Professional Development
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- PD Operations / HELC
- Design, Media, and Online Learning (DMOL)
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Effective Practices
- PL Toolkit
- PL-1 Develops Student Learning Goals
- PL-2 Data-driven instruction
- PL-3 Design Effective Lesson Plans, Units & Assessments
- I-1 Objective Driven Lessons
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I-2 Check for Understanding
- Assess Mastery
- Begin with the End
- Checkpoints
- Chunking Text
- Closure
- Cold Call
- Exit Ticket
- Graphic Organizer
- Guided Practice
- Non-Verbal Signals
- Open-Ended Responses
- Post It
- Randomizing Responses
- Right is Right
- Running Roster
- Stretch It
- Structured Peer Conversation
- Student Conferences
- Student-Generated Questions
- Teach Back
-
I-3 Differentiation
- Chunking Text
- Double Plan
- Exit Ticket
- Flexible Grouping
- Graphic Organizer
- Grappling
- HOT Question
- Independent Practice
- Leveled Text
- Multimedia
- Open-Ended Responses
- Post It
- Product Menus
- Right is Right
- Running Roster
- Stretch It
- Structured Peer Conversation
- Student-Generated Questions
- Take a Stand
- Tiered Assignments
- Workstations
- I-4 Higher Level Thinking
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I-5 Maximizing Instructional Time
- 100 Percent
- Academic Posture
- Call and Response
- Cold Call
- Do Now
- Entry Routine
- Exit Routine
- Job Assignments
- Material Organization
- Non-Verbal Interventions
- Non-Verbal Signals
- Open-Ended Responses
- Pacing Tools
- Right is Right
- Stretch It
- Strong Voice
- Student Conference
- Teach Back
- Tight Transitions
- Work the Clock
- Workstations
- I-6 Communicating Content/Concepts
- I-7 High Academic Expectations
-
I-8 Student Engagement
- Academic Posture
- Call and Response
- Closure
- Cold Call
- Do Now
- Engage and Connect
- Graphic Organizer
- HOT Question
- Independent Practice
- J-Factor
- Job Assignments
- Leveled Text
- Non-Verbal Signals
- Open-Ended Responses
- Product Menus
- Randomizing Responses
- Real-World Connections
- Reinforcers
- Structured Peer Conversation
- Student-Generated Questions
- Workstations
- Work Hard, Get Smart
- I-9 Classroom Management
- I-10 Classroom Climate
- Literacy Routines
- Academics
- Swivl Pilot Program
- eLearning
Description
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Closure is the wrap up at the end of the lesson that helps students synthesize and summarize new knowledge. Students reflect on the objective(s) as they engage in a quick discussion or a closing activity to review what they have learned. It is meant to recap the learning, close out the conversation, and address any outstanding questions the students may still have. This process helps the teacher decide if additional practice is needed or whether it is sensible to move on to the next lesson.
- Plan and prepare a closing activity that usually lasts 5-10 minutes and aligns to the instructional objective of the lesson.
- Make sure materials are ready for use if necessary.
- Set enough time (about 5-10 minutes) to introduce and go over the closing activity.
- Close the lesson by reviewing the learning target(s).
- Have students discuss in pairs or small groups what they learned in relation to the learning target(s). Use any of the techniques below:
- Ask questions like: What "aha moments" did you have? What was the most important thing you learned today? How does today's lesson influence your thinking? What was the most challenging concept in today’s lesson?
- Give another example of the concept by applying information to previous learning (from a past lesson) or a new situation (link to content for the next day’s lesson).
- Have students summarize the lesson by accounting the beginning, middle, and end of the lesson. “Today we started by ___, then we ___, and we pulled it all together when we ___.” The students can present the summary with or without prompts from the teacher.
- Use nonverbal closures like writing a journal entry, a chalk talk, or creating graphic representations of their learning through a gallery walk.
- Make the closure into a game by playing Jeopardy, Pictionary of key concepts, or by constructing riddles about terms introduced.
- Walk around the room to take mental or written notes about students who are having difficulty.
- Preview future lessons to build interest (if applicable).
- Collect students’ reflection as they walk out the door (if applicable).
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Alerts
Closure should come from the students stating what they learned during the class. The intellectual work should be done by the students and not by the teacher.
Oftentimes, teachers leave off the closure. It is the first thing to get cut off if time is running out at the end of the lesson. Use a timer or an online stopwatch to pace the lesson or have a student be responsible for reminding the teacher.
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Quick Tips
Consider asking students to write down one potential test question from that day's lesson as an Exit Ticket. Have them exchange their paper with a classmate to answer.
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Other Strategies
Think-Pair-Share
Anytime throughout instruction, the teacher can pose a question or problem and invite students to think about it for a minute. Then the teacher will ask the students to pair up with a partner. They are given another minute to share their ideas with each other. The teacher calls on volunteer pairs to share with the whole group.
Community Circle
Students gather in a circle to have a structured, student-centered discussion with each other and the teacher. This practice builds a sense of community, develops problem-solving skills, strengthens bonds between student and teacher, and provides an opportunity for students to practice their listening, speaking, and interpersonal skills.