| All new teachers will have an easier time lesson | | | | So spend some time building up prior knowledge of |
| planning if they use a Thinking in Threes strategy | | | | your students. Then use that information to connect to |
| system to teach more strategically. A strategic lesson | | | | what you want your students to learn. When reading a |
| is like a good story: it has a beginning, a middle and an | | | | new text about skydiving for example, students read |
| end. | | | | to confirm their predictions. This gives them a real |
| Any content can be presented strategically. In fact, it | | | | purpose or reason for their reading. |
| should be taught strategically in order to connect what | | | | A strategic lesson ending is just as important as its |
| your students already know about a subject with the | | | | beginning. Students need to be made consciously |
| new knowledge or skills you want them to learn. | | | | known of what new information they have learned |
| Brainstorming is a great way to start a lesson | | | | and how well they have learned it. A teacher can ask |
| because it emphasizes prior student knowledge. It also | | | | the class: "How many things can you remember about |
| gives everyone a chance to participate: the quieter | | | | skydiving from the text?" |
| ones are listening to the more verbal ones while the | | | | So as you plan your daily lessons today and for next |
| teacher writes all their responses on the board. All too | | | | week, see how you can make each of these three |
| often teachers rush through this stage to find that their | | | | parts come together like a good story. |
| students aren't engaged and involved enough by the | | | | So what are you waiting for? |
| time they start reading a new text. | | | | Start thinking and planning strategically today! |