Here is a handout I give to observing teachers when they visit. I think it is not too complex for new teachers and it helps them as they use it to follow along throught the class.
Ben’s punch list of things to think about in a TCI class – pls. look for these things as the class unfolds:
1. Explain objectives as per state law (just kidding, but in my school we do have to do that in our classes – read our objective for the day to the kids and how we are going to meet them. I never do it unless there is an administrator in the observing group.)
2. Review which kid will be doing what job. I sometimes write that on the board to remind the kids and so they can see their names on the board. It is a discipline tool and keeps the kids focused. I only do that during periods of time when the kids are not fully aligned with jGR, usually around March and state testing. I also have the jGR poster and refer to it, using L1, when kids need to brought back into line. Discipline must be there before instruction can occur.
3. PQA (10-15 minutes)– I start with handing out pitch counters, then establish meaning of the structures, gesture them, and start the PQA banter. My focus is on the kids and the cute things they say. I also am fully focused on making certain that I never ask a PQA question without at least one of the target structures for that day in it. This keeps me in bounds. In general, if I don’t do the following things I dont’t have success:
– Stay in bounds (keeps it comprehensible).
– Demand choral group answers (is the only way I know if they know – the finger comprehension checks don’t work bc the kids lie).
– Stay Slow (makes it comprehensible).
– Do the gestures. Just do the gestures (makes it comprehensible).
– Never ask a PQA question or make a statement without at least one of the target structures for that day in it.
– Try to keep things in the vortex – I’ll explain this in our pre-meeting. When it gets to the bottom of the vortex, I leave it or bring in a new character or event from the sides. (A vortex is where you circle your way around down into the tornado-like structure until it gets too tight to keep circling and so you have to leave it or bring in a new character or event from the sides).
– Don’t leave a structure until I feel that the class has brought it into “auditory focus”.
4. I will start the story (20-25 minutes) having done only ten minutes or so of PQA so that I can demonstrate both Step 1 and Step 2 of the method in one regular class period. I usually do an entire class period of PQA but for this demo I will shorten everything. All I have to do is follow the script, doing a vortex for each sentence and keep asking comprehensible questions. LISTEN TO CUTE ANSWERS FROM THE KIDS. MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS DOING HIS/HER JOB. Get as far into the story as is comfortable, but I will stop it in time to do the fifth and sixth things on this list.
5. Process the artist’s work (2-3 min.)
6. Give the quick quiz (2-3 min.)
7. I will do the reading class the next day. I can’t fit this into one class as a demo but there are videos on the DPS website of various TCI teachers doing reading classes. I just follow “Reading Option A” for this.)
[Note: the key to all of this is to stay in bounds, demand one word choral answers from the group all the time, go slowly, and never ask a PQA question or make a statement without at least one of the target structures for that day in it. You can watch a video of that being done in a PQA session here]: