Teach Like a Champion Strategy Reflection Journal

Entry #1
Technique #1 No Opt Out
Description: This technique begins when the student(s) is unable to
answer a question and should end with the student answering that
question as often as possible. When you are presenting this strategy in
the classroom, you would ask a student a question they may not know,
and then turn to another student and ask them, assuming they know
the correct answer, then returning to the student who you originally
asked and clarifying the correct answer. This is a way of reiterating the
correct answer to a problem and should be nailed down in the childs
brain because of repetition. This strategy doesnt let a child get away
without knowing the answer by the end of the lesson. This strategy
turns the statement, I cant to I can.
Observation/Implementation: I personally have seen this take place in
my placement at Trace Crossings in Mrs. McAdams classroom. She
asked one of the students a question about community helpers (unit
focus) and they did not know the answer, so she asked another student
who knew the answer and clarified the correct response with the
originally student she asked the question. I believe this strategy is
beneficial in the classroom because it allows a student to learn about a
problem without feeling uncomfortable and embarrassed, but also
learning and knowing the correct answer. Students should be held
accountable for their learning and knowing a answer when asked
consistently. I believe this is a great strategy especially for upper
elementary and using for small group work within the classroom for
helping individual students develops understanding. Students learn
that they will be held to a response and that the teacher will not let
them slide without knowing the material. That is key in developing the
childs understanding and should be a goal for instruction.
Technique # 2 Right is Right
Description: This strategy outlines the difference between partially
right and all-the-way rightbetween pretty good and 100 percent. The
main job of the teacher is to set high expectation for his or her
students and demand a high standard of correctness in the classroom.
When students hear the word right, they tend to stop striving for
excellence and begin to turn off their listening hears once they believe
they have completed the task. An example of this strategy would be
expanding on an answer for complete correctness, rather than simply
saying right to a student response. Having your students elaborate

on their responses to answers promotes student achievement and that

all-the-way right attitude.
Observation/Implementation: I have personally practiced this strategy
in Mrs. McAdams classroom with students I have pulled to work with
throughout different assignments. For example, when I have pulled
students to read with me, I ask them many questions about their
reading to extend the learning. I dont give my students a right
response, but rather talk with them through their thinking and why
they came to a certain conclusion about the reading. This promotes the
students learning 100 percent of the material and grasping the whole
concept the teacher is trying to have the student achieve. I believe the
right is right strategy benefits the teacher and students in a classroom
and helps extend the learning objective for the students. I believe this
type of strategy makes the students strive for 100 percent
achievement and allows the teacher to accept nothing but the best
response from his or her students.

Entry #2
Technique #3 Stretch It
Description: This technique stretches the students understanding of a
topic and doesnt allow the students to response with simply a yes or
no response. The students must extend their answer for a greater
understanding of the topic of discussion. This strategy is when the
sequence of learning does not end with the right answer, but rather
reward right answers with follow up questions to extend knowledge
and test for the students understanding of material. Stretch it is
important for differentiating instruction among students in the
classroom. This strategy allows the teacher to check for understanding
first and then extending to deepening understanding.
Observation/Implementation: This strategy should be practiced
throughout all the lessons teachers do because questioning and asking
for deepening understanding is a higher-level skill that will develop
students knowledge of a topic. I have personally done this in my
lessons I have taught. Questioning is essential for me being able to
gage what I need to reteach or clarify because of misconceptions. This
allows me to also see that students do understand the material and we
can engage in deep questioning and conversation about the material
for higher thinking. In the lessons I have taught, consistently I ask
questions to make she I have not made an unclear statements and
students know what I want them to know by the end of the lesson.
Secondly, I asked lot of questions at the end of my lessons to deepen

