#60 Don't have the title and date on the board during a Do Now

Students love nothing better than slowly copying them down

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💡 A tip to try in class this week 💡