Lesson Planning
At Learning-Focused, we have the same vision as you do: to make sure every student has the benefit of having a highly effective teacher. This starts with ensuring teachers are trained on the foundation of an effective lesson plan framework. Check back often as we continue to update our high-impact Lesson Plan tips and resources for teachers, educators, and leaders.
It is a common practice to think about your teaching journey and wonder how you got to where you are today.
The skills you’ve developed and the strategies you use with your students determine your expertise. It is important then, to consider, at what point are you an expert of a particular skill or strategy?
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Is school just beginning? Check out our new article, “Designing for Success: Balancing Visual Stimuli in the Learning Environment.” If the school year is wrapping up, you’re in the right place. While some schools have already said, “See you next year!” to their students, many others are still in the midst of preparing for this…
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How do exemplary schools use “Reviewing” strategies to increase student achievement? When reviewing for end-of-course tests or final exams, or even unit tests, there are several things to consider doing to reinforce the High-Yield Strategies you already use with students. Now is not the time to revert to the “old way” of reviewing. Students should…
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A lesson without a graphic organizer is never as effective as a lesson with one. Strong statement? Yes. True? Also yes. When we teach, we want students to understand new concepts and skills and remember what they have learned for a long time. Learning is a combination of the storage of information and the ability…
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A lot of the buzz around education today is around engagement, academics, and catching kids up. While everyone would love if a switch existed for kids to be engaged, that’s (unfortunately) not possible. Engagement doesn’t come from finding the right tech tool, but a sense of belonging. Kids are more engaged when they feel connected. …
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Now more than ever we must look at the whole child in education. It is so much more than just being proficient. During this pandemic educators often hear, “Maslow before Bloom.” While I find that to be true, I also believe there is a balance needed. We shouldn’t lower our expectations of children but rather…
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A child’s educational career is like a marathon, but many students start school only prepared to run a mile and others a 5K. There’s a monumental difference in children’s word knowledge (also known as word gap or word poverty) when they enter school, primarily based on the educational and socioeconomic level of their parents and…
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What is a Word Wall? Word Walls are organized collections of words placed on a wall or other surface in the classroom. They are excellent tools for building word consciousness in students through increased vocabulary interaction and social learning opportunities; especially as students make connections among important concepts and big ideas. Interactive Word Walls, vocabulary…
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Schools and teachers around the country are discussing the importance of relationships. As a priority among educators, the national conversation has grown to include numerous studies, articles, and speeches, each providing strategies and ideas on how to create positive relationships with our students and our staff (not to mention reducing overwhelm, teacher stress, and decision…
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One of the tenants of Learning-Focused is that it is a process for connecting highly effective research-based learning strategies. As we progress towards the upcoming school year, there is a good chance that students will be asked to learn through a combined modality of the physical classroom and distance learning. It is vital to remember that…
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