This week, we are talking all about how we start out using various opening routines in our mastery-based classrooms. Specifically, we will share how we set up our courses and some daily activities you can use with your students to get them ready for learning.
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**For detailed show notes, please visit our website at https://edugals.com/135**
Opening Routines For The Semester/School Year:
- Unit Zero - 2 to 3 lessons long to learn about the logistics of a mastery-based classroom and learning
- Diagnostics - first 2 to 3 weeks, works well for ELL learners (oral, reading, writing skill levels)
- Focus on getting to know you activities and building classroom community as the premise to learn about the mastery-based learning model
- Use mastery-based learning terminology: lesson classifications, guided notes, etc
- Google Slides and YouTube for getting to know you activities, lessons etc
- Use of conferencing with students
- Lots of opening, whole class activities throughout the first few weeks of school
- Thinking classrooms, game-based learning (GimKit for example) are great ideas to engage students in whole class activities and build classroom community
Daily Opening Routines For The Classroom:
- Regular conferencing
- Group-based work based on STEP levels (ELL learners)
- Whole class lessons with all levels modelled (helps to set high expectations for all learners and builds motivation)
- Thinking Classrooms model (but not in a traditional sense) - use randomized groups of 3 (Flippity Random Name Picker), at the whiteboards, solving 1-2 problems related to on pace lessons, use mastery as checks for understanding
- Mix approaches up - other collaborative activities, demos, thinking classrooms, other whole group activities to set the tone, etc
- Do Now or Check-In (goal setting and/or SEL check-in) - can be done daily, weekly, more sporadic (end of unit/module)
- Weekly agenda slide deck
- Progress Tracker for informal check-in and goal-setting
- Modern Classroom Project: Guide to Opening and Closing Routines
- Accountability groups
- Tell me something good - students can share announcements and good news
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