Abby Wright

Teach Like a Champion

Spring 2016

Journal Entry #1

One at a Time (page 237)

Description: This is a very simple strategy that many teachers overlook. Teachers should only
ask one question at a time. Sometimes when teachers are excited about a lesson, they start to ask
multiple questions without giving students a chance to respond. Asking one question at a time
helps the students focus and understand what is being taught more clearly. By asking one
question at a time, teachers can ensure that there is a specific goal and purpose in mind.
Observation/Implementation: I have seen this in my classrooms and used in my own lessons. I
think that by writing out my lessons and planning for questions ahead I have taught myself to
only ask one question at a time. I make sure to use wait time, pause, and allow students time to
think after each question. Using that strategy keeps me from asking multiple questions at a time.
I like to hear student responses. By planning for the students to respond to questions, I expect
students to respond before moving on to an explanation or another question.

Technique #1: No Opt Out

Description: In this strategy the teacher is creating a classroom culture that requires all students
to try. When a student doesnt know an answer, they cant just say I dont know. The teacher is
telling the student that its okay not to know, but its not okay not to try. Many times teachers will
ask students to give it their best or help the student through to the answer. In the no opt out
strategy, teachers sometimes ask students to turn to a friend and ask for help.
Observation/Implementation: I observed this technique being used in my cooperating classroom.
While the teacher did not always use this method, she used it when students struggled to give an
answer. Many time I would hear her say, ask a friend for help or what do you think could be
the answer? I like how my teacher was asking her student to at least try. Sometimes the students
did know the answer, but were too afraid that they would give the wrong answer. I believe that
this method can promote the positive classroom environment that I hope to have in my own
classroom.

Journal Entry #2
Technique #2: Right is Right
Description: In this technique the teacher is setting high expectations for her students and their
ability to answer a question with 100% correctness. There is a big difference between partially
right and 100 percent correct. TLAC states that many teacher will respond with right or yes
instead of just being honest with the students. Teachers shouldnt praise a student for getting a
question partially right, teachers should save the praise for the students who can answer the
question all the way. This shows that the teacher is, again, encouraging 100% correctness. If the
student provides a partially correct answer the teacher can always guide the student to complete
the answer.
Observation/Implementation: This is a technique that I will have to learn to use in my own
teaching. I have a tendency to just say right or yes and move on to the next student willing to
answer the question. As a new teacher, I am not sure of the words to use when a teacher gets the
question right, but its not exactly what I am looking for. I dont want to discourage the student,
but at the same time I want them to know the correct answer. My teacher at Avondale uses this
method and has given me pointer for how to implement this strategy in my own teaching. My
teacher makes sure to point out when a student is correct, but needs to elaborate on the answer.
Technique #20: Exit Ticket
Description: This is a technique to use at the end of your lesson. It can be an ending question or
thought for students to bring the lesson to a close. This can also be used as a type of formative
assessment to let you know how many of your students understood the lesson. These should be
quick and informative.
Observation/Implementation: I have seen and implemented this strategy in the classroom. For
my observed lesson I had student do a type of exit ticket for their assessment activity. I asked one
single question based off of the lesson for the day. We were discussing different ways that
students could reduce, reuse, or recycle. Before completing the lesson and leaving for PE
students were asked to write one single way that they could reduce, reuse, or recycle. This was a
quick was to figure out what students took away from the days lesson.

Journal Entry #3

Technique #41: Threshold

Description: This is a technique that helps the teacher set a classroom culture. This technique has
the teacher set expectations as soon as students enter the classroom for the day or make a
transition in/out of the classroom. The teacher literally stand in the threshold of the door. The
teacher should greet the students or create conversation. The TLAC book says that teachers
should make eye contact, greet students with a smile, compliment their classroom manner, or
correct bad behavior.

Observation/Implementation: I have seen this technique implemented in many classrooms. As

you walk down the halls you can see teachers greeting their students, correcting behavior,
complimenting work they had accomplished, or just presenting students with a smile. I like this
technique because I believe it lets students know that they teacher is actively engaged and
involved with the students. If I came into a classroom and the teacher is sitting at the desk, I do
not feel like she is taking the time and dedication to form valuable relationships with her
students.

