SLO 3.2 - Analyze effective instruction for engagement 

Learning happens as a result of a plan to get students to do learning tasks. We support those learning tasks with instruction. 

Lesson planning provides a structure that can be repeated or adjusted depending on its success in getting students to the learning targets. As you make changes to this simple lesson plan, you need to combine the skills that you have developed over Module 9 & 10. Become comfortable with Actionable, Measurable, Challenging, Clear, Meaningful, Contextualized, and Diverse lessons that are full of engagement and quality questions. The Why

Anytime you borrow a lesson from someone, you must identify the parts of a good lesson. I want you to learn lesson planning because it will help you become an effective professional. Effective teachers produce students who are learning experts.

So, get comfortable with the idea of lesson planning. It will help you:

• • Become organized.

  • Know whether or not you are effective.

  • Know whether or not students have learned.

  • Be able to adjust your instruction    

  • Become better at teaching!

  • Create structures which allow you to focus on other tasks.

  • To pace the content students will be expected to learn.

  • Break down standards into easily communicated learning objectives.

  • Understand what the expectations are of a professional teacher.

  • Share your ideas.

  • It will make your life easier in the long run.

It is probably no exaggeration to say that classroom management has been a primary concern of teachers ever since there have been teachers in classrooms. However, the systematic study of effective classroom management is a relatively recent phenomenon. Here we briefly consider the major studies on classroom management. (For more detailed and comprehensive discussions, see Emmer, 1984; Brophy, 1996; and Doyle, 1986, 1990.)

Arguably, the first high-profile, large-scale, systematic study of classroom management was done by Jacob Kounin (1970). He analyzed videotapes of 49 first and second grade classrooms and coded the behavior of students and teachers. Kounin's findings are discussed in more depth in Chapter 5, but it is worth noting here that he identified several critical dimensions of effective classroom management. Those dimensions (among others) are (1) “withitness,” (2) smoothness and momentum during lesson presentations, (3) letting students know what behavior is expected of them at any given point in time, and (4) variety and challenge in the seatwork assigned to students. “Withitness” involves a keen awareness of disruptive behavior or potentially disruptive behavior and immediate attention to that behavior; of the four dimensions, it is the one that most consistently separates the excellent classroom managers from the average or below-average classroom managers.

In 1976 Brophy and Evertson reported the results of one of the major studies in classroom management, up to that point, in a book entitled Learning from Teaching: A Developmental Perspective. Their sample included some 30 elementary teachers whose students had exhibited consistently better than expected gains in academic achievement. The comparison group consisted of 38 teachers whose performance was more typical. Brophy and Evertson's study, then, might be considered a comparison of exceptional teachers with average teachers. Although the study focused on a wide variety of teaching behaviors, classroom management surfaced as one of the critical aspects of effective teaching. Much of what they found relative to classroom management supported the earlier findings of Kounin. Brophy and Everson (1976) say this about their study:

Much has been said . . . in the book about our findings concerning classroom management. Probably the most important point to bear in mind is that almost all surveys of teacher effectiveness report that classroom management skills are of primary importance in determining teaching success, whether it is measured by student learning or by ratings. Thus, management skills are crucial and fundamental. A teacher who is grossly inadequate in classroom management skills is probably not going to accomplish much. (p. 27)

A series of four studies conducted at the Research and Development Center for Teacher Education in Austin, Texas, marked a milestone in the research on classroom management. The first study involved 27 elementary school teachers. The second involved 51 junior high school teachers. Results from the elementary school study were reported in Emmer, Evertson, and Anderson (1980) and Anderson, Evertson, and Emmer (1980). Results from the junior high study were reported in Evertson and Emmer (1982) and in Sanford and Evertson (1981). Both studies were descriptive and correlational in nature and identified those teacher actions associated with student on-task behavior and disruptive behavior. Again, Kounin's earlier findings were strongly supported. One of the more significant conclusions from these studies was that early attention to classroom management at the beginning of the school year is a critical ingredient of a well-run classroom.

