Doug Lemov's field notes

Reflections on teaching, literacy, coaching, and practice.

01.07.19 Things To Do When You Don’t Get Many Hands

In the annals of being a teacher, hoping to see 20 eager hands raised when you’ve asked a question but seeing only two or three instead is among the most common challenges. Since this blog is a judgment free zone I just want to say it’s ok. We have all, every single one of us, been…


01.04.19 Building Mental Engagement Among Athletes Through Questioning

Coaches love to ask questions to help their athletes understand the decisions they must make during performance. This is especially true in group invasion games like soccer (football), rugby, basketball and hockey–games that require an especially high degree of coordination and shared decision-making. One potential problem with asking questions of athletes is making sure that the…


11.28.18 Learn Like A Champion–Torquay Academy’s Students Are In-The-Loop On TLAC

    One of the highlights of my trip to the UK last June was visiting Torquay Academy in Devon- not just because it’s a really outstanding school where happy kids are given the gift of orderly school and rich, challenging instruction but–epiphany alert–because when teachers used techniques like Wait Time and Cold Call they were…


12.21.17 “It’s How We Do Gender-Equitable Teaching”

  Erica and I just spent an hour on the phone with a group of amazing colleagues–Audrey Spencer, Becky Banton, Jomara Laboy and Francis Vernyuy–who train Peace Corps volunteers working in education in Africa- either as teachers themselves or as teacher trainers. They use TLAC quite a bit, which made me very happy to know, but…


11.28.17 Some Videos To Go With My ‘Podogogy’ Interview

Had a great conversation with Jon Severs recently on TES’ Podogogy podcast and the interview airs tomorrow 11.29. (6am UK time).  Lots of great question with a particular focus on Systems and Routines–for both both academics behaviors. While I haven’t listened to it yet, I am happy to say I remember the interview- sometimes, when your…