Ask questions for the students to discuss that move
from literal meaning to structural interpretation to
inferential understanding, including
Close reading • What does the text say? Focus on the key details
• Provides students with and general understanding of what is right there
apprenticeship experiences in in the text.
complex texts • How does the text work? Focus on the author’s
• Teaches students to reread and craft (genre, narration, literary devices) and the
think critically about the text author’s purpose.
• Builds reading skills and • What does the text mean? Focus on logical
collaborative learning skills inferences and how the text compares with
other texts.
6.2: Close Reading of 5. Structure a task, such as writing or debate, for

Complex Texts students to complete after the reading.
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DAILY REVIEW
Structure tasks that require students to engage in retrieval
practice, which is the ability to extract information from
memory without auxiliary aids such as notes and textbooks.
Daily reviews help students remember information and
increase the likelihood that their knowledge and skills are
applied and generalized.1 In some classrooms, students write
in response to a prompt on the board that requires they use
what they have already learned. These entry slips are one form
of Do Now tasks, often called bell work, that require students
to retrieve information from their memory and use it. In some
classrooms, teachers identify Must Do and May Do tasks that
allow students to use what they have learned and apply it to
the task at hand.
Daily review
• Builds long-term memory

through retrieval practice
• Activates students’ background

knowledge, which helps them
connect with the new learning
• Allows teachers to complete

1. Establish a routine for the type of
their administrative tasks, such
retrieval practice that will work
as attendance, while students
with students.
are engaged with routine tasks
2. Create daily review tasks that
require retrieval practice.
3. Collect student work and evaluate
which parts of the lessons stuck
and what needs to occur next to
ensure learning and transfer of
that learning.
6.3: Daily Review

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DISCUSSION ROUNDTABLE
This tool helps students interact collaboratively while being held
individually accountable. They take their own notes first, and then
take notes as their peers share. After the discussion, each student
writes an independent response to a question or prompt designed
by the teacher. A completed discussion roundtable provides the
teacher with a record of the viewpoints of each member of the
group, as well as a way to see how comprehension evolved.
1. Have each student fold a piece of paper

into quadrants, then fold the interior
corner into a triangle.
A discussion roundtable 2. Each student should then read

independently and record their
• Promotes reading, note-taking, and thinking in the upper-left quadrant.
discussion skills
3. Each student should then take notes
• Requires that students listen to each in other quadrants as peers share
other to generate the notes their thinking.
• Allows stronger readers to support the 4. Students should then independently
understanding of others in the group write a summary or answer a prompt.
1 My notes What ____ said 2
5
Independent
Summary
6.4: Discussion
Roundtable: Secondary
resources.corwin.com/ 4 What ____ said What ____ said 3
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ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
2
Thought-provoking questions prompt investigation

and provide coherence for a unit of instruction.
Essential questions are open-ended, require support
and justification, and lead to further questions. Some
examples include
• What can a map tell us? (primary social studies)
• How do fractions, decimals, and percentages allow

us to describe the world? (middle school math)
• Can you buy your way to happiness?

(English, social sciences, political science)
An essential question
• Encourages inquiry and discussion

• Organizes learning as a pursuit of big ideas,
not just facts
• Fosters higher-order thinking
1. Develop a unifying question that will require

students to apply what they are learning.
2. Introduce it to students at the beginning
of the unit.
3. Return to the question often to link it to
content learning.
4. Tie it to a project, essay, or major assignment
where students address the essential question
using evidence of their learning.
6.5: Essential Questions:

Secondary
welcometoteaching
EXIT SLIPS
Near the end of the lesson, students can use exit slips to
respond virtually or on paper to a question. This closure
activity provides students with an opportunity to consider
what they have learned. The teacher uses the data
formatively for the next lesson.
An exit slip
• Guides students
to summarize and
consolidate new learning
• Allows students to
monitor their learning
1. Reserve a few minutes at the end of class for students to
and reflect
respond to a prompt.
• Provides the teacher 2. Use prompts that align with your purpose for
with data to adjust assessing learning:
instruction
Prompts That Document Learning
• Write three concepts you learned today.
• How could you use this knowledge outside of the
classroom?
Prompts That Emphasize the Process of Learning

• I still don’t understand . . .
• Based on what you learned today, what do you need to
learn next?
Prompts That Evaluate the Effectiveness of Instruction

• What helped you with your learning today? What got
in the way?
3. Collect the responses at the door or have students self-

assess and determine their level of understanding.
6.6: Exit Slips

welcometoteaching

FIVE-WORD SUMMARY
For this activity,

students read a
passage and identify
five key words they A five-word summary
believe represent the • Fosters academic language
meaning of the text. They negotiate and reach
consensus to finalize a list, then use the list to • Deepens comprehension
compose an independent summary. • Scaffolds summary writing
1. Read and list. Using words from the 3. Negotiate meaning with others. Have
reading, have students create a list of the partners join another set of partners to
five most important words. These should form a group of four. Each pair should share
all be words that explain the main point of their five-word list; then the group of four
the reading. discusses which words are most essential to
2. Negotiate with a partner. Ask partners the main idea of the reading.
to compare five-word lists. They have 5 4. Compose a summary. On their own, have
minutes to create a new list of the five students use the final list of five key words
most important words by synthesizing the that their group of four agreed on and write
two lists. a summary paragraph of the reading.
6.7: Five-Word
Summary: Secondary
welcometoteaching
FLIPPED INSTRUCTION
The flipped classroom is a hybrid learning design
that provides initial content learning in advance
of synchronous online or face-to-face instruction.
The asynchronous portion of a flipped classroom
usually comprises direct instruction, short lectures, or
demonstrations that introduce students to a new skill
or concept. This inverted model of instruction places a
premium on student collaboration and teacher facilitation
of learning in the synchronous or face-to-face context.
Flipped instruction
• Provides more time for

1. Organize the content students need to learn and create
student collaboration and
playlists that they access outside of the school day.
teacher-guided instruction
2. Develop a monitoring system to ensure that students
• Allows for different
complete the asynchronous portion of the class.
amounts of time for input
or new learning based on 3. Organize the synchronous or face-to-face time with
student needs collaborative tasks that have individual accountability
(e.g., literature circles, reciprocal teaching, or jigsaw).
• Provides students
opportunities to learn 4. Monitor student
outside of the classroom progress and increase
the number and
frequency of
small-group
instructional lessons
based on student data.
6.8: Flipped
Instruction: Secondary
welcometoteaching

GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
Graphic organizers help students visually

organize information to support their
comprehension and see connections
between ideas. These tools reflect a student’s
knowledge of conceptual relationships and
help make the learning stick.
A graphic organizer 1. For young children, select one graphic

organizer to model at a time.
• Helps students
remember content 2. Emphasize that it is an intermediate step to
supporting their discussion or writing, not
• Mirrors how written text is the endpoint.
organized (e.g., cause/effect, 3. Introduce the specific graphic organizer
problem/solution) and show how it represents the structure of
• Integrates new ideas with the text.
known concepts to build 4. Describe to students how and why you
new knowledge decided to use this graphic organizer.
• Organizes information for 5. Once students know about graphic

later discussion or writing organizers, provide students with many
about the topic opportunities to practice choosing the one
that best suits their purpose.
6. Make sure students are applying the graphic
organizers and not just filling them out.
6.9: Graphic Organizers

welcometoteaching

VENN
WEB
Overlapping circles that
SEQUENCE/PROCESS
illustrate similarities Central word or phrase
and differences between linked to supporting labels, To show a series of steps or
two concepts concepts, and ideas a timeline
CHART/MATRIX
STORY MAP T-CHART
Rows and columns in a
To show different elements table format that shows Two-column table for
such as characters, plots, relationships vertically and grouping ideas into
themes, etc. horizontally categories
FRAYER PROBLEM-SOLUTION MAP

Four-celled table for recording information about a term or concept; Identifies a problem and
information recorded inside the cells could be examples and non- possible solutions, often
examples, definitions, synonyms and antonyms, the term used in with pros and cons for
context, an illustration or drawing, and more each solution

INTERACTIVE READ-ALOUDS
Students listen to the teacher read
aloud from a text that is generally more
complex than the students can read
on their own. The teacher provides a
fluent model of reading and arranges
opportunities for students to interact
with the ideas in the text.
Interactive read-alouds require

students to actively participate in the
co-construction of knowledge and
understanding and are useful across
grade spans and content areas.
An interactive read-aloud
• Builds background knowledge
• Expands word knowledge

1. Select readings appropriate to the content or
• Extends listening comprehension
skills you are teaching, students’ emotional and
social development, and interests.
2. Practice the selection so that you provide a
fluent model of reading. But don’t worry if you
make natural mistakes while reading. Just self-
correct and move on.
3. Stop periodically and pose questions. Plan
questions for critical thinking and discussion
in advance and write them on a sticky note as
a reminder.
4. Engage students in discussion. Either in small
groups or with the whole class, invite students
to share their thinking about the text.
6.10: Interactive Read-

Alouds: Elementary
welcometoteaching

INTERACTIVE WRITING
This instructional routine involves the teacher and students
cooperatively sharing the pen to write a joint message. As the
facilitator, the teacher leads students through a process from
generating ideas to composing. The students and teacher
negotiate what they are going to write and then share the
pen to co-construct the message. Students help by writing
letters and spelling words on a text that can be seen by
everyone. As they share the pen, the teacher engages students
in additional lessons focused on phonemic awareness,
phonics, letter formation, and concepts about print.
1. Identify the purpose. Base your observations

on students’ needs and interests and on your
curriculum goals and standards.
2. Plan teaching points. Consider thought-provoking
questions about the topic to keep students engaged
and participating.
3. Engage students in discussion of a topic. This
Interactive writing enables everyone to develop prior knowledge to
support their talking and sharing of the pen.
• Focuses on the speech-
to-print connection 4. Agree on a message (one to two sentences).
5. Repeat the message several times.
• Allows for instruction in
foundational skills and 6. Invite students to the front of the room to compose
composing skills part of the message while integrating lessons about
spelling, phonics, vocabulary, letter formation,
• Develops various aspects directionality, spacing, and punctuation, as
of writing skills appropriate, as students write.
6.11: Interactive Writing

welcometoteaching

JIGSAWS
3
This protocol requires

students to become
experts on a portion
of a text or topic. They A jigsaw
work collaboratively
with peers to develop • Fosters student accountability to others
teaching points, then teach other classmates. They • Helps students practice and retain
also are taught new information by peers and reflect knowledge through repetition
together about key points. • Capitalizes on collaborative learning
Each student in the class should have two

memberships: a home group and an expert group.
Each home group is composed of members who
each will be members of different expert groups.
1. Expert Group 1: After each home group

member has a task, they move to expert
groups composed of peers with the same
task. The expert groups meet to read and
discuss their portion of the assignment
and practice how they will teach it when
they return to their home groups.
2. Home Group: Students teach their expert
portion to their home group members
and learn about the other sections of
the reading.
3. Expert Group 2: Finally, they return once
more to their expert groups to discuss
how their topic fits into the larger subject
and look for similarities and differences
between the parts that they had learned
from others.
6.12: Jigsaws
welcometoteaching

JUICY SENTENCES PROTOCOL
4
Readers use their knowledge of language,

including grammar and syntax, to comprehend
text. Multilingual students and others benefit from
attention to how these work together. The juicy
sentence protocol provides students with guidance
on how to parse one to three sentences that will
unlock the meaning of the longer passage.
Using juicy sentences
• Deepens reading comprehension

• Embeds instruction of grammar
and syntax
• Provides access to complex texts
Choose a sentence or two in a longer passage that 5. Possible Follow-Up Questions

contains clauses, challenging vocabulary, and dense • “Where does this take place?”
noun or verb phrases.
• “When does this take place?”
1. Introduce the Purpose: “We’re going to take a • “Why did this happen?”
close look at ___ sentences from the reading
so we can better understand the rest of • “How did this happen?”
the passage.” 6. Independent Reading: Invite students to read
2. First Reading: “Who or what is this all about? the entire passage on their own.
[subject/topic]. How do we know it?” Invite
discussion and record responses.
3. Second Reading: “What does it say about
the who or what [verb/predicate]? How do
we know it?” Invite discussion and record
responses.
4. Third Reading: Focus students’ attention on
tricky parts of the sentence(s). “What does
this part say? What questions does it answer?”
Invite discussion and record responses.

