Professional Development
- 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
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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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What To Do is a practice that involves giving students directions in a way that is clear and defined. The practice is based on the premise that some student noncompliance is due to students’ misunderstanding of the directions, not defiance. Directions should be specific enough that a teacher can distinguish between misunderstanding and defiance.
- Tell students what to do (“Keep your eyes on me”) as opposed to what not to do (“Don’t look around”).
- Ensure directions are:
- Specific: They must be manageable and precisely describe the actions students should take.
- Concrete: They must be clear, actionable tasks.
- Sequential: They must describe a sequence of concrete and specific actions.
- Observable: They must specifically communicate what you want to see the students doing. This ensures accountability.
- Re-teach students the desired behavior if they still misunderstand your expectations. Provide consequences if they are being defiant.
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Alerts
Punishing students who do not understand directions erodes relationships and creates a sense of injustice. Make sure to teach students directions, not punish them for misunderstandings.
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Quick Tips
Breaking down an initial direction into an even more specific sequence of steps helps students better understand.
Ask a student to repeat directions to check what they understand and reinforce the expectation.
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Other Strategies
Double Plan
Double Plan is an effective lesson-planning practice where teachers think about and plan for what students will do during the course of a lesson. This practice helps teachers see the lesson through the eyes of the student in order to make sure students stay actively engaged in all aspects of the lesson.