GET BETTER FASTER SCOPE & SEQUENCE

Top Action Steps Used by Instructional Leaders to Launch a Teacher’s Development

PHASE MANAGEMENT TRAJECTORY: RIGOR TRAJECTORY:

DEVELOP ESSENTIAL ROUTINES & PROCEDURES WRITE LESSON PLANS
1. Routines & Procedures 101: Design and Roll out 1. Develop Effective Lesson Plans 101: Build the foundation of an
· Plan & practice critical routines and procedures moment-by- effective lesson rooted in what students need to learn
moment : · Write precise learning objectives that are
o Explain what each routine means and what it will look like o Data-driven (rooted in what students need to learn based
o Write out what teacher and students do at each step, and on analysis of assessment results)
what will happen with students who don’t follow the routine o Curriculum plan-driven
· Plan & practice the roll out: how to introduce routine for the first o Able to be accomplished in one lesson
time: · Script a basic “I Do” as a core part of the lesson
o Plan the “I Do”: how you will model the routine · Design an exit ticket (brief final mini-assessment) aligned to the
o Plan what you will do when students don’t get it right objective
PHASE 1:
PRE- 2. Strong Voice: Stand and speak with purpose 2. Internalize Existing Lesson Plans: Make existing plans your own
TEACHING · Square Up, Stand Still: when giving instructions, stop moving and · Internalize & rehearse key parts of the lesson, including the “I
strike a formal pose Do” and all key instructions
(SUMMER PD)
· Formal Register: when giving instructions, use formal register, · Build time stamps into the lesson plan and follow them
including tone and word choice

* Note: Many other topics can be introduced during August training. What are listed
above are the topics that should be addressed to reach proficiency. Other topics to
introduce—even if the teachers will not yet master them—could be:
· Least invasive intervention
· Narrate the Positive
· Create a Challenge/Build Momentum
· Teacher Radar: know when students are off-task
· Do It Again: practice routines to perfection--have students do it again if it is not
done correctly (and know when to stop Do It Again)

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 GET BETTER FASTER SCOPE & SEQUENCE
Top Action Steps Used by Instructional Leaders to Launch a Teacher’s Development
PHASE MANAGEMENT TRAJECTORY: RIGOR TRAJECTORY:
ROLL OUT & MONITOR ROUTINES INDEPENDENT PRACTICE
3. What to Do: 3. Write the Exemplar: Set the bar for excellence
· Economy of Language: give crisp instructions with as few words · Script out the ideal written responses you want students to
as possible (e.g. 3-word directions). Check for understanding on produce during independent practice
complex instructions. · Align independent practice to the rigor of the upcoming interim
assessment
4. Routines & Procedures 201: Revise and perfect them
· Revise any routine that needs more attention to detail or is 4. Independent Practice: Set up daily routines that build opportunities
inefficient, with particular emphasis on what students and teachers for students to practice independently
are doing at each moment · Write first, talk second: give students writing tasks to complete
· Do It Again: have students do the routine again if not done prior to class discussion, so that every student answers
correctly the first time independently before hearing his or her peers’ contributions
· Cut it Short: know when to stop the Do It Again · Implement a daily entry prompt (Do Now) to either introduce
the day’s objective or review material from the previous day
5. Teacher Radar: Know when students are off task · Implement and review a longer independent practice and/or a
· Deliberately scan the room for on-task behavior: daily Exit Ticket (brief final mini-assessment aligned to your
o Choose 3-4 “hot spots” (places where you have students objective) to see how many students mastered the concept
who often get off task) to scan constantly
PHASE 2 o “Be Seen Looking”: crane your neck to appear to be seeing 5. Monitor Aggressively: Check students’ independent work to
(DAYS 1-30) all corners of the room determine whether they’re learning what you’re teaching
· Circulate the room with purpose (break the plane): · Create & implement a monitoring pathway:
o Move among the desks and around the perimeter o Create a seating chart to monitor students most effectively
o Stand at the corners: identify 3 spots on the perimeter of the o Monitor the fastest writers first, then the students who
room to which you can circulate to stand and monitor need more support
student work · Monitor the quality of student work:
o Move away from the student who's speaking to monitor the o Check answers against your exemplar
whole room o Track correct and incorrect answers to class questions
· Pen in hand: Mark up student work as you circulate
6. Whole-Class Reset o Use a coding system to affirm correct answers
· Implement a planned whole class reset to re-establish student o Cue students to revise answers using minimal verbal
behavioral expectations when a class routine has slowly weakened intervention (Name the error, ask them to fix it, tell them
over previous classes you’ll follow up)
· Implement an “in-the-moment reset” when a class veers off task
during the class period
o Example: Stop teaching. Square up. Give a clear What to
Do: “Pencils down. Eyes on me. Hands folded in 3-2-1.
Thank you: that’s what Harvard looks like.” Pick up tone &
energy again.

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 GET BETTER FASTER SCOPE & SEQUENCE
Top Action Steps Used by Instructional Leaders to Launch a Teacher’s Development
PHASE MANAGEMENT TRAJECTORY: RIGOR TRAJECTORY:
ENGAGE EVERY STUDENT RESPOND TO STUDENT LEARNING NEEDS
7. Build the Momentum 6. Habits of Evidence
· Give the students a simple challenge to complete a task: · Teach students to annotate with purpose: summarize, analyze,
o Example: “Now I know you’re only 4th graders, but I have a find the best evidence, etc.
5th grade problem that I bet you could master!!” · Teach and prompt students to cite key evidence in their
· Speak faster, walk faster, vary your voice, & smile (Sparkle) responses
8. Pacing: Create the illusion of speed so that students feel constantly
engaged 7. Check for Whole-Group Understanding: Gather evidence on
· Use a hand-held timer to stick to the times stamps in the lesson & whole group learning:
give students an audio cue that it’s time to move on · Poll the room to determine how students are answering a certain
· Increase rate of questioning: no more than 2 seconds between question.
when a student responds and a teacher picks back up instruction o “How many chose letter A? B? C? D?”
· Use countdowns to work the clock (“do that in 5..4..3..2..1”) o [Students answer the question on whiteboard: “Hold up
· Use Call and Response for key words your whiteboards on the count of three…”
9. Engage All Students: Make sure all students participate: · Target the error: focus class discussion on the questions where
· Make sure to call on all students students most struggle to answer correctly
· Cold call students
8. Re-teaching 101--Model: Model for the students how to
PHASE 3 · Implement brief (15-30 second) Turn & Talks think/solve/write
(DAYS 31-60) · Intentionally alternate among multiple methods in class discussion: · Give students a clear listening/note-taking task that fosters
cold calling, choral response, all hands & turn and talks active listening of the model, and then debrief the model:
10. Narrate the Positive o “What did I do in my model?”
· Narrate what students do well, not what they do wrong o “What are the key things to remember when you are doing
o “I like how Javon has gotten straight to work on his writing the same in your own work?”
assignment.” · Model the thinking, not just a procedure
o “The second row is ready to go: their pencils are in the well o Narrow the focus to the thinking students are struggling
and their eyes are on me.” with
· While narrating the positive and/or while scanning during a re- o Model replicable thinking steps that students can follow
direct, look at the student(s) who are off-task o Model how to activate one’s own content knowledge and
· Use language that reinforces students getting smarter: skills that have been learned in previous lessons
o Praise answers that are above and beyond or strong effort o Vary the think-aloud in tone and cadence from the normal
11. Individual Student Corrections “teacher” voice to highlight the thinking skills.
· Anticipate student off-task behavior and rehearse the next two · We Do and You Do: give students opportunities to practice with
things you will do when that behavior occurs. Redirect students your guidance
using the least invasive intervention necessary:
o Proximity
o Eye contact
o Use a non-verbal
o Say student’s name quickly
o Small consequence

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 GET BETTER FASTER SCOPE & SEQUENCE
Top Action Steps Used by Instructional Leaders to Launch a Teacher’s Development

PHASE MANAGEMENT TRAJECTORY: RIGOR TRAJECTORY:

SET ROUTINES FOR DISCOURSE LEAD STUDENT DISCOURSE 101
12. Engaged Small Group Work: Maximize the learning for every 9. Re-teaching 201—Guided Discourse: Let students unpack their
student during group work: own errors & build a solution
· Deliver explicit step-by-step instructions for group work: · Show-Call: post student work (either an exemplar or incorrect
o Make the group tasks visible/easily observable (e.g., a response) & ask students to identify why that answer is
handout to fill in, notes to take, product to build, etc.) correct/incorrect
o Create a role for every person (with each group no larger · Stamp the understanding:
than the number of roles needed to accomplish the tasks at o “What are the keys to remember when solving problems
hand). like these?” or “Can someone give me a rule?” (Students
o Give timed instructions, with benchmarks for where the use their own words)
group should be after each time window · Give them At-bats: give students opportunities to practice with
· Monitor the visual evidence of group progress your guidance
o Check in on each group every 5-10 minutes to monitor
progress 10. Universal Prompts: Push the thinking back on the students through
· Verbally enforce individual & group accountability: universal prompts that could be used at any point:
o “You are five minutes behind; get on track.” · Provide wait time after posing challenging questions
o “Brandon: focus.” · Pre-call: let a student who needs more time know you’re calling
PHASE 4 him/her next
(DAYS 61-90) · Roll back the answer: repeat the wrong answer back to the
student (give student time to think and you time to build a plan!)
· Ask universal prompts to push the student to elaborate:
o “Tell me more.”
o “What makes you think that?”
o “How do you know?”
o “Why is that important?”
· Close the loop: after correcting their error, go back to students
with wrong answers to have them revise their answers

11. Habits of Discussion: Teach and model for students the habits that
strengthen class conversation:
· Keep neutral/manage your tell: don’t reveal the right/wrong
answer through your reaction to the student response.
· Agree/Build off of: “I agree with ____ and I’d like to add….”
· Disagree respectfully: “While I agree with [this part of your
argument], I disagree with ____. I would argue….”

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 GET BETTER FASTER SCOPE & SEQUENCE
Top Action Steps Used by Instructional Leaders to Launch a Teacher’s Development

PHASE MANAGEMENT TRAJECTORY: RIGOR TRAJECTORY:

None! LEAD STUDENT DISCOURSE 201
12. Strategic Prompts: Ask strategic questions to targeted students in response
Once you get this far, you can focus entirely on rigor and to student error
deepening your content knowledge. · Prompt students to access previously learned knowledge:
o Point students to resources (notes, posted concepts and content)
o “What do we know about _____ [content students learned in
previous classes]?”
o Use a prompting guide (e.g., Great Habits, Great Readers Guided
Reading Prompting Guide) to design questions
· Call on students based on their learning needs (data-driven)
o Call on lower and middle-achieving students to unpack question
o If they struggle, try a higher achieving student
o If they are easily unpacking, try a lower achieving student
o Create a sequence of students to call on based on the rigor of each
prompt (e.g., first ask middle student, then low, then high, etc.)
· Students prompting students: push students to use habits of discussion to
critique or push one another’s answers
o Probe deeper: “[Peer], have you considered this point….?”

STRETCH IT 13. Go Conceptual: Get students to do the conceptual thinking

(NEXT STEPS) · Ask students to verbalize a conceptual understanding of content, not just
the answer to a specific question:
o “That’s the procedure. Now tell me why that works.”
o “Can you generalize that idea to apply to all problems like this
one?”
o “Use the following terms [terms learned in previous classes] in
restating your answer.”
· Upgrade vocabulary: ask students to use technical/academic language
when answering questions:
o “That’s the right idea generally. Now state it again using proper
mathematical/historical/scientific language.”
o “Correct. Now state it again using your Academic Word Wall as a
resource.”
· Stretch it: ask particular students to answer a more difficult extension to a
given question
o “What would the answer be if I changed it to [change the problem
to something more complex]?”
o “Is there an alternative way to solve this problem/do this task?”
o “What do you think is the strongest counter-argument to yours and
how would you refute it?”

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 GET BETTER FASTER SCOPE & SEQUENCE
Top Action Steps Used by Instructional Leaders to Launch a Teacher’s Development

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 GIVING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK:
See it. Name it. Do it.
Prepare
· Have your tools in hand:
Prepare o Get Better Faster Scope & Sequence, teacher lesson plan, video tool, observation tracker
During · Select the highest leverage, measurable, bite-sized action step
observation · Plan your feedback while observing:
o Fill out planning template
o Videotape while you observe: mark the time stamps in your planning template
See it: Success, Model, & Gap
See the Success:
· “We set a goal last week of ______ and I noticed how you [met goal] by [state concrete positive
actions teacher took.].”
· “What made that successful? What was the impact of [that positive action]?”