K-W-L
5
To foster inquiry and activate prior knowledge, students explore

What do we Know? What do we Want to know? and later What have
we Learned? The teacher charts student responses and returns to
the chart throughout the lesson, using unanswered questions that
remain unanswered to spark new inquiry.
Using K-W-L charts

• Activates and builds on prior knowledge of the topic
• Sets a purpose by developing questions
• Helps monitor or evaluate students’ learning
1. Introduce the purpose and structure 4. Don’t forget to complete the “Learned” phase
of a K-W-L. at the end of the lesson or unit.
• Explain that a K-W-L helps to think about • It can be easy to forget to finish the
what they already know about a topic, K-W-L chart, especially if the end of the
and to make decisions about the new unit is on another day. The power of
information they want to learn. this instructional strategy lies in helping
2. Record responses on a chart or the board so students notice their own learning
they can be seen. processes.
• Learners benefit from seeing their thoughts
and those of their classmates represented
in written form.
• Keep the chart so you and your students
can refer to it later.
3. Record incorrect and correct responses.
• Students sometimes report incorrect
information during the “What do we
know?” phase. Record these, too, since this
will usually be disproved later.
• Note that some teachers label this phase
“What do we think we know?” in order
to handle incorrect information without
embarrassing a student later.
6.13: K-W-L: Secondary

welcometoteaching

NOTE-TAKING
Note-taking
• Develops students’ skills in synthesizing

information
• Provides students with a tool for studying
• Increases the likelihood that students will
Students need to learn to record information remember information
that is shared, either from someone talking,
from their reading, or from a video. Students
should learn to summarize and synthesize
information and not try to record everything.
Students should also use their notes to study.
1. Explain to students that there are several different 2. Teach students to divide the paper into three
formats for notes, but the most common is the sections: a major column, a minor column, and
Cornell format, which requires that students are space on the bottom.
taught the 6 Rs of note-taking6:
• Record the lecture notes in the main section
of the note page.
• Reduce the essential ideas by reviewing the
notes within 24 hours and phrasing these
ideas as questions.
• Recite the information aloud by answering
these questions while keeping the notes
portion covered.
• Reflect by asking oneself about how well the
material is understood, and what clarifying
questions should be asked of the teacher.
• Review during subsequent short study
sessions.
• Recapitulate the main ideas by writing them
in the Summary section.
6.14: Note-Taking
welcometoteaching

PEER TUTORING
Peer tutoring mobilizes peers to support each other to have
a powerful impact on the climate of the classroom and the
amount of learning that all students do. Students do not
necessarily know how to provide peer support to others and
likely need to be taught. There are a few models that are
common, including
• Classwide peer tutoring: The class is divided into

groups of 2 to 5 students. The goal is to practice or
review skills and content, not introduce new learning.
Each student in the group has an opportunity to be
both the tutee and the tutor.
• Reciprocal peer tutoring: Paired students with similar

academic backgrounds support the learning of each
other. Each partnership is responsible for synthesizing
content, preparing tasks, and asking questions
complete with answers and explanations.
• Cross-age peer tutoring: Older students are paired

with younger students, with the older one serving as
the tutor. The roles do not change, but the current
performance levels of the tutor and tutee may be
similar. The tutors explain concepts, model appropriate
behavior, ask questions, and encourage better
study habits.
Peer tutoring 1. Schedule time on a regular basis for

students to engage in peer tutoring.
• Facilitates learning and practice
of strategies 2. Provide sample tutoring lessons
or examples.
• Creates a climate in which risk
taking is valued 3. Observe students tutoring and
offer feedback.
• Increases content and
communication skills
6.15: Peer Tutoring:

Secondary
welcometoteaching

RAFT WRITING
7
This writing frame invites students to take

perspectives in their writing. The ability to
craft an opinion or argument requires the
writer to understand their audience and
the format expected of the writing.
A RAFT writing frame
• Requires understanding of motives, traits, and behaviors

of an individual or subject
• Reinforces the writer’s purpose and perspective
• Links reading to writing
1. Explain to students that RAFT 3. Provide RAFT writing prompts for

stands for students to use. For example:
R = Role (Who is the writer?
What is the role of the writer?) R Thurgood Marshall
A = Audience (To whom are A U.S. Supreme Court

you writing?) F Law brief
F = Format (What format should T Separate is not equal
the writing be in?)
T = Topic (What are you
writing about?) R Storm chaser
A Weather Channel reporter
2. Introduce the RAFT writing frame and
model how it is used to develop a short F Interview
piece of writing. T Facts about tornadoes
6.16: RAFT Writing:

Secondary
welcometoteaching

RECIPROCAL TEACHING
8
In reciprocal teaching, student-directed groups of students

work with a common piece of informational text. Each member
has a role: summarizer, questioner, clarifier, and predictor.
These roles closely mirror the kinds of reading comprehension
strategies necessary for understanding expository text. The
reading is chunked into shorter passages so that the group can
stop to discuss periodically.
Reciprocal teaching
• Develops collaborative and communication skills
• Builds habits for comprehending complex texts
• Provides peer support for mixed-ability groups
1. Segment an informational
text into shorter Questioning the text
passages (one to two passage by asking text- Clarifying understandings
paragraphs each). explicit (literal) and through discussion of any
text-implicit (inferential) confusion that might need
2. Teach one role at a time. questions of one another. to be cleared up.
Each role may take
several lessons of practice
with you.
3. When students are ready

to take this on their own,
students read a passage
independently, then
take turns leading the
discussion based on their Summarizing the main Predicting what the writer
assigned role: points contained in will discuss next, based on
the passage. what is known so far.
6.17: Reciprocal
Teaching: Secondary
welcometoteaching
SHARED READING
In this instructional event, a text is shared by the teacher and
students. The purpose is for the teacher to model reading fluently
with expression and to engage the students in the practice of
reading increasingly complex texts. It differs from an interactive
read-aloud because all participants in a shared reading are viewing
the print either in the form of a big book, on a screen, or through
individual copies of text.
Shared reading 1. With the lesson purpose in mind, select a text that
supports accomplishing what you want students to learn.
• Provides students with
examples of reading 2. In advance, plan and mark stopping points that will
strategies in use support accomplishing the purpose. For example, know
where you will stop reading to ask comprehension
• Apprentices students to questions, monitor understanding, or focus on a spelling
more complex text than pattern or word choice.
they can read alone
3. Position yourself. Be sure all students can see the print
• Builds background since they will be doing some of the reading with you.
knowledge and vocabulary
4. Read the selected section of the text aloud, modeling
thinking of the teaching points.
5. Engage students in conversation about the meaning of
the text, features related to the identified purpose, and the
language the author used.
6.18: Shared Reading