Technique Every Minute Matters (page 230)

Description: This technique is exactly what it sounds like. Teachers should use every single
minute in the classroom and not waste any time. Many teachers just let the last few minutes of
class go to waste. They say things like, we dont have time to start anything new or we wont
have time to finish that. Instead, the teacher should utilize every minute of class and teach every
second possible.
Observation/Implementation: I saw this strategy used during my JanTerm observations. Many
times I feel like my teacher was stretched for time and never realized how close she came to
pack up time each day. This kindergarten class worked until the very last minute possible. She
never wasted any time. One day, she started a science project with seven minutes left until the
busses loaded. I believe that she utilized every single second that she was provided with theses
students.

Journal Entry #4

Technique #43: Positive Framing

Description: In this technique the teacher is making corrections consistently, but positively.
Positive framing means that the teacher is correcting student behavior in an effective, positive,
and constructive manner.
Observation/Implementation: I have seen this technique used in my Trace Crossings placement.
My teacher will use positive framing when a student misbehaves. Instead of pointing out all the
negatives in a students actions, the teacher will find a way to reword her response and respond
in an appropriate constructive way. For example, one day a student was dancing around the
classroom causing a distraction. My teacher reacted by asking the student if he could make better
decisions and then challenging the student to sit quietly in their seat for the rest of the class
period. I think that this method will help students who are constantly getting in trouble. The
student will feel less like they are being attacked, and more like the teacher actually cares about
their behavior.

Technique #35: Props

Description: This is a technique that deals with praise in the classroom. The teacher publicly
praises the students for good behavior and actions. Sometimes the teacher allows the class to be
involved in the praise.
Observation/Implementation: I saw this technique being used in my Trace Crossings placement.
My teacher has a student with Down syndrome. They found that he liked receiving praise from
his peers. When my teacher felt like the student had been having a good day or doing something
worthy of praise she would say, Three claps for _______. The class would quickly clap for the
student. The student always smiled when he got his claps. I believe that using this method
encouraged the student to do well in the classroom. I can see how this would be useful for the
general classroom students as well.

Journal Entry #5

Technique Hit Rate (Page 243)

Description: Hit rate is a technique that has a teacher analyze the rate at which students answer
questions correctly. If you have a 100% hit rate, or all students are answering the question
correctly, it may not be a good thing. It may mean that you are not challenging students to their
full potential. If your hit rate is too low, it means that the students did not grasp the concepts
being taught. Teachers can use hit rate as a formative assessment to help them guide their
instruction.
Observation/Implementation: This technique is harder to see in the classroom, I believe that
many of my teachers have used it. I feel like when my teacher sees that all students are
answering the questions, she ask higher level questions that require more thought from the
students. If not enough students are answering correctly, my teacher will go back and rework the
math problem or restate the explanation. I have seen this done many time at my Trace Crossings
placement. When the students in the classroom where struggling to get an answer to a math
problem, my teacher would take a step back, rework, and find out what the students were
missing. Hit rate can be that quick check that lets the teacher know what steps need to be taken.

Technique #48: Explain Everything

Description: The explain everything technique is making sure that students have everything
explained to them very clearly. Students should always know the logic behind expectations and
rules in the classroom. The students should understand why they do the things they do and why
the teacher expects them done in a certain way. The teacher should always provide explanations
instead of saying things like, because I said so.
Observation/Implementation: I have seen this used in my classroom, but I have also seen the
opposite side of this used. My JanTerm teacher did a great job of explaining everything. She lets
students know why they were walking in the hallway a certain way, why the must keep quiet

during nap time, and why they must finish their work. When she asked students to be quiet, she
explained why she needed them to be quiet. I believe that her students listened better because
they understood why they were being asked to do something. They didnt feel like the teacher
was just making them do something because she said so. In the opposite environment, many of
the students were back to doing the same behaviors second after the teacher corrected them. I
think this is because the students did not understand why they should do what was being asked of
them.