First let me say, I am all about some front-loading. Definitely team “Front-load information” over here. With that being said, I’m reluctant to admit that while I understand the need for it, have read the research supporting it, and have every intention of including it in lesson plans, I’ve never really seen such a clear example of it’s effectiveness or how it is done. That is, until my observation last week and then again with the super fab Ms. Wicket.
I always thought to front-load information was to basically just verbally go over things. I’m not sure why my mind went there, but I just didn’t really make the connection to actual instruction during this part. (I’m not a doofus, I promise haha). I think the reason being is because I never had to create a lesson plan in which it was necessary. I always selected an SOL and started from the beginning. I wrote as if this was the first time students would be exposed to this plan. Herein lies one of my complaints about being an education student-writing lessons not knowing your students, or audience, but it’s the norm and to be expected. (insert one of the reasons I am super excited for student teaching! Can I get a woohoo for real living breathing kiddos? woohoo!
Anyways…I’m not quite sure of the technical name of what she did, but I’m going to call it sandwiching (sort, powerpoint, read-aloud, back to the sort. The sorts are the bread, the rest are the toppings/meat). I loved how she incorporated so many different types of assessments (pre- with the sort, think pair share, thumbs up/down, etc) all before she even got to the main point of her lesson. Even more so, the sandwiching! (food analogies for the win). By coming back to the sort, the students understood the purpose of the activity. They were able to make sense of all of the information and (hopefully) put together all of those pieces floating around in their head.
I am a bit anxious about being how, as a new teacher, I may look if I am unable to keep up with pacing guides due to time spent on front-loading? One would hope it would all work itself out by the end of the year but who knows. Only time will tell!