welcometoteaching

TEACHER MODELING and THINKING ALOUD
The teacher models their own thought process, pausing to explain
what they are thinking. This can be used to share the thinking
behind any content students are learning, including reading,
solving problems, or thinking critically. The teacher purposefully
expresses the strategies they are using, such as solving unfamiliar
words, predicting what will occur next, rereading when confused,
forming questions about the topic, or evaluating information.
1. Choose places in the lesson or text to verbalize the selected

strategies: making connections, predicting, rereading,
questioning, visualizing, inferring, determining importance,
synthesizing, or evaluating.
2. Use sticky notes to mark places in the text or lesson where
you want to stop to think aloud. Remember to focus on only
one or two strategies.
3. Be sure to use “I” statements so students understand that
Teacher modeling this is what you are thinking about as you read. Include how
you accomplished the thinking, not just the thinking itself.
• Helps students
4. Dialogue with students regarding the strategies you modeled
understand that
to strengthen their use of these tools. Create a chart of the
thinking is an
strategies applied during your think-alouds as a reminder for
active process
students to use them independently.
• Makes thinking visible
and provides students
with an apprenticeship
opportunity
• Develops academic
language and critical
thinking skills
6.19: Teacher
Modeling:
Elementary
6.20: Teacher
Modeling: Secondary
welcometoteaching

TEXT RENDERING PROTOCOL
Rendering is a cooking term that describes the
process of separating solids from fats to make
pure fat. In text rendering, a student-directed
group reads a piece of text, focusing on key
points to locate the richest ideas it contains.
1. Have students read the assigned text,

knowing that they are looking for key
sentences, phrases, and words.
Round 1: Each student shares a

significant sentence.

significant phrase (the note-taker
writes phrases selected).
Text rendering
• Promotes text-based
collaborative discussion
significant word (the note-taker
• Allows for deconstruction writes words selected).
of complex text
• Fosters active reading 2. Have a discussion in which the group

talks about what they noticed about
the selected sentences, phrases,
6.21: Text Rendering and words to better understand the
Protocol: Secondary meaning of the text.
welcometoteaching

THREE-READ PROTOCOL
Students read, discuss, and develop a plan for solving complex

math word problems and rich mathematical tasks using a
repeated reading protocol. The teacher and students co-
construct knowledge using mathematical thinking.
The three-read protocol

FIRST READING
• Requires students Purpose: “Let’s figure out first
to examine the and understand the context of
problem closely the problem (or the story of the problem).” Ask students
• Links mathematical to read, then share what they know and how they know
knowledge to literacy it. Record their ideas.
• Fosters problem-solving
SECOND READING
Purpose: “Next we’re going to read
to understand the math in the story.”
Have them focus on the mathematical
terms in the problem. Ask them to share what they
know and how they know it. Record their ideas.
THIRD READING
Purpose: “Now we’re going to make
a mathematical plan to solve it.”
Ask them to decide what the first step
6.22: Three-Read Protocol might be, and what are important
resources.corwin.com/ mistakes to avoid.
welcometoteaching
SOLVE IT!
Ask students to work in small groups to solve the
problem. Encourage dialogue in groups so they can hear
each other’s thinking.

188
A FINAL NOTE
From the Desk of
Doug and Nancy
Once again, welcome to teaching. We have provided you with an illustrated
guide that will get you started on a wonderful career, impacting the lives of
countless numbers of students.
Now that you have considered the nuts and bolts of teaching, from planning
lessons to creating an inclusive climate for learning to assessing students’
understanding, we leave you with some bits of advice that have served us well
over time.
Make sure students know you care. Show them, in everything that you do, that
you care for them and their learning.
Make learning relevant. When students find your class interesting and relevant,
they are more likely to self-regulate their actions and behaviors and learn more.
Explain the procedures, processes, and expectations. Let students know what’s
going on and how the class will operate. It steadies students and grows their
confidence when experiences (and you) are more predictable.
Don’t make assumptions about what students know. You will encounter
students with unfinished learning and interesting experiences. If you expect
students to know it, make sure you’ve taught it.
Keep your sense of humor and joy. Love what you do and let it show. Laugh with
your students every day. Yes, there will be hard days, but remember your why and
have fun while you’re working.
Connect with colleagues. Your peers know a lot, and they are a great source of
inspiration and support. When you feel connected with other professionals, you
know that you’re part of something bigger and valuable.
Give yourself grace and be reasonable with yourself. We’re always learning how
to teach in more effective ways. Understand that this is a journey, and don’t be too
hard on yourself as you try out various strategies and ideas.
And remember, as Lady Bird Johnson noted, “Children are likely to live up to what
you believe of them.”
7.1: Final Words From

Doug and Nancy
welcometoteaching
A FINAL NOTE FROM THE DESK OF DOUG AND NANCY 189

ENDNOTES
SECTION 1: CREATING THE CLIMATE FOR LEARNING
1. Ryan, R., & Deci, E. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of
intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist,
55, 68–78.
2. Cornelius-White, J. (2007). Learner-centered teacher-student relationships are

effective: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 77, 113–143.
3. Bryk, A. S., Sebring, P. B., Allensworth, E., Luppescu, S., & Easton, J. Q. (2010).
Organizing schools for improvement: Lessons from Chicago. University of
Chicago Press.
4. Epstein, J. L., Sanders, M. G., Sheldon, S. B., Simon, B. S., Salinas, K. C., Jansorn,
N. R., Voorhis, F. L. V., Martin, C. S., Thomas, B. G., Greenfeld, M. D., Hutchins, D. J.,
& Williams, K. J. (2019). School, family, and community partnerships: Your handbook for
action. Corwin.
5. Elon University. (2023). Teaching for equity and inclusion. https://www.elon.edu/u/

academics/catl/inclusiveteaching
6. Gottlieb, M. (2021). Classroom assessment in multiple languages: A handbook for

teachers. Corwin.
7. Borrero, N., & Sanchez, G. (2017). Enacting culturally relevant pedagogy: Asset
mapping in urban classrooms. Teaching Education, 28(3), 279–295.
SECTION 2: PLANNING FOR LEARNING

