01.22.14The 2.0 of 100% Plus Some Great Video of Jamie Smith (Video)
I write a lot of emails entitled “Two Quick Things.” Scrolling back through my sent mail it seems that one quick thing is almost entirely unlikely to get me to write to anyone and three quick things is apparently cause for procrastination. But TWO quick things: that is the email-generating sweet spot for me.
And the BLOG generating sweet spot! Because I have Two Quick Things to share about the 100% technique.
The First Thing: 100% re-design: I am hereby going public. In the new, 2.0 version of TLAC 100% is going to be split up into four different techniques. I’m doing this to address the incredible rate at which I’ve accumulated new knowledge about how great teachers win their classrooms and the incredible usefulness and specificity of what I’ve learned. When it became impossible to do a 100% training in a full day, I knew I had to act.
So the wisdom of the original 100% will be divided amongst its sons and daughters. Specifically:
100% Part 1: Visible Compliance–In this technique I talk about how to “see” your classroom better by standing in certain places and training yourself to scan in certain ways so you know what’s going on reliably. I call this Radar. I think I speak the truth when I say that the struggles of many teachers with off-task behavior start with not seeing it. I also talk here about BSL or “Be Seen Looking,” the process of subtly making visible to your students the fact that you are looking to see if they do what you expect and that you care. One of the most common reasons students don’t do what we ask is, it turns out, that we don’t watch to see if they do. The last section here is about giving visible directions–things you can see whether students have done–to assist you in holding them accountable.
100% Part 2: Firm Calm Finesse–Here I talk about remaining poised under pressure and causing compliance by intimating that you can’t actually imagine a universe in which students wouldn’t comply. And about how it’s better to catch it early with a small fix than wait and hope it will get better (hint: probably not) only to have to get angry later on. There’s more here too, such as stressing “purpose over power”: We need to do this so we can learn versus you need to do it because I am the king of room 317.
100% Part 3: Least Invasive Intervention–Should look pretty familiar from version 1- How to fix it with the least possible disruption to instruction so that 1) You spend your time teaching and 2) You avoid the ‘death spiral,’ a clever term for an age-old phenomenon that you can find out more about when you get your mitts on 2.0
100%.4: Art of the Consequence–Brand new and useful- how to give a consequence so that it helps 1) you eliminate a problem instead of making it worse, and 2) students learn from and reflect on their non-constructive moments.
The Second Thing: Great High School 100% video from Carver Prep’s Jamie Smith
Useful video always helps. Especially when it’s of high school and behavior, which some people think are mutually exclusive terms. Au contraire. Check out this video of Jamie Smith, who teaches at Carver Prep, way down New Orleans-way.
You may notice:
- That, at 8:39 on the on-screen timer, she makes a great non-verbal intervention to ask a student to sit up. And she does it early, before he’s really off task, so she can be quick and cap with a warm, firm calm finesse smile.
- That at 8:47 she scans the room intentionally to make sure everyone is as the should be. That is disciplined looking. Tiny tiny pause so they see her scan and just before the scan you see her go to tiptoes and look at the far corner of the room. Again she is messaging, very subtly and at no cost to instruction: “I am looking.” But she’s also smiling.
- That, thanks to her scan, she in fact sees one student not doing as she’d asked. She addresses with an anonymous individual correction: “I still have one person writing” and a simple warm non-verbal gesture. No accusation, no assumption of ill intent, just a little fix, early on in a way that preserves his privacy… or at least shows a desire to. Oh, and she assumes he’ll follow her direction. I mean of course she’s looking to see, but by barely looking, she shows that the last thing on her mind at this point is that he might not comply.
- “You’re kidding,” her demeanor says. “Sometimes students don’t do as you’ve asked?” But of course she trusts and verifies. Note the scan, again, at 9:02.
Way to go Jamie and thanks for letting is tape your class!