See the Model:

· Narrow the focus: “Today, I want to dive into [specific element of lesson, action step area].”
· Prompt the teacher to name the exemplar:
o “What are the keys/criteria for success to ____ [action step/skill]? What is the purpose?”
o “What did you ideally want to see/hear when ____?”
o “What was your objective/goal for ____ [activity/lesson]? What did the students have to do
to meet this goal/objective?”
· (If unable to name the exemplar) Show a model—choose one:
o Show video of effective teaching: “What actions did the teacher take to do ____?”
See It o Model: “What do you notice about how I ____?” “What is the impact and purpose?”
2-8 mins o Connect to PD: “Think back to the PD on ____; what were the keys required for ____?”
o Debrief real-time feedback: “When I gave real-time feedback, what did I say? What did I
do? What was the impact of the real-time feedback?”
o Read a one-pager or prompting guide: “What are the essential elements of ____?”

See the Gap:

· “What is the gap between [the model/exemplar] and class today? What keys were missing?”
· “What was the challenge in implementing [technique/content] effectively during the lesson ?”
· (If unable to name the gap) Present the evidence:
o Present time-stamped video from observation: “What are the students doing? What are you
doing?” “What is the gap between what we see in this part of the video and the [exemplar]?”
o Present classroom evidence: “Two students in the front row had their heads down during
independent practice. How does this impact student learning?” “What is the gap between
[the exemplar] and class today?”
o Present student work: “What is the gap between the [exemplar] and [student work] today?”

Action Step: What & How

Name the Action Step:
· “Based on what we discussed today, what do you think your action step should be?”
Name · “What are the key steps to take to close the gap?”

it Punch it:
2 mins · “So your action step today is ____”--state clearly and concisely:
o what the teacher will work on (e.g., what-to-do directions)
o how the teacher will execute (e.g., “1.Stand still, 2.Give a what-to-do direction, and 3.Scan”)
· Have teacher restate the action step; then write it down
 Plan, Practice, & Follow Up
Plan before Practice:
· Script the changes into upcoming lesson plans
o “Where would be a good place to implement this in your upcoming lessons?”
o “What are all the actions you need to take/want to see in the students?”
o “Take three minutes to write up your plan.”
· Push to make the plan more precise and more detailed
o “What prompts will you use with students that we can practice today?”
o “Now that you’ve made your initial plan, what will do you if [state student
behavior/response that will be challenging]?”
· (If struggling to make a strong plan) Model for the teacher and debrief:
o “Watch what I do and say as I model _____.” “What do you notice about how I did ____?”
· Perfect the plan
o “Those three steps look great. Let’s add _____ to your [script/lesson plan].”

Practice:
· Round 1: “Let’s Practice” or “Let’s take it live.”
o [When applicable] Stand up/move around classroom to simulate the feeling of class
Do It o Pause the role play at the point of error to give immediate feedback
Rest of o Repeat until the practice is successful.
meeting · Additional Rounds: master it while adding complexity:
o “Let’s try that again, but this time I will be [student x who is slightly more challenging].”
· (Once mastered) Lock it in:
o “How did what we practice meet or enhance the action step we named?”
o “Where did our practice fall short or meet the exemplar at the start of the meeting?”

Follow up:
· Plan for real-time feedback:
o Agree on a predetermined cue for next observation: “When I come in, I will observe for
___. If I see you struggling I will [give you a cue].”
· Set dates—both teacher and leader write them down:
o Completed Materials: when teacher will complete revised lesson plan/materials.
o Observation: when you’ll observe the teacher
§ “When would be best time to observe your implementation of this?”
§ “When I review your plans, I’ll look for ______________.”
§ (Newer teacher): “I’ll come in tomorrow and look for this technique.”
o (When valuable) Teacher Observes Master Teacher: when they’ll observe master teacher in
classroom or via video implementing the action step
o (When valuable) Self-Video: when you’ll tape teacher to debrief in future meeting