3-Read Friday #017

Klaxons, checks for listening, and the first 10 minutes of a lesson

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Here are three blog posts that I found interesting this week.

1. 10 Classic Klaxons… Things to avoid doing or saying by Tom Sherrington

I love this list of things teachers should try to avoid saying or doing… all of which I have said and done many times, of course. I would also add another to this list: telling students the next question is easy. There are few surer ways to prevent a student from admitting they are struggling than by labelling a question in that way.

2. Execution over resources: Two ways to use the same slide by Adam Robbins

I have been thinking a lot about checking for listening questions ever since my conversation with Pritesh Raichura. Adam does an amazing job in this blog comparing two ways of checking students are listening to an explanation that appear really similar on the surface, but one of which is likely to cause students to pay significantly more attention. It is a tiny tweak that could make a world of difference.

3. The First 10 Minutes by Jody Chan

What happens at the start of the lesson sets the tone for what follows. If students settle quickly, focus, and feel successful, there is a good chance they will carry this through for a good portion of the rest of the lesson. Jody outlines exactly what the first 10 minutes of their lesson looks like, and the rationale for each step. How does it compare to what you do?

If you found this edition of 3-Read Friday useful, feel free to share it with colleagues. Also, you can check out all the back issues of my Eedi newsletter and Tips for Teachers newsletter here. But, most importantly of all, have a great weekend.

Craig