100%; Jamie Smith, High Behavioral Expectations, TLAC 2.0, Video
These are helpful distinctions. 100% is one of my favorite and most frequently used techniques and it’s incredibly necessary considering the task of large group instruction. I’m also excited to see a high school classroom used as an example.
Can’t wait for the new book, Doug! My copy of TLaC Field Guide looks like I have been carrying it around since 1998. I want to be one of the first to get my hands on 2.0! Love your blog… just shared this one with my students at UCF!
I love the teacher caught the attention of the student off task without the other students noticing. She kept on teaching and on task. I can’t wait for 2.0 to be published!
I always use 100%. In math is is very crutial that all eyes are focused on the teacher as they are demonstrating a concept. The technique she used is just as I do, go by the student and tap on the desk to put the pencil down. Also, I lower my wrist signaling to put the pencil down.
I use 100% in my reading classroom, especially when explaining new concepts. I have a few advid readers that try to sneak reading during new concept introduction and I need all students focused on new material so that there is no confusion later. I liked how the teacher didn’t call anyone out for being off task but handled it. I also use the countdown to give students a few seconds to comply with putting pencils down.
100% compliance and engagement from students requires 100% awareness and execution from the teacher. So, I maintain proximity and scan the room constantly while circulating.
It automatically decreases the number of students who need redirecting or otherwise. At the same time, it makes it easier to use the least invasive intervention techniques effectively.
Thanks for all the great comments and observations, everybody! Hope you’ll keep ’em coming.
By the way make sure to check outthis post (and clip) as well. https://teachlikeachampion.org/blog/clip-day-jason-armstrong-whsiper-correction/
and thanks everyone for all the great comments and observations. Keep ’em coming!
In the classroom, it is important to have 100% in order for your students to be able to grasp the concepts needed. I use the countown technique “5,4,3,2,1” in order to get all of my students back on track if there are any slips in class.
I also monitor my students by walking around and always observing their work. Proximity is very important for me because I use it as a non-verbal way of saying “Get back on track” or if they are practicing their typing skills they will automatically make their corrections without me having to say anything.
Troy Gonzales – Clifton Middle School
agree about proximity. and that countdowns can be useful. what about counting from just 3 tho? a few seconds to pull yourself together seems good… but do they really need five?
As a beginning teacher, I use 100% in my classroom and so far it has been very effective. My science class requires lots of hypothesizing and discussing observations so students can reach their own conclusions. As students are listening to each other when we come back from group discussions, I make sure their peers are listening and any who aren’t (looking around, writing on their own) I go and just like her give a quick “check.” Just like Jamie Smith did in the video. The class does not notice and the speaker continues having full attention.
Pin Oak 6th Science
Watching Jamie I could see that 100% is very important in her class. She makes sure all students are on task and even when she addresses a students she does it without interrupting the class. That is a practice that I would definetly love to master.
Just wanted to say how much i’m enjoying all the insight and reflection on this video from all my great coleagues in Houston (right?).
Meaghan Mengler
I use 100% in my classroom and it helps my students focus, but because they are so
young, it is a constant reminder that I have to give them. Thankfully we are at
the point now where all I have to do it say 100% and they know that they need
to track and focus. I use proximity as a non-verbal way to remind them to stay
on track.
Using 100% in my classroom reminds me to ensure that all students are on task but what really helps is to be on the move constantly. Do so lets me see first hand what they are working on and it gives the the chance to interact with a student, check for understanding but most importantly, it lets the student ask me something where hardly anyone can hear. This way I fully know what level they are at and what they are having difficulty with. (Herlinda Segundo-McReynolds MS.)
I like the way that the teacher cought the attention of that one particular student without alerting the other students, she kept on teaching.
Way-to-go Ms. Smith! That was tight transition and 100%. Your students knew you were looking and you kept the pace of your lesson without having to stop and correct behaviors.
I think that is 100%. Students are redirected in such a non interrupting way. Teacher did not lose instruction time while redirecting, Awesome