Encouraging collaboration is a year-long process for me.  

During the first few weeks of school, it is important for me to build community in my classroom by having students learn their classmates' names and do icebreakers as a team. Saving Sam is one of my favorites!

My student desks are arranged into shoulder partners so that students can work with the people paired with them. As the year progresses, I give my students a survey asking them where they would like to sit and who they would like to sit with and make changes based on that.

My public pacing tracker is helpful in pairing students who are working on the same lessons - especially if one of them is unprepared with technology. Having students watch the instructional videos together creates a connection that lasts beyond the instructional video. Since students are working on the same lesson they often continue to work together.

One-on-one instruction: I usually try to first check in with my ELL students and students with additional needs (IEPs or 504 plans). These students often need verbal and simplified instructions, so this is crucial to ensure they can successfully start their assignments. 

My next step is to check in with my students who are farthest behind on the pacing tracker. I will often cut Aspire to Do and Should Do assignments from their pacing tracker. Then I get them started on the assignments they are missing.  

Whole group instruction: I usually use whole group instruction at the beginning of class to complete a warm-up activity -- a question that requires students to access their prior knowledge. I’ve recently begun using a Feedback Frame to get an idea of what my students remember throughout the school year. After students vote, I’m able to get a good idea of where students' misconceptions are and clarify them as an entire group.

In addition, I occasionally play my instructional video as a whole group when students do not have the technology they need to be successful.  When I do this, students complete their notes pages as a whole group and then are self-paced following the notes page. Following their notes page, students can: complete behind-pace assignments or continue working on that day’s lesson materials. Students have a choice in that matter.