Doug Lemov's field notes

Reflections on teaching, literacy, coaching, and practice.

09.13.24 Announcing Amazing New Modules at TLAC Online

   TLAC Online is Teach Like a Champion’s platform for teachers to learn and practice our techniques. This summer we nearly doubled the Engaging Academics content! We added five five new modules to help increase student engagement in your classroom. Ratio: Improve the level of student engagement and thinking in your classroom with this reflection activity….


07.29.24 Scott Wells Models the Foundations of a Successful Cold Call

In our workshops on Cold Call we often provide a summary of four key things teachers can do while Cold Calling to ensure that the experience is positive, productive and successful. They are: 1) Preparation. Giving students time to prepare answers before a Cold Call helps them to develop quality ideas and often rehearse them in…


07.13.24 Better Questioning for Athletes Starts with Clear Principles of Play

  I’m prepping this weekend to narrate the audiobook version of The Coach’s Guide to Teaching… which basically means reading my own book. Obviously that means noticing a lot of small things I’d like to change. But also noticing some passages that, as I learn more, I see even more value in. Here’s one, from the…


05.22.24 A Quiet Presence Montage–And How To Find Out More

  “Quiet Presence” is the idea that going lower and slower with your voice is the best way to help students focus optimally, especially in those moments when their attention is just beginning to fray. In some ways that’s the opposite of what you might expect. It’s a common mistake in the early years of teaching…