One of our favorite topics at TLAC Towers is Checking for Understanding. How do teachers prepare for and react to student errors and misunderstandings? Many of our best videos on the topic are of math teachers–the nature of math makes predicting and sequencing errors a bit simpler than in the humanities, say. So we were especially…
One of the challenges of good classroom management is that it’s often practically invisible- it’s happening off stage or on the margins of the stage; it’s usually built into habits and expectations. When it works it’s hard to see the moves that make it possible. When you can see the behavior management moves, it’s sometimes…
Show Call is one of my very favorite teaching techniques and if you’re a reader of this blog you know that Spencer Davis is one of our favorite teachers to study. So what could be better than a video of Spencer modeling Show Call. Context: Spencer’s sixth graders are reading Wonder. They’ve just read a passage…
Just watching some video this morning a recent lesson of Spencer Davis’ at University Prep in the Bronx. I’ve posted about Spencer’s teaching recently (and will post about again soon). He’s a master of subtly and lovingly building academic culture with his sixth graders. You can see plenty of that in this recent post…
TLAC team-member Beth Verrilli recently watched footage of Mandie Avila’s first grade lesson at MOSAICS Public School in Caldwell, Idaho and shared these notes: One thing that struck me about Mandie’s lesson was how effectively she engages all of her learners, and authentically creates a sense of belonging in her classroom. You can watch some highlights…