the students understanding of the material and expand on it. Stretch it

should be practiced in all lessons for deepening knowledge of topic in
any curricula area. I believe this is one of the most important
instructional strategies for developing higher thinking in the students
in your classroom and making sure everyone is on the same page for
their learning of the new material.
Technique #26 Everybody Writes
Description: Having students reflect on their work before and after is a
strategy that is essential for higher-order thinking and should be
practiced in the classroom. Everybody writes sets your students up for
rigorous engagement by giving them the opportunity to reflect first in
writing before discussing. This is key for students to engage in more
meaningful discussions because they have written down their thoughts
and have a clear thought to discuss among their classmates and
teacher. Everybody writes is beneficial for students in some of the
following ways: allows students to select effective responses to begin
discussion, allows you to cold call students simply and naturally, allows
you to be able to give every student a chance to engage in the
conversation, and finally it allows the students to process their
thoughts and ideas.
Observation/Implementation: This strategy is important to implement
in your classroom because it promotes clear thinking among the
students prior to discussing. I have seen this personally in my
placement at Trace Crossings. The students are asked to write down
thoughts before they talk, giving all the students an opportunity to
think about what they will say. I believe this gives students who
struggle with thinking on their toes a chance to write about what they
are thinking, and then expressing it with their words because theyve
been given the opportunity to ponder. This gives all the students in the
class a chance to talk and clearly explain their thoughts through
writing, which can sometimes be easier for students. I believe
implementing this strategy in the classroom is key and can be
incorporated in many ways other than what is simply mentioned in
TLAC. This can be altered to a quick write, summary response, etc. I
would highly recommend this strategy in the classroom and will be
incorporating it into my teaching in the near future.
Entry #3
Technique #27 Vegas

Description: Vegas is the sparkle when at some point during the

lesson you might observe some production values: music, lights,
rhythm, dancing. Vegas draws the students attention and generally
reinforces the days learning objectives. Its an upbeat approach to
learning that is short, sweet, and on point. Vegas moments need to be
implemented with care, otherwise it can cause students to become off
task and do more harm than good. The Vegas strategy should always
relate to the learning objective and/or should meet a requirement
being studied. Simply having a Vegas moment in the instructional time
is not beneficial. When done appropriately, Vegas learning can be great
at achieving the goal of grabbing students attention, promoting
meeting of the learning objective.
Observation/Implementation: I believe this strategy is great for driving
home an objective with a fun way of engaging students. This can be a
video clip that reiterates the concept or performing a song that relates
to a topic(s). Vegas is great for tying in other arts to a curricula area. It
connects technology when it can be used in a lesson and creates art
connections as well. I see myself implementing this in the future when
Im teaching. When teaching a learning objective, I will include a Vegas
moment. This will engage the students and I will create a Vegas
moment when the students are involved in something with music,
dance, video, etc. This will drive home the objective and teach the
students through another multimedia source and/or art form. I believe
including a Vegas moment in lesson plans provides the students in a
whole learning experience, making it more fun but effective as well. I
will definitely include Vegas moments in my future lesson plans.
Technique #31 Binder Control
Description: Having a system for organization provides the students
with more organization and helps them recall information when it is
properly stored away. Using a system of binder control allows the
students to retrieve information quickly and also allows their parents to
retrieve information quickly. Binder control involves organizing each
students binder in a way in which they can store notes, homework,
parents notes, etc. This will be beneficial for the students and allow
them to be sure of where information is and how to retrieve it for class.
It is important for the teacher to demonstrate the importance of
storage, organization, and recall of what the students have learning
through a binder control system.
Observation/Implementation: Binder control is essential for students
because it helps them stay organized for class and at home. When I
have my own class, I will emphasize and make sure students will be
organized using a binder control system. I will do weekly checks and

