Episode Four: Always be Doing the Work... before assigning it to your students.
Hey SuperTeachers, want to avoid those embarrassing "oops" moments and level up your confidence in the classroom? Here’s your mantra: Always Do the Work Before you assign it. Warm-ups, Classwork, Cool Downs, Everything!
While curriculum developers provide a comprehensive roadmap, they don’t know your students—you do.
It amazes me how complex—or downright cryptic—some assignments can be. The work should challenge them, not confuse them. Think: Zone of Proximal Development and Productive Struggle.
Avoid unleashing anything on your students that isn’t meaningful, purposeful, and aligned with the learning objective.
Define Your Goals Clearly: Before you roll out each lesson, be sure you can complete this magic formula: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to ________ by ________. And will use the following vocabulary: ________ during discussions and in their written responses.
It’s about being crystal clear on what your students need to know and be able to do, which is essential for crafting focused learning objectives and language goals. This level of clarity isn’t busy work—it’s a game changer for effectively monitoring and adapting to student progress throughout the lesson.
Master the Material: Prepping in advance lets you anticipate misconceptions and plan your mini-lesson accordingly, ensuring your students can truly engage with the grade-level content. By doing the work first, you set yourself up to sidestep potential pitfalls and streamline your teaching efforts.
Anticipate and Adapt: This isn’t just about staying a step ahead; it’s about shaping your lessons to unlock every student’s potential. When you know where the tricky bits are, you can tailor your mini-lessons to ensure every student grasps the grade-level content.
Picture this: mid-lesson, a student throws you a curveball question. Instead of stumbling, you nail it with a cool, “That’s an excellent question, Kevin. Let's have everyone turn and talk about it—I'll be picking three volunteers to share your insights shortly.” This isn’t just stalling—it’s strategically leveraging real-time feedback to enhance everyone’s learning.
Prep Now, Succeed Later: Taking the time to thoroughly prep each lesson frees you up to be more flexible and responsive in the classroom. It’s like having a secret weapon that lets you adapt on the fly to whatever the school day throws your way.
Looking forward to your thoughts in the comments below—like, share, and Always Do the Work BEFORE assigning it to your students.
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