Teach Like Champion Journal Spring

Abigail Hancock
Entry 1
Technique 14 Board = Paper
Description: The Board = Paper strategy is all about the teacher modeling what they students
should write down on their own paper. It helps the students have an example of what their notes
should look like and how to recognize what is important information. This is when the teacher
writes on the whiteboard exactly what she wants her students to write down on their paper. This
is a good way to introduce new ideas and to scaffold note taking.
Observation/Implementation: This is a technique I have been able to use a lot in my most recent
placement at Tarrant. Since I am in 5th grade now, there are a lot of time when I have the students
write down exactly what I write. For example, each time I teach a math lesson, I have the lesson
target displayed and the students write it down as well as the problems I model for them and then
work through with them. I think this is a great way to model note taking and help students see
what is expected of them.
Technique 3 Format Matters
Description: This technique is all about making sure students know what is expected of them
when write. This means that students should write in complete sentences as much as possible,
even when verbally responding to a question. The more students are expected to care about the
format of their work, the easier it will become to them. Then students will begin to respond in
this way automatically without being told or reminded.
Observation/Implementation: I have seen my teacher focus on this in my most recent placement.
I am in a 5th grade math and language arts class, and my teacher wants to make sure that her
students are using complete sentences and do not use slang at all times. I think this is important
to use in my own classroom as well because then it will become second nature to my students
and I will not have to constantly remind them how to write correctly or in complete sentences.

This will help my students as they progress through school too, they will be more prepared for
the next grade level.
Entry 2
Technique 48 Explain Everything
Description: This technique emphasizes the importance of students knowing why a teacher does
or says what she does. It can refer to why a teacher is not able to answer a students question at a
particular time, or why she is working a problem the way she is. This helps the students clearly
see and understand why the teacher is doing what she is doing. It also helps them see the big
picture, which students are often unable to see on their own. Additionally, it will lessen the
number of questions students ask the teacher that are not necessary.
Observation/Implementation: One great example I saw of this in my 5th grade placement this
semester was when my teacher was explaining that you can turn whole numbers into fractions by
putting the number over 1. When she was reviewing over this she asked the class, now is this
just a magic trick I use, or is there a reason I do this? and the class quickly responded that there
is a reason and they explained how it works. This is n example of how my teacher explains
everything and makes sure that her students fully understand why they do what they do and that
they are not just doing it because theyve been told to.
Technique 9 Post It
Description: The Post It technique is all about making sure the students know their objectives
and what their goals are each day. This is helpful because then the students know what to expect
and they can monitor themselves to see if they are meeting the objective. Additionally, it is
important for visitors to the classroom, it allows them to know what is going on if they come in
during the middle of a lesson.
Observation/Implementation: My teacher at Tarrant has been an excellent example of this
technique. She has her objectives posted in a visible spot for the students. Additionally, she has
her students write down their learning target in their notebooks each day. This helps the students
know what they will be learning. Additionally, it helps them when they go back and study, then

they are able to easily see and remember what they should have learned in the lesson. I used this
as well when I taught in her classroom. I always wrote out the learning objective and posted it
for them on the front board. I think the students really appreciated it, and they always enjoyed
reading it out loud. I want to do this in my classroom because I feel that if the students know
exactly what their goals are, then they will be more likely to take ownership of their learning and
want to do their best in the classroom.
Entry 3
Technique 25 Wait Time
Description: Students usually need time to think through their answers and put their thoughts
together before answering a question and the Wait Time technique allows for this. Wait Time is
when the teacher asks a question and tells her students that she will wait a few seconds before
asking for their answers. The book found that simply giving the students 3-5 seconds of
additional thinking time can improve the quality of their answers. It also means that students
respond with I dont know a lot less, and student use more evidence to back up their answers.
Observation/Implementation: This is one of my favorite techniques from this book. I use this
technique at least once in each of the lessons I have taught this year. Just the other day when I
taught a lesson on recognizing when to add/subtract/multiply/divide decimal numbers in word
problems, I utilized this technique. I was having the students get up and moving by doing an
action like jumping depending on the math operation we needed to use in the word problem,
however I made sure they knew that they needed to wait until I said to go before the did the
action. That made sure that the students waited and had time to think without being rushed before
giving their answer. I think it helped more students participate and feel confident about their
answers. I want to continue using this technique as I teach because I want more of my students to
participate and feel confident about their answers. I do not want the same people who are always
quick to answer questions to answer them all of the time.
Technique 20 Exit Ticket