1. Covey, S. (1989). 7 habits of highly effective people. Simon & Schuster.
2. Posner, G. (1992). Analyzing the curriculum (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
3. Lassiter, C., Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Smith, D. (2022). How leadership works: A
playbook for instructional leaders. Corwin.
4. Lassiter, C., Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Smith, D. (2022). How leadership works: A
playbook for instructional leaders. Corwin.
5. Hunter, R. (2004). Madeline Hunter’s mastery teaching: Increasing instructional

effectiveness in elementary and secondary schools. Corwin, p. 117.
191
SECTION 3: ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING
1. Used with permission of Corwin Press, Inc., from Disrupting to Driving: Exploring
upper primary teachers’ perspectives on student engagement, Berry, Amy, Volume 26,
2020; permission conveyed through Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
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for Education and Child Development. (2019). Transforming tasks: Designing tasks
where students do the thinking. Copyright 2019 Government of South Australia,
Department of Education.
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personally meaningful: A new framework for relevance research. Journal of
Experimental Education, 86, 11–29.
4. Fisher, D., Frey, N., Ortega, S., & Hattie, J. (2023). Teaching students to drive their
learning: A playbook on engagement and self-regulation. Corwin.
5. Wangberg, James. Teaching with a passion. American Entomologist, 1996,

Volume 42, by permission of Oxford University Press.
6. The Developmental Relationships Framework is copyrighted by Search Institute,

Minneapolis, MN (www.searchinstitute.org) and used with permission.
7. Wlodkowski, R. J., & Ginsberg, M. B. (1995). A framework for culturally responsive

teaching. Educational Leadership, 53, 17–21.
8. Good, T. (1987). Two decades of research on teacher expectations. Journal of

Teacher Education, 38(4), 32–47.
9. Adapted from Sheridan, S. (2018, August 29). Establishing healthy parent-

teacher relationships for early learning success. Early Learning Network.
https://earlylearningnetwork.unl.edu/2018/08/29/parent-teacher-relationships
10. Adapted from Raising Children Network. (2021). Effective communication with
parents and carers: For professionals. https://raisingchildren.net.au/for-professionals/
working-with-parents/communicating-with-parents/communication-with-parents
11. Martin, N. K., Schafer, N. J., McClowry, S., Emmer, E. T., Brekelmans, M.,
Mainhard, T., & Wubbels, T. (2016). Expanding the definition of classroom
management: Recurring themes and new conceptualizations. Journal of Classroom
Interactions, 51, 36–45.
12. Alter, P., & Haydon, T. (2017). Characteristics of effective classroom rules: A
review of the literature. Teacher Education & Special Education, 40(2), 114–127.
192
SECTION 4: ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING
1. Brookhart, S. (2017). How to give effective feedback to your students. ASCD.
2. Adapted from Linn, R. L., & Gronlund, N. E. (2012). Measurement and assessment in
teaching (11th ed.). Pearson.
7. Hilliard, P. (2015, December 17). Performance-based assessment: Reviewing the

basics. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/performance-based-assessment-
reviewing-basics-patricia-hilliard
9. Vatterott, C. (2010). Five hallmarks of good homework. ASCD. https://www.ascd

.org/el/articles/five-hallmarks-of-good-homework
10. Ericsson, K. A., & Lehmann, A. C. (1996). Expert and exceptional performance:
Evidence of maximal adaptations to task constraints. Annual Review of Psychology,
47, 273–305.
11. Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2008). Homework and the gradual release of responsibility:
Making student “responsibility” possible. English Journal, 98(2), 40–45.
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13. Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2018). Raise reading volume through access, choice,
discussion, and book talks. The Reading Teacher, 72, 89–97.
14. Wiggins, G. (2012). Seven keys to effective feedback. Educational Leadership,

70(1), 10–16.
15. Almarode, J., Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2023). How feedback works: A
playbook. Corwin.
16. Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational
Research, 77(1), 81–112.
193
SECTION 5: INSTRUCTIONAL MOVES THAT ENSURE LEARNING
1. Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2021). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework
for the gradual release of responsibility (3rd ed.). ASCD.
2. Rosenshine, B. (2008). Five meanings of direct instruction. Center on Innovation

& Improvement.
3. Fisher, A. T., Alder, J. G., & Avasalu, M. (1998). Lecturing performance appraisal
criteria: Staff and student difference. Australian Journal of Education, 42(2), 153–168.
4. Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2021). Better learning through structured teaching:
A framework for the gradual release of responsibility (3rd ed.). ASCD.
5. Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2021). Better learning through structured teaching:
A framework for the gradual release of responsibility (3rd ed.). ASCD.
6. Blyth, C. (2009). The art of conversation: A guided tour of a neglected pleasure.

Gotham Books.
7. Joos, M. (1967). The five clocks. Harcourt, Brace, & World.
8. Ericsson, K. A., Krampe, R. T., & Tesch-Romer, C. (1993). The role of deliberate
practice in the acquisition of expert performance. Psychological Review,
100(3), 363–406.
9. Anderson, N. J. (2002, April). The role of metacognition in second language teaching

and learning (ERIC Digest EDO-FL-01-10). Retrieved from http://www.cal.org/
resources/digest/0110anderson.html
10. Used with permission of Corwin Press, Inc., from Better learning through
structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. Fisher,
Douglas, Frey, Nancy, volume/edition 3, 2021; permission conveyed through
Copyright Clearance Center, Inc.
11. Frey, N., Fisher, D., & Gonzalez, A. (2010). Literacy 2.0: Reading and writing in 21st
century classrooms. Solution Tree.
12. Frey, N., & Fisher, D. (2011). High-quality homework. Principal Leadership,
12(2), 56–58.
13. Drew, C. (2023, March 9). 7 types of homework for students. HelpfulProfessor.com.
https://helpfulprofessor.com/types-of-homework/
14. Gonzalez, J. (2018, March 26). Frickin’ packets. Cult of Pedagogy. https://www.
cultofpedagogy.com/busysheets/
194
SECTION 6: STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING
1. Rawson, K. A., & Dunlosky, J. (2011). Optimizing schedules of retrieval practice
for durable and efficient learning: How much is enough? Journal of Experimental
Psychology: General, 140(3), 283–302.
2. McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. (2013). Essential questions: Opening doors to student
understanding. ASCD.
3. Aronson, E., Stephen, C., Sikes, J., Blaney, N., & Snapp, M. (1978). The jigsaw
classroom. Sage.
4. Council of the Great City Schools. (n.d.). Juicy sentences play. https://dc00001581.
schoolwires.net/cms/lib/DC00001581/Centricity/Domain/251/CGCS_GCS_
Sentence%20Play_flyer_v5.pdf
5. Ogle, D. (1986). K-W-L: A teaching model that develops active reading of

expository text. The Reading Teacher, 39, 564–570.
6. Pauk, W., & Ross, J. Q. (2010). How to study in college (10th ed.). Wadsworth.
7. Santa, C., & Havens, L. (1995). Creating independence through student-owned

