Teach Like a Champion Specialist

Use this document to identify the strengths, needs, and areas of support for the teachers you support .

Specialist Name: Ana Martinez Campus: DeChaumes Elementery School

Cohort Members Name: Alexandra Kazmierczak

Habits of Distinguished Proficient Emerging

Discussion At least 50 % of the time, There is little or no evidence of
At least 85 % of the time, the the teacher: the teacher:
teacher:

Make your
discussions 1. Requires students to validate 1. Requires students to 1. Requires students to validate
more and build off of preceding validate and build off of and build off of preceding
productive and statements made by classmates, preceding statements made statements made by classmates,
enjoyable by using the names of and making eye by classmates, using the using the names of and making
normalizing a contact with classmates, speaking names of and making eye eye contact with classmates,
set of ground loudly enough to be heard well, contact with classmates, speaking loudly enough to be
rules or and framing comments articulately. speaking loudly enough to heard well, and framing
habits that be heard well, and framing comments articulately.
allow 2. Provides sentence starter when comments articulately.
discussion to needed. 2. Provides sentence starter when
be more 2. Provides sentence starter needed.
efficiently when needed.
cohesive and 3. Manages the meta. 3. Manages the meta.
connected. 3. Manages the meta.

1. Score Date: 1. Score Date: 11/3/16

1. Score Date:
2. Score Date: 2. Score Date:
2. Score Date: 1/12/17
3. Score Date: 3. Score Date:
3. Score Date:
Precise Praise Distinguished Proficient Emerging
At least 50 % of the time, the There is little or no evidence
At least 85 % of the time, the teacher: of the teacher:
teacher:

Precise praise 1. Differentiates between 1. Differentiates between 1. Differentiates between

is a strategy acknowledgment and praise
that uses (acknowledges when
precise and expectations have been met and
justified praise praises when the exceptional has
for students. been achieved);
2. Praises and acknowledges
loud fixs soft;
3. Provides praise which is
genuine (address praise and
correction specifically to those
who need to receive it dont
use the praise of one student to
serve as the correction of
another).
1. Score Date:
2. Score Date:
3. Score Date:
acknowledgment and praise
(acknowledges when
expectations have been met and
praises when the exceptional has
been achieved);
2. Praises and acknowledges
loud fixs soft;
3. Provides praise which is
genuine (address praise and
correction specifically to those
who need to receive it dont use
the praise of one student to serve
as the correction of another).
1. Score Date:
2. Score Date: 1/12/17
3. Score Date:
acknowledgment and praise
(acknowledges when
expectations have been met
and praises when the
exceptional has been
achieved);
2. Praises and acknowledges
loud fixs soft;
3. Provides praise which is
genuine (address praise and
correction specifically to those
who need to receive it dont
use the praise of one student to
serve as the correction of
another).
1. Score Date: 11/3/16
2. Score Date:
3. Score Date:

Discussion Fundamentals: Voice, Tracking, Names

The simple and yes, fundamental, skill of speaking loudly, I feel, is an essential skill that all

students should be encouraged to develop. Time and time again, in the video clips available to view
through the Teach Like a Champion website, teachers consistently and unemotionally ask students to
speak up; of import, they do NOT say speak up. Simply by stating Voice or So we can hear
you; the practice is unapologetic and in my opinion a critical life skill.
Through the consistent use of Habits of Discussion, students are redirected to look at the

student they are responding or reacting to; again, in the sample video clips, the teacher consistently say,
Tracking and or use the hand signal of using the fore finger and the second finger to point to the eyes
and out toward the person to whom the speaker should make eye contact.
Encourage students, not only to pick up on the trail of the student that spoke before them, but also

to use their name. I like this; is gives discussion more eloquence, its very Socratic, and it disciplines the
students to lock in on the people they should be listening to and acknowledging. an often overlooked
detail that improves discussions is the practice of of expecting (and reminding) students to use one
anothers names. Subtle interruptions, steering students toward this habit, Great; turn to Michael
or OK, turn to Susan and repeat.
Follow-on, and Follow-on Prompting
Follow-on prompting is a means to train students in discussions to listen and pick up on the

previous speakers statements. Habits of Discussion asks the teacher to use simple phrases before
calling on the next student, such as: Develop, Evidence, please Add on, Michelle or even
Follow-on are effective and, after a while, about as directive as you need to be; the goal is to
eventually move toward an discussion un-narrated by the teacher. Promotion of peer-to-peer listening is a
key component when the expectation is that the students respond and build upon each others comments.
This critical habit, Always listeningteachers promote to help build a culture of peer listening and
discussion. ,(p.319).
Sentence Starters
Encourage students to begin their reflections in a discussion, agreeing or disagreeing with the

previous speaker by framing or linking their comment with the following Habits of
Discussion example sentence starters:
I understand why you say that, Julia, but
I was thinking so something similar, Mike
There was another example of that Susan
I want to add to what you just said John
That makes sense Lily, however
These opening phrases lets the students classmates know that the speaker was listening, validates
previous comments and establishes a linked discussion, creates flow. The text suggests that teachers
post these example discussion sentence starters on the wall or board at the beginning of planned
discussion activities.

Managing the Meta

 Habits of Discussion is really designed to emulate the principals of Socratic discussion.

developing and expanding ideas through a series of connected commentssometimes requires

keeping a discussion inside the box.We tend to valorize thinking outside the box: it smacks of
creativity, cognitive leaps, and the raw stuff of insight. In classroom discussion, however, keeping it inside
the box-staying focused on a specific topic; maintaining steady, deep reflection on one idea-is often more
valuable.,(p.321). The teachers goal is to frame the expectations of the discussion and set brief, strong
parameters within which the students elaborate.