Doug Lemov's field notes

Reflections on teaching, literacy, coaching, and practice.

06.07.23 Turning Understanding into Memory: Steve Kuninsky’s Retrieval Practice

Retrieval Practice is the act of recalling previously encountered information into working memory, or conscious thinking. Brief spurts of Retrieval Practice help students solidify information in their long-term memories, and, importantly, understanding is not learning until it is encoded in long-term memory. We recently had the pleasure of watching Steve Kuninsky conduct some Retrieval Practice with…


02.01.23 Little Things We Loved About Spencer Davis’ Retrieval Practice

Erica Woolway and I had a great visit to University Prep Middle School in the Bronx yesterday. What a warm and positive school with real rigor and a focus on knowledge.  Kids focused, worked hard, took pride in their learning and seemed genuinely happy. One of the classes we especially loved was Spencer Davis’ sixth grade…


06.21.22 Retrieval Practice, PD and Adult Learners: My West Texas Epiphany

    Had the pleasure of doing a training session for teachers and school leaders in West Texas yesterday at Region 17 Educational Service Center in Lubbock. It was, from my perspective, a great day in which we studied “game film” of teachers. Hopefully it helped folks in the session fall back in love with teaching…


12.08.21 “In Chronological Order”: Neha Marvania’s Retrieval Practice

If you’ve read TLAC 3.0 you know we’re big on knowledge organizers and retrieval practice over at TLAC Towers, so it was with great excitement that members of our team met up with Art Worrell, Uncommon Schools’ Director of 5-12 History, this week to look at footage of how history teachers were using and applying retrieval…


09.23.21 Kate Jones: Exit tickets, Performance & Long Term Learning

  A few weeks ago I co-wrote an article with Kate Jones on the idea of retrieval practice questions. After some further conversations Kate shared this new reflection on how to use exit tickets to build long-term memory and learning.   Inspired by a recent conversation with Doug on Teachers Talk Radio, I have been reflecting…