Keep Moving Forward

Objectives or expectations are important to all lesson plans. The plan for any differentiated lessons need to have these aspects if you want your students to understand and do well during the lesson. There are some keys actions or tools for teachers when writing a lesson that come from the textbook:

• Explain what the students should know
• Explain what students should understand
• Explain what students should understand
• Also provide an essential question to guide exploration

It's important to be focused and engaging in all lessons. The textbook once again gives some great tips for doing just that:

• Focus student products around significant problems and issues
• Use meaningful audiences
• Help students discover how ideas and skill are useful in the world
• Provide choices that ensure focus
• Look for fresh ways to present and explore ideas
• Share your experiences and invite students to do the same

There also needs to be support for demanding curriculum and instruction:

• Use tired approaches
• Incorporate complex instruction
• Use a variety of rubrics to guide quality
• Provide learning contracts at appropriate times
• Aim high
• Take a "no excuses" stance
• Become computer savvy
• Help support realize success is the result of effort
• Use the new American lecture format
• Designate a "keeper of the book"
• Like a note taker for those that are absent. This allows students to get caught up on assignments with the help from other students.
• Try think dots
• Directly teach strategies for working successfully with text
• Use think aloud
• Use small group instruction as a regular part of instructional cycles
• Establish peer networks for learning
• Promote language proficiency
• Use weekend study buddies
• Bags for struggling learners to take home for the weekend. It will contain instructions, books, or materials for students to use over the weekend.
• Make peer-critique or peer-review sessions a regular feature
• Cue and coach student responses
• Team with resource specialists

This chapter had so many good ideas to help support students and help them reach their potential. I especially liked the think dots, weekend buddies, and keeper of the book ideas. Your student can all be successful with the right support and direction. Keep looking forward, but don't forget those great experiences that can be used too.