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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Academic Posture describes the observable student behaviors that remind students to be attentive and ready learners. When students are employing the academic posture behaviors, it communicates to the teacher that the students are actively listening and alert, which maximizes students’ ability to pay attention. Teachers set expectations with students in advance about a small number of behaviors they will be looking for and refer to. Acronyms are often used to help remind students of the behaviors that need to be exhibited for academic posture.
- Determine 3 – 5 specific behaviors that students will be expected to follow.
- Create a concise but clear description of what each behavior looks like and what the teacher will be looking for students to do.
- Explain to students the expected behaviors they are to follow.
- Model the expected behaviors for students. For example:
- Sit up: Demonstrate having back straight against the back of the chair and both feet on the floor under the desk.
- Listen: Demonstrate having eyes forward on the speaker, mouths closed, and nothing in their hands.
- Have students practice the expected behaviors and reteach until each student successfully demonstrates it.
- Provide frequent verbal reminders, and post the behaviors in the classroom so that they can easily be referred to.
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Alerts
When a student is not following a particular behavior, pause briefly to remind the student or the entire class what the behavior is and why it’s important, then ask the students to model the behaviors before moving on.
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Quick Tips
Consider assigning each behavior a nonverbal signal to help reinforce or correct any aspect of the academic posture without interruptions. For example, point to the eyes to remind a student to track the speaker.
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Other Strategies
S.L.A.N.T.
SLANT is an acronym to remind students to focus: Sit up, Listen, Ask and answer questions, Nod your head, and Track the speaker. “Make sure you are SLANTing” is shorthand to remind students to focus.
S.T.A.R.
STAR is an acronym to get students’ attention and remind them to focus: Sit up, Track the speaker, Ask and answer questions like a scholar, and Respect those around you.