The third and fourth studies, also conducted in the elementary and junior high schools, respectively, examined the impact of training in classroom management techniques based on findings from the first two studies. The findings from these studies were reported by Emmer, Sanford, Clements, and Martin (1982); Emmer, Sanford, Evertson, Clements, and Martin (1981); and Evertson, Emmer, Sanford, and Clements (1983). As described by Emmer (1984),

In the later two studies, the interventions occurred at the beginning of the school year and resulted in improved teacher behavior in many, but not all, management areas and also in more appropriate student behavior in experimental group classes as compared to control group classes . . . (p. 17)

The Classroom Strategy Study conducted by Jere Brophy (see Brophy, 1996; Brophy & McCaslin, 1992) was the next major study addressing classroom management. Among the many findings from the study was that effective classroom managers tended to employ different types of strategies with different types of students, whereas ineffective managers tended to use the same strategies regardless of the type of student or the situation. One of the study's strong recommendations was that teachers should develop a set of “helping skills” to employ with different types of students. 

In spite of the profound impact of these various studies, classroom management received its strongest endorsement in a comprehensive study by Margaret Wang, Geneva Haertel, and Herbert Walberg (1993). The end result of this massive review was that classroom management was rated first in terms of its impact on student achievement.

There are no perfect templates, just like no perfect recipes. Teachers and schools and universities and districts and states use all kinds of templates for lesson planning. No matter what they generally have some common elements. You should consider aspects of a good lesson as you critique and adjust any lesson. Some of the following elements of a lesson plan can guide your thinking as you critique and develop this week's assessment. 

This will just guide your thinking. You do not need to use this template for this class.  

• Standards: What are the standards driving your instruction (Common Core/HCPS)?

• Student Learning Objectives: What would you like the students to be able to do in order to reach the standard? (If necessary, break down into clear, actionable, and student-friendly objectives)

• Purpose: Why are you teaching this lesson? (State your purpose as it relates to your objectives and your students.)

• Agenda, Timeframe, and Pacing: What is the general flow of events in the lesson? (1st this, 2nd that, 3rd this...)

• Instructional Materials and Resources: What will you need in order to complete this lesson? Do you need a text? Paper, pencils? Do you need other materials?

English Language Arts — Hawai‘i Common Core

• Read the standards: VIEW 

• Overview, instructional shifts: VIEW

• Family resources: VIEW

Mathematics — Hawai‘i Common Core

• Read the standards: VIEW 

• Overview, instructional shifts: VIEW

• Family resources: VIEW

• Assessment Criteria: How will you know students have learned?  What objectives are you measuring? How will you assess the learning objectives? What criteria will you use to assess and judge the quality of their learning?

• Assessment Activity: What cognitively engaging activity will you have students do to demonstrate learning objectives?  How do all your objectives result in one final product? (How does the language of the standards or objectives get incorporated so students know what you want? Describe the activity, as you would share it with your students.)

Remember: assessment does not have to mean multiple-choice tests and essays. Assessments can be any way we check in with our students, both in content and emotionally. In some ways, we can see assessment as a loving act.

• Connection: How does this relate to your student’s prior knowledge and experiences? (Make it real)

• Motivation and develop pride in work: How will you motivate your students to be engaged in learning this content? Why should they learn this material? (Make it meaningful)  What is the buy-in? What will this help students do?

• Importance of Content and Application: How will students apply this knowledge in the real world? What utility does this have? (Make it useful)

GET TO KNOW YOUR STUDENTS AND WHAT INTERESTS THEM ABOUT THE WORLD THEY LIVE IN. THIS IS THE FOUNDATION OF CONTEXTUALIZATION AND ENGAGEMENT. 

Here are a few ways to increase student satisfaction through the intrinsic motivational methods of autonomy, master and purpose. 

Autonomy – provide learners with autonomy over some (or all) of the four main aspects of schoolwork:

• When they do it (time) – Consider focusing more on the output (result) rather than a time/schedule. This allows students to have flexibility over when they complete tasks, while also giving them a chance to work on their prioritization and self-direction skills.

• How they do it (technique) – Don’t dictate how learners should complete their tasks. Provide initial guidance and then allow them to tackle the project in the way they see fit rather than having to follow a strict procedure. You can also provide CHOICE: provide multiple ways in which learners can show that they have achieved a goal or mastery or a skill/concept. 

• Whom they do it with (team) –Allow learners to work in their own teams.

• What they do (task) - Allow learners to have regular ‘creative’ days where they can work on any project/problem they wish – there is empirical evidence which shows that many new ideas are often generated during this ‘creative free time’.

Mastery – allow learners to become better at something that matters to them:

• Provide “Goldilocks tasks” – Pink uses the term “Goldilocks tasks” to describe those tasks which are neither overly difficult nor overly simple – these tasks allow learners to extend themselves and develop their skills further. The risk of providing tasks that fall short of learners' capabilities is boredom, and the risk of providing tasks that exceed their capabilities is anxiety.

• Create an environment where mastery is possible – to foster an environment of learning and development, four essentials are required – autonomy, clear goals, immediate feedback and Goldilocks tasks.

Purpose – take steps to fulfill employees’ natural desire to contribute to a cause greater and more enduring than themselves:

• Communicate the purpose – make sure learners know and understand the course purpose and goals. Learners, who understand the purpose and vision of the instructor and the course, and how their individual roles as students contribute to this purpose, are more likely to be satisfied in their coursework.

• Emphasize on purpose maximization. Course and individual goals should focus on purpose. 

• Use purpose-oriented words – talk about the class as a united team by using words such as “us” and “we”, this will inspire learners to talk about the course in the same way and feel a part of the greater cause.

• Expectations for Behavior: How do you want students to behave during the lesson?

• Expectations for Learning and Enthusiastic Statement: Restate what you want students to learn the lesson? How will you demonstrate your excitement in what you are teaching?

• Procedures: What instructional steps are necessary to complete the activity? Break down the activity into chunks that you can share with the students. Identify relevant language and skills.

• Examples: What examples will you provide to demonstrate/model-desired outcomes?

• Guided student task and participation: What tasks will you do with the students so that you know they are prepared for independent practice? Break down the assessment into parts so that you can make sure that students are ready to move forward.

• Quality questions for students: What questions will you ask students to challenge their thinking and to let you know that they are ready or have completed the learning of the objectives?  

• Monitoring of Learning and Feedback:  How will you know students have learned? How will you check in with them while they are working? What will you say to them? What questions will you ask about their learning?

Formative assessments are often called "checks for understanding." There are plenty of ways you can do that; here are some examples.

Question stems for scaffolded learning and formative assessments

The following can be used as a part of any formative assessment or quality questions and are tied to Marzano's hierarchy of learning...

The learning opportunities are as follows:

Visual-Spatial - think in terms of physical space, as do architects and sailors. Very aware of their environments. They like to draw, do jigsaw puzzles, read maps, daydream. They can be taught through drawings, verbal and physical imagery. Tools include models, graphics, charts, photographs, drawings, 3-D modeling, video, videoconferencing, television, multimedia, texts with pictures/charts/graphs. For example,  a high school English teacher uses film to teach Common Core skills!

Bodily-kinesthetic - use the body effectively, like a dancer or a surgeon. Keen sense of body awareness. They like movement, making things, touching. They communicate well through body language and be taught through physical activity, hands-on learning, acting out, role playing. Tools include equipment and real objects.

Musical - show sensitivity to rhythm and sound. They love music, but they are also sensitive to sounds in their environments. They may study better with music in the background. They can be taught by turning lessons into lyrics, speaking rhythmically, tapping out time. Tools include musical instruments, music, radio, stereo, CD, multimedia.

Interpersonal - understanding, interacting with others. These students learn through interaction. They have many friends, empathy for others, street smarts. They can be taught through group activities, seminars, dialogues. Tools include the telephone, audio conferencing, time and attention from the instructor, video conferencing, writing, computer conferencing, E-mail.

Intrapersonal - understanding one's own interests, goals. These learners tend to shy away from others. They're in tune with their inner feelings; they have wisdom, intuition, and motivation, as well as a strong will, confidence and opinions. They can be taught through independent study and introspection. Tools include books, creative materials, diaries, privacy and time. They are the most independent of the learners.

Linguistic - using words effectively. These learners have highly developed auditory skills and often think in words. They like reading, playing word games, making up poetry or stories. They can be taught by encouraging them to say and see words, read books together. Tools include computers, games, multimedia, books, recorders, and lecture.

Logical -Mathematical - reasoning, calculating. Think conceptually, abstractly and are able to see and explore patterns and relationships. They like to experiment, solve puzzles, ask cosmic questions. They can be taught through logic games, investigations, mysteries. They need to learn and form concepts before they can deal with details.

I add the following:

Expert - Learning from someone who has many years of experience and knowledge about a topic.

Technology - Using technology to enhance learning opportunities

Natural World - Learn from being outside or in the actual environment of the topic being studied.

Marzano's Taxonomy is at the foundation of these scaffolded and challenging learning objectives. 

In this case, it's good to think about what actions your students will take that will help you measure how well they've internalized a lesson. What will that look like? What specific things will you see your students doing that show success?

What Do You Want Students to do? (SWBAT or Students Will Be Able To)...

• • • (Lower Cognitive Challenge) arrange, check, cite, choose, define, describe, duplicate, find, group, hold, identify, label, list, locate, match, memorize, name, omit, order, pick, quote, read, recall, recite, recognize, relate, repeat, reproduce, reset, review, say, select, show, sort, spell, state, tell, touch, underline, write

      • You're expecting learners to - Remember an idea phenomenon or a fact in somewhat the same form in which he/she learned it.

    • (Middle Cognitive Challenge) arrange, calculate, classify, comprehend, construct, convert, define, describe, discuss, estimate, explain, express, identify, illustrate, indicate, infer, interpret, locate, paraphrase, predict, recognize, report, restate,  summarize

      • You're expecting learners to - Communicate an idea or thing in a new or different form &/or see the relationship among things &/or qualify ideas in relation to one's own experiences &/or project the effects of things.

    • (Middle Cognitive Challenge) analyze, appraise, arrange, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, correlate, criticize, deduce, diagram, differentiate, discriminate, dissect, distinguish, examine, experiment, investigate, point out, prioritize, question, research, sequence, survey, test

      • You're expecting learners to - Break things down into their component parts & uncover the unique characteristics of a "thing."

    • (Higher Cognitive Challenge) adapt, arrange, assemble, build, collaborate, collect, combine, compile, compose, construct, create, derive, design, develop, express, formulate, generalize, generate, hypothesize, incorporate, integrate, invent, make, manage, modify, organize, perform, plan, prepare, produce, program, propose, report, revise, set up, write 

      • You're expecting learners to - Think creatively (divergently) & take things and pattern them in a new way

    • (Higher Cognitive Challenge) appraise, argue, assess, attach, award, choose, classify, compare, conclude, criticize, critique, decide, defend, determine, estimate, evaluate, infer, judge, justify, predict, prioritize, rank, rate, recommend, select, support, validate, value

      • You're expecting learners to - Make judgments about "things" based on either external or internal conditions or criteria & Make or create new or original "things."

REMEMBER: Being lower on the taxonomy is not a bad thing. We all need to roll over, craw, toddle, and walk before we can run! 

What's important is understanding how lower-level activities (e.g. arranging events in chronological order) can eventually help students reach higher-level cognitive activities (e.g. determine cause and effect). This will help you plan lessons that properly support student growth.

• Wrap-up: How will you end the lesson and connect to future learning objectives?

At this point in time, you should have a better idea of what goes into the skill of lesson planning. I promise that you will only get better at it as time goes on. This is such a foundational skill to effective teaching, and it is also such an important part of being excited about teaching. Every teacher has the favorite lesson that they love teaching!

• Chapter 4.1a - Managing Student's Lives (Link to Google Sites)