strategies: Project CRISS. Kendall-Hunt.
8. Palincsar, A., & Brown, A. L. (1986). Reciprocal teaching of comprehension-

fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities. Cognition and Instruction,
2(1), 17–75.
195
INDEX
Ableism, 25 Bias, assessment, 107
Accessibility, 32 Book talks, 119
Access to reading material, 119 Boundaries, 82
Accountability, 150 Busysheets, 160
Actionable feedback, 123
Agreements, classroom, 94 Calling on students, 34
Amends, making, 83 Call to order, class meeting, 19
Anticipation guides, 164 Caring and compassion, 81, 93
Apologizing in feedback, 124
for mistakes, 11 Casual registers, 152
in repairing damaged relationships, 83 Challenging growth, 81
Application assignments, 116–117 Charts/matrices, 173
Appreciation, 82 Check for understanding (CFU), 101–103
Argumentation, 152 quality questions in, 103
Assessment bias, 107 signals in, 102
Assessment of learning, 2, 42, 50, 100–105 writing to, 103
check for understanding (CFU) in, Choice of reading materials, 119
101–103 Clarity of feedback, 124
checklist for, 104 Class meetings, 18, 19
documentation of learning and, 107 Classroom agreements, 94
feedback on (See Feedback) Classroom climate. See Climate for
homework and (See Homework) learning
of multilingual learners, 26 Classroom management, 92–97
purposeful pausing fostering checklist for, 96
reflective thinking in, 104 classroom agreements in, 94
purpose of, 99 classroom community in, 93
quality questions in, 103 constructing an image of caring and
student self-, 57 authority in, 93
writing to CFU in, 103 developmentally and culturally
Asset mapping, 27 responsive, 93
Attendance, 33 intentional, 93
Attitude opportunities for response in, 93
in fostering student-teacher proactive versus reactive, 93
relationships, 82 responding to problematic
inclusive, 25 behavior, 95
Authority, 93 routines in, 96
Autonomy, 15 teacher self-regulation and, 93
Classwide peer tutoring, 180
Background knowledge, 142 Climate for learning, 7–13
Beginning with the end in mind, 39 conditions for, 7
Behavioral engagement, 69 sense of community in, 14–21
Belonging, sense of, 16 welcoming environment as, 9–13
197
Climate of inclusivity, 22–29 Deliberate practice, 155
for multilingual learners, 26–28 Demonstration, 131, 134
multipronged approach to, 23 Digital assignments, 33
for students with disabilities, 24–25 Digital polls, 102
Close reading, 165 Direct instruction, 131, 134
Co-construction of success criteria, 58 flipped instruction and, 171
Cognitive engagement, 69 Disabilities, students with, 24–25
Cognitive prompts, 141 Discussions
Collaboration in teacher-family about texts, 119
partnerships, 88, 147–153 in collaborative learning, 151
Collaborative learning, 129, 148–153 independent learning in preparation
benefits of, 148 for, 156
checklist on, 152 roundtable, 167
good conversation and, 149 Dismissal of students, 34
group work and productive group Distribution and collection of materials, 33
work and, 150 Documentation of learning, 106–113
language registers and, 152 assessment bias and, 107
look-fors in, 151 exit slips for, 169
Collaborative poster, 150 projects and performances for, 107,
Communication, 3 111–112
with families, 20 quizzes and tests for, 107, 108–109
feedback and, 124 range of strategies for, 107
in teacher-family partnerships, 88, written responses for, 107, 108, 110
89–90 Drive and engagement in learning, 71
Competence, 15, 120
Completers, homework, 157 Emotional engagement, 69
Complex texts, close reading of, 165 Empathy, teacher, 16
Concepts, 44 Engagement in learning, 67, 68–73
Confirmation bias, 107 behavioral, 69
Consistency, 11 cognitive, 69
in feedback, 123 continuum of, 69, 70–71
in teacher-family partnerships, 88 designing tasks to promote, 72
Consultative registers, 152 dimensions of, 69
Conversation, good, 149 emotional, 69
Corrective feedback, 125 goals for, 71
Covey, Stephen, 39, 67 SLANT and, 71
Credibility of feedback, 124 Entry into classrooms, 33
Critical thinking, 16–17 Environmental cues, 143
in lectures, 135 Error makers, homework, 157
Cross-age peer tutoring, 180 Esprit de corps, 9
Cueing, 143 Essays, 107, 108, 110
Cultural assets, 27–28 as independent learning, 156
Curriculum, 42, 47–52 Essential questions, 50, 168
extra, 43 Essential understandings, 50
hidden, 43 Exit slips, 169
mapping of, 49–50 Expanding possibilities, 81
null, 43 setting clear, 82
official, 43 Expectations
operational, 43, 44 in communication with families, 90
pacing of, 48–52 high, 7
homework and, 120
Daily review, 166 Experiments, 131
Daily tweet, 64 Explanations and examples in focused
Debates, 156 instruction, 136
198
Expressing care, 81, 93 Heuristic prompts, 142
Extension tasks, 116–117 Hidden curriculum, 43
Extra curriculum, 43 Homework, 20, 114–121
checklist for, 120
Families components of good, 115
positive supports and, 25 evaluating, 120
relationships with teachers (See functions of, 158
Relationships, teacher-family) independent learning as, 157–158
sense of community and, 20 purpose of, 115, 117
Feedback, 122–127 reading at home, 118–119
checklist on, 126 types of, 116
conditions that make effective, 124
formative assessment for, 123 Implicit bias, 107
frames for, 126 Inclusive language, 25
types of, 125 Independent learning, 129, 154–161
Feed forward, 99 checklist on, 160
Fist to five, 102 functions of, 158
Five-word summary, 170 at home, 157–158
Fixed or frozen registers, 152 look-fors in, 159
Flipped instruction, 171 purpose of, 155
Fluency tasks, 116–117 questions that challenge learners to
Focused instruction, 129–138 consider in, 155
checklist on, 137 questions to ask when planning tasks
direct instruction and for, 156
demonstrations, 131, 134 at school, 156
lectures, 131, 135 worksheets in, 160
look-fors in, 136 Instruction, 2, 42
modeling and thinking aloud, 131, direct, 131, 134, 171
132–133 to ensure learning, 129
Focus skills, 50 flipped, 171
Forgiveness, 83 focused, 129, 131–137
Formal registers, 152 guided, 129, 140–145
Four corners, 102 modeling, 131, 132–133
Frayer tables, 173 Instructional materials, 50
Interactive writing, 175
Gallery walks, 27 Interests, individual student, 10
Genuineness, 16–17 Interest surveys, 12
Gestural cues, 143 Intimate registers, 152
Goal-referenced feedback, 123 Investment and engagement in learning, 71
Goals
in focused instruction, 136 Jigsaws, 176
in guided instruction, 144 Johnson, Lady Bird, 188, 189
Grading criteria, 110 Journaling, 156
Graphic organizers, 172–173 Juicy sentences protocol, 177
Grouping, 144
Group work, 150 K-W-L strategy, 178
Guidance, students needing, 120
look-fors in, 144 Language, inclusive, 25
Guided instruction, 129, 139–146 Language registers, 152
checklist on, 145 Leadership, 3
cueing in, 143 Learning
defined, 140 assessment of (See Assessment
forming groups of students for, 145 of learning)
prompting in, 141–142 collaborative, 129, 147–153
199
curriculum and, 42, 43–46 Multiple choice questions, 108, 109
documentation of, 106–113, 169 Myths, 4
engagement in, 67–73 assessment of learning, 99
independent, 129, 154–161 classroom management, 93
outside of school, 20, 114–121 climate of inclusivity, 23
planning for, 39–40 curriculum pacing, 48
relationship between curriculum, documentation of learning, 107
instruction, and assessment in, 42 engagement in learning, 69
relevant, 74–79 feedback, 123
strategies for (See Strategies for focused instruction, 131
learning) guided instruction, 140
Learning intentions, 53–59 homework, 115
aligned with success criteria, 56 independent learning, 155
checklist for quality, 55 learning intentions and success
connected to standards, 55 criteria, 54
defined, 54 lesson plans, 61
in lesson-sized chunks, 55 organized learning environment, 31
Lecture, 131, 135 relationships with families, 87
flipped instruction and, 171 relevant learning, 75
Lesson plans, 60–65 sense of community, 15