make sure students are organized with their materials, notes, and
other aspects of their binder. I believe this is so important for the
students and should be practice in the class because it is a skill that
they can carry over into their life, not only in the classroom. Binder
control is a classroom management strategy that I will implement in
my classroom in the future because I think it is important for the
students and their organization.
Entry #4
Technique #28 Entry Routine
Description: Entry into the classroom is important for the students and
should be taught at the beginning of the school year what is expected
when students enter and exit the classroom. The entry routine is
making a habit out of whats efficient, productive, and scholarly after
the greeting and as students take their seats and class begins. Typical
entry routines involved entering the room, unpacking backpack, and
settling in seats. Entry into the classroom is a classroom management
technique that should be established early in the school year and will
provide students with a clear expectation of what they should do when
they enter the room in the morning. The morning entry routine sets the
tone for the rest of day and what they students are expected when
they entered the classroom.
Observation/Implementation: I have seen many entry routines in
different placements in Birmingham schools, but also at home in
Florida. I have observed the difference between successful entry
routines and not so successful entry routines. It is evident that in
classrooms where teachers set entry expectations, the students start
the day on a better note and they beginning the assigned bellwork and
assignments successfully without confusion and chaos. On the flip side,
students who are all over the place when they enter the classroom
theres no focus and they tend to have more problems throughout the
day with behavior, classwork, etc. Having an entry routine is a
classroom management technique that is vital to the classroom and
should be known by the students. Expectations should be set early and
practice consistently.
Technique #49 Normalize Error
Description: Error followed by correction and instruction is the
fundamental process of schooling. When a student is incorrect, a
teacher corrects that error and it is a process of ongoing learning.
When using the normalize error method, teacher should response to
both parts of this sequence, correct and incorrect. The main idea

behind this method is the teacher responding to both parts of this

sequence, the wrong and the right, as completely normal. It is
important for students to know this is a normal process of learning
and the teacher should response as such. The teacher should
acknowledge both wrong and right responses from his or her students.
Observation/Implementation: I believe sense this is a fundamental
process in learning, the teacher should consistently be responding to
the students whether their responses are correct or incorrect.
Normalized error presents the teacher with a teaching opportunity and
it should be acknowledged. I would implement this strategy in my
future classroom for sure. I would acknowledge all answers as an
opportunity to teach. I think a perfect example of normalized error is
number talks. Students give many answers, some correct and some
incorrect. Once the students have given their responses, the teacher
can walk through the process of learning the correct way, clarifying any
misconceptions the students have. I firmly believe normalize error is
important for teaching and provides a clear answer from the incorrect
responses of students.
Entry #5
Technique Simple to Complex
Description: An effective way to ask questions in class is simple to
complex. Students need to be engaged in thinking and developing
their thinking from simple to complex through questioning and
conversation among the classroom. Students can answer simple
questions and develop upon them to more complex critical thinking
skills. Developing on students knowledge is important and it starts by
asking basic questions and developing those questions throughout the
understanding of the concept. Simple to complex questioning is
important for developing higher thinking about a concept and should
be practiced throughout lessons everyday.
Observation/Implementation: Questioning is classroom is one of the
key factors in developing higher order thinking skills among students.
Asking simple to complex questions is important for developing
students ideas about concepts. I have seen this throughout lessons I
have observed where the teacher will ask a basic question and then
develop upon it throughout the lesson based on the students
investigation of the topic. This is the whole point behind simple to
complex thinking, developing on students knowledge. I would
definitely include this strategy throughout lessons because it helps the
students develop a deeper understanding of the material, but also
gives me a gage of what the students are understanding throughout
the lesson and what areas I need to make more clear. I definitely think

this strategy is beneficial and would definitely include in future lesson

plans.
Technique Cold Call
Description: This strategy is effective for keeping students accountable
for staying engaged and focused on the learning objective. Questioning
is essential in using this strategy. It is important to keep the pace of
your questioning fast and rigorous and ensure your capacity to use
questions to check for understanding. This type of questioning keeps
your students on their toes and alert throughout the ensure lesson.
Cold call ensures your ability to steer any question to the student you
most want to answer it at any time.
Observation/Implementation: Cold call is essential for keeping your
students attention and making sure that they can answer questions
you might throw at them throughout a lesson. I have seen this is a
placement before at Cherokee Bend Elementary. The teacher would
randomly call the student of her choice and ask a question pertaining
to the lesson, to check the students understanding. This was
interesting to see in action and how the students responded to being
called by the teacher. Most of the students were focused and could
response quickly and with understanding, but some students did not
know what to say when asked. This allowed the teacher to make sure
students understood the learning objective and also to reengage the
students in the lesson. I believe this is definitely something I would
include in classroom management and my instruction in the future.