Focused Instruction From Better Learning Jeannette Cox Gasper

Focused Instruction From Better Learning Jeannette Cox & Gasper Lozano

Writing Prompt • The gradual release of responsibility framework model is……

Pair Share • Turn to an elbow partner and share your responses to the writing prompt.

TEACHER RESPONSIBILITY Focused Instruction “I do it” Guided Instruction “We do it” Collaborative “You do it together” Independent “You do it alone” STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY A Model for Success for All Students Fisher, D. , & Frey, N. (2008). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Purpose Lead teachers will participate in a collaborative effort to identify and evaluate the components of focused instruction; purpose, modeling, think -alouds, and noticing through consistent use of terminology while improving on academic conversations in the process.

Setting the Purpose • In the process of establishing a purpose, teachers need to talk about the purpose, and they need to understand the goals of the instruction. • Students need a clear explanation of the lesson’s purpose and a clear explanation of the activities that are linked to that purpose. Content Language Social

What are the content, language and social domains in our purpose for today? Purpose: Instructional leaders will participate in a collaborative effort to identify and evaluate the components of focused instruction; purpose, modeling, think-alouds, and noticing through consistent use of terminology while improving on academic conversations in the process.

Content + Language + Social = Purpose _______________ _ Content: LANGUAGE: SOCIAL: Focused Instruction Purpose, Modeling, Think. Alouds, Noticing Collaborative, Academic Conversations

Identify and evaluate three domains of Content, Language, and Social in the Purpose example.

Purpose Example • Today we will focus on World War II. We will compare and contrast WWII vs. WWI terms such as blitzkrieg, holocaust, trench warfare, etc. through academic discussions of primary photos and creation of Venn diagram in pairs.

Modeling Modeled Instruction • Select examples aligned with guided practice, independent practice, and assessment. • Demonstrate how to complete examples step by step. • Verbalize thinking • teacher think-a-loud • forming mental pictures, • connecting information to prior knowledge, • creating analogies, • clarifying confusing points, and/or • making/revising predictions.

Ingredients for - Think Alouds • Use first person – “I” • Keep it brief • Pay attention to your own thinking process • Find your authentic voice • Be an expert

Noticing – • Happens right before guided practice • Watching for indicators of student understanding • Both knowledge & confusion • Listening for connections to previous content taught • It is the moment when the teacher decides to transition to guided practice • This does not mean that the teacher lowers the rigor • This does not mean that the teacher starts to lecture or spoon feed answers

This will be the school wide focus for the first 9 weeks. Purpose Noticing Focused Instruction Think. Alouds Modeling