anticipatory set or hook in, 62 standards, 42
checking for understanding in, 62 student-teacher relationships, 81
closure in, 62, 63 welcoming environment, 9
components of, 62–63
input or modeling in, 62 Names, student, 10
practice in, 62 Neglecters, homework, 157
purpose in, 62 New topics, class meeting, 19
transitions in, 62, 63 Nondirectivity, 16–17
Life-work balance, 40 Nonverbal hand signals, 102
Links to learning in collaborative Note taking, 179
learning, 151 Noun phrases, 44
Listening, 83 Nouns, 44
Literature circles, 150 Novel ideas, 150
Null curriculum, 43
Maps, curriculum, 49–50 Numbered heads, 150
Matching questions, 108, 109
Mentorship, 1 Official curriculum, 43
Metacognitive prompts, 141 Ongoing feedback, 123
Modeling, 131, 132–133, 184 Ongoing topics, class meeting, 19
in focused instruction, 136 Open-ended questions, 103
in lectures, 135 Openness, 11
Mode of lecture, 135 Operational curriculum, 43, 44
Monitoring of collaborative learning, 151 Optimism bias, 107
Motivation in lectures, 135 Organized learning environments,
Multilingual learners 30–37
asset mapping for, 27 physical environment, 31, 32
cultural assets of, 27–28 routines and procedures in, 31, 33–34
defined, 26 specialized learning areas in, 36
enriching the language classroom storage in, 35
for, 26 sustainability in, 36
gallery walks for, 27 wall and board space in, 35
inviting students to explore their Outside of school learning. See
cultural assets, 28 Homework
juicy sentences protocol for, 177 Ownership, sense of, 18
200
Pacing guides, 49–52 shared, 183
analyzing, 51 three-read protocol, 186
Pacing of focused instruction, 136 Reciprocal peer tutoring, 180
Participation and engagement in Reciprocal teaching, 182
learning, 71 Recognition
Partners A and B, 150 class meeting, 19
Passion inventory, 78 of efforts, 82
Peer feedback, 111 Record keeping, 3
Peer tutoring, 180 Reflective prompts, 142
Performances, 107, 111–112 Reflective thinking, 104
independent learning, 156 Relatedness, 15
Personal association, 76–77 Relationships
Personal identification, 76–77 student-teacher, 10, 86–91
Personal usefulness, 76–77 actions that foster, 82
Pessimism bias, 107 five components for strong, 81
Physical environment, 31, 32 intentional building of, 93
Pierson, R., 81 proximity and, 82
Play 5x5, 64 questions to ask in building, 84
Pleasers, homework, 157 repairing damaged, 83
Positive supports, 25 2x10 strategy for, 82
Poster, collaborative, 150 teacher-family, 87
Powersheets, 160 being proactive in, 90
Presentation skills in lectures, 135 clarifying the message in, 90
Proactivity, 39 collaboration in, 88
Problematic behaviors, responding to, 95 communication in, 88, 89–90
Problem-solution maps, 173 consistency in, 88
Procedure prompts, 142 explaining what information will
Process prompts, 142 be shared in, 90
Productive group work, 150 following regulations in, 90
Progressive writing, 64 personal calls in, 88
Projects, 107, 111–112 repairing, 88
independent learning, 156 setting expectations for, 90
Prompting in guided instruction, 141–142 text messages in, 90
Pronunciation of names, correct, 10 three Cs of, 88
Providing support, 81 understanding how families like
Proximity, 32 to communicate and, 90
in fostering student-teacher video conferencing in, 90
relationships, 82 Relevant learning, 74–79
Purposeful pausing, 104 checklist for, 77
Putting first things first, 39 on a continuum, 76–77
as motivation, 75
Questions, essential, 50, 168 passion inventory and, 78
Quick-write prompts, 103 personal association and, 76–77
Quizzes, 108–109 personal identification and, 76–77
personal usefulness and, 76–77
Racism, 25 reflective questions in, 76
RAFT writing, 181 Reliability, 11, 83
Read-alouds, 64 Research as independent learning, 156
interactive, 174 Response cards, 102
Reading Rigor
close, 165 and alignment of focused
as focused instruction, 131 instruction, 136
at home, 118–119 in guided instruction, 144
independent, at school, 156 Roundtables, discussion, 167
201
Routines and procedures, 31, 33–34 daily review, 166
in classroom management, 96 discussion roundtable, 167
in collaborative learning, 151 essential questions, 50, 168
exit slips, 169
Safety, 32 five-word summary, 170
Scaffolding, 140, 144 flipped instruction, 171
Schedules, 33 graphic organizers, 172–173
Seeking first to understand, then to be interactive read alouds, 64, 174
understood, 40 interactive writing, 175
Self-assessment, 57, 111 jigsaws, 176
Self-determination, 15 juicy sentences protocol, 177
Self-regulation K-W-L, 178
feedback on, 125 note taking, 179
teacher, 93 peer tutoring, 180
Sense of community, 14–21 RAFT writing, 181
autonomy, competence, and reciprocal teaching, 182
relatedness in, 15 shared reading, 183
class meetings and, 18, 19 teacher modeling and thinking
involving families, 20 aloud, 132–133, 137, 184
self-determination and, 15 text rendering protocol, 185
sense of belonging and, 16 three-read protocol, 186
student ownership of classroom Student-centered classroom
and, 18 community, 7
Sequence/process graphic organizers, 173 Students
Seven habits of highly effective people, calling on, 34
39–40 co-creating success criteria, 58
Sexism, 25 with disabilities (SWD), 24–25
Shared reading, 183 dismissal of, 34
Sharing power, 81 entry into classrooms, 33
Sharpening the saw, 40 feedback for (See Feedback)
Short answer questions, 108, 109 final notes on, 189
Signaling of students, 34 how to signal, 34
Simulations, 131 interest surveys of, 12
6 Rs of note-taking, 179 learning the names of, 10
Skills, 44 monitoring their own
SLANT and engagement in learning, 71 progress, 57
Social equity in lectures, 135 ownership of classrooms, 18
Socratic seminars, 156 self-determination by, 15
Spaced practice, 155 trust in teachers, 11
Specialized learning areas, 36 well-being and motivation to learn
Spiral review, 116–117 in, 15
Sponge activities, 64 Success criteria, 53–59
Standards, 41–46 aligning with learning
analyzing, 45 intentions, 56
curriculum, 42, 43–46 checklist for quality, 56
defined, 42 defined, 56
learning intentions connected to, 55 student monitoring of, 57
lesson planning for, 60–65 tips for co-constructing, 58
Storage in organized learning Supportive practices, 7
environments, 35 Sustainable classrooms, 36
Story maps, 173 Synergizing, 40
Strategies for learning, 163–187
anticipation guides, 164 Tangible and transparent feedback, 123
close reading of complex texts, 165 Target vocabulary, 50
202
Tasks and assignments, 50 Turn and learn, 150
for collaborative learning, 151 2x10 strategy, 82
designed to promote engagement, 72
independent learning, 156 Unconditional positive regard, 16
T-charts, 173 User friendly feedback, 123
Teacher modeling, 184
Teachers Venn diagrams, 173
assessment by, 2 Verbal cues, 143
communication by, 3 Verb phrases, 44
instruction by, 2 Verbs, 44
leadership by, 3 Video conferencing, 90
record keeping by, 3 Video instruction, 131
responsibilities of, 2–3 Visibility, 32
roles of, 1 Visual cues, 143
self-regulation by, 93
seven habits of highly effective Wait times, 104
people and, 39–40 Wall and board space in organized
Technology management in the learning environments, 35
classroom, 34 Webs, word, 173
Tests, 107, 108–109 Week/timeline, 50
Text messaging, 90 Welcoming environment, 9–13
Text rendering protocol, 185 built on trust, 11
Text-to-speech technology, 25 esprit de corps in, 9
Thinking aloud, 132–133, 137, 184 interest surveys in, 12
Thinking win-win, 39 relationships in, 10
Three-read protocol, 186 Whip around, 64
Time Whiteboards, 102
purposeful pausing, 104 Worksheets, 160
in repairing damaged relationships, 83 Writing
Timely feedback, 123 to check for understanding, 103
True/false questions, 108 interactive, 175
Trust, 11, 81, 87 prompts for, 110
repairing, 83 RAFT, 181
203
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WHAT YOUR COLLEAGUES ARE SAYING . . .

Douglas Fisher • Nancy Frey

Sage Publications Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023952107

Videos and Online Resources vii

SECTION 1: CREATING THE CLIMATE FOR LEARNING 7

SECTION 2: PLANNING FOR LEARNING 39

SECTION 3: ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING 67

SECTION 4: ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING 99

SECTION 6: STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING 163

A FINAL NOTE FROM THE DESK OF DOUG AND NANCY 189

Visit the companion website at

SECTION 1: CREATING THE CLIMATE FOR LEARNING

SECTION 2: PLANNING FOR LEARNING

SECTION 3: ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING

SECTION 4: ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING

SECTION 5: INSTRUCTIONAL MOVES THAT ENSURE LEARNING

SECTION 6: STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING

A FINAL NOTE FROM THE DESK OF DOUG AND NANCY

THE ROLE OF A TEACHER

• Providing mentorship and support and listening to others

• Inspiring learners to achieve their aspirations and potential

• Nurturing curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking

• Creating meaningful learning experiences

• Using technology to support learning

• Selecting the right instructional strategies that deepen learning

• Continuing to learn, grow, and develop as an educator

I.1: Welcome to Teaching

• Design instruction to meet student needs.

• Provide timely and useful

• Grade students based on

• Administer local and state

• Provide feedback to families and other

• Attend planning meetings, team meetings,

• Collaborate with grade-level/subject-area

• Supervise paraprofessionals and peer tutors.

• Maintain student records of progress and

• Maintain attendance records.

1. Creating the climate for learning

5. Instructional moves that ensure learning

6. Tools and strategies that support learning

Notice that we’re focused on learning. The other aspects of teaching

There are myths that persist in the field

You’ll see lots of images that will guide

For each question, we provide information

At the end of each question, there is a checklist

We’ve included a lot of videos so that you can

There are also links to additional resources

Again, welcome to teaching.

1.1: Welcome to Section 1

Section 1: CREATING THE CLIMATE FOR LEARNING 7

Just stick to the prescribed curriculum.

Don’t smile before the winter break.

Section 1: CREATING THE CLIMATE FOR LEARNING 9

BEGINS WITH RELATIONSHIPS

Have you stepped into a new environment and immediately

Learn every student’s name. A person’s name is central to

Learn how to pronounce names correctly. If a name is

Learn about their interests. Use

Make sure they get to know you. Share

Be consistent in your demeanor. We all have frustrating mornings, bad days,

Be open. Student suggestions,

9. Finish this sentence: I hope this class is because _.

• Provide scaffolds, such as language frames