Description: With Exit ticket, you end your lesson with a final question for the students to
complete before they leave. Then the teacher collects it and uses the data. It is a great way to
check for understanding. Exit tickets are quick, give data, and help the teacher see where reteaching might be necessary.
Observation/Implementation: My teacher has a pocket right by the door for students to put their
exit tickets in. She loves to end with a question to assess her students understanding of what she
taught. It helps her assess what her students took away from the lesson. I think this would be a
good way to do some formative assessments in my classroom. It would help me see if my
students are getting what I want them to get out of the lesson, and I could see if any of them are
making consistent errors that I need to address.
Entry 4
Technique 45 Warm/Strict
Description: Warm/strict is the idea that the teacher needs to be both warm and strict with her
students at the same time. Students need to know that their teacher cares about them, but also
that their teacher cares enough about them that she will address issues that need to be addressed.
The teacher needs to be able to distinguish between behavior and people. She also needs to
demonstrate that consequences are temporary, once a consequence has been dealt with, the
teacher needs to show the students that the mistake is in the past and that they get to start fresh.
Observation/Implementation: My teacher at Tarrant is really the first teacher Ive seen
demonstrate this technique. She is very warm and caring toward her students, however she also
expects a lot from them and holds them accountable. I think this is something I will struggle with
as a teacher because I think being strict will be hard for me. I feel like it is hard to find a balance
of these 2 things, but I have enjoyed seeing this teacher as an example.
Technique 23 Call and Response
Description: In Call and Response, the teacher asks the class a question and the class responds in
unison with the answer. This is a good technique for review and reinforcement. This gives
everyone in the class the opportunity to respond and it keeps the classroom environment at a

high, fun energy. In order for it to be the most effective, it needs to be universal, that everyone
needs to respond. A signal cue could be helpful.
Observation/Implementation: My most recent teacher does this a lot in her 5th grade class. She
asks them questions and exacts the whole class to respond together with the answer. These are
usually things she wants her students to know and remember immediately which is why she uses
call and response. I have enjoyed seeing her do this and want to do it in my classroom as well
because I think that the students really respond well to it and that it is a great way to reinforce
specific ideas and concepts.
Entry 5
Technique 22 Cold Call
Description: The Cold Call technique makes it so that students know they could be called on at
any minute. The teacher calls on any student whether or not their hand is raised, this way she
knows whether all of her students are understanding what is being taught or not. The teacher is
able to call on any student she wants regardless of whether or not their hand is raised. If the
teacher does this technique consistently, students know that they could be called on at any
moment and they are more likely to listen and stay engaged in the lesson. This means that this
technique increases students learning because they are constantly thinking about what is being
taught in case they are called on which will help them remember and understand what they are
learning.
Observation/Implementation: I have enjoyed using this technique when I teach in my 5th grade
classroom because there are always some students who never raise their hands to answer
questions, but they know the answers. Or there are the kids who are confused, and I need to
know who they are. The last lesson I taught in the classroom, I think I called on every students at
some point in the lesson except maybe 2 or 3. I wanted the students to know that even if they did
not raise their hands they could get called on, and I wanted to know how much each of the
students were understanding. Sometimes the students would not be able to answer, but then I

would ask another student and then return to the first student to make sure they understood. I
want to use this in my future classroom because I want to know where all of my students are in
understanding the lesson, and I dont want my students to think that they can just sit and not pay
attention when I am teaching. This will keep them listening and engaged in the lesson.
Technique 29 Do Now
Description: This technique makes it so that students do not need to wonder what they should do
next. This is a short activity that is written on the board or set at their desks as they walk in that
they know they need to work on. When a teacher uses this, the students can be hard at work
before the teacher has entered the room because they already know what they should be doing.
This technique works best when it is a consistent thing and becomes a routine for the students.
Observation/Implementation: My teacher always has something waiting at the students desks
when they first walk in the room so that they know what they need to do and what is expected
from them each day. This keeps the students from asking her what they can do because she has
already told them. The students always walk in the room and get straight to work without asking
questions. I want to have things like this in my classroom because I feel like a teacher gets asked
way too many times in a day, What can I do now? and this would help eliminate that.