Group 8 - Instructional Time

I'm sure all of you would agree that lesson time is precious thus the need to maximise every second.

Think about the issues below.

Do we do them?

Why not?

Do we even try?

Find out if anyone else has tried but the outcome is different from yours.

Key in the points of your group discussion here, between the two horizontal lines.

b)

• • They do only if we state clearly the objectives/agenda for the lesson at the start of the lesson

  • Should be meaningful. make the distinction clear between admin and actual lesson

  • Dependent on the class profile

  • Yes, usually

  • Yes, example: think-pair-share ; group-work

  • Most of the time

  • Not all the time. Difficult to give mental break even though it is quite important

Task 2

- discuss on the issues assigned to your group

- after which, your group may choose to discuss on the other issues

a) Minimising Non-instructional (Administrative) Time and Developing Efficient Management Systems

Housekeeping matters (attendance, forms, announcements)

• What are the routines and procedures in your class?

• Are students given responsibilities to do some of these management tasks?

• Is there a reward system for efficiency?

• Are learning (kept in school) materials conveniently stored and easily available to students?

• Is time allocated for transitions? Do you stop at the chime or the bell?

• How do you manage discipline issues while teaching?

b) Pacing and Rhythm During Instructional Time

• Do students know what is going to happen next during the lesson?

• Should the activities in the opening and closing minutes meaningful or administrative?

• Should most of your lesson structures similar?

• Is the time given for tasks appropriate?

• Is there sufficient time for students to process and make meaning? What are some example of such activities? How do we structure the lesson to accommodate this time?

• Is wait time conscientiously practised?

• Is there sufficient time for different stages of learning? (processing, making meaning, clarification, reinforcement, mental break)

• Principles of Learning (Cognitive, Attention and Engagement, Motivational, Technical)

c) Maximise Engaged and Academic Learning Time

• Is there variety of engagement for different style of learners?

• Is there ‘quiet’ individual time for students?

• Do the students get to be the teacher?

• Is there sufficient ‘walk about’ time by teacher to monitor individuals?

• Can all the students (weakest to strongest) be engaged for the same duration?

• Do we have a good idea if all or most students are meaningfully engaged in the lesson? (Do students say ‘wah, lesson so fast over? Double period some more’ or ‘huh, only 10 minutes have passed…’)

• Do we protect instructional time? Of other teachers as well?

d) School level (for KPs)

• Besides guidelines from HQ, what are other considerations when allocating the duration for each subject?

• Was there consideration to protect instructional time when the duration of each period is reduced?

• What are some support that the school can provide to reduce non-instructional time and making housekeeping matter more efficient?

• Are the supports monitored and reviewed? or just assumed to be in place and working?

e) Feel free to add in more issues that are not listed but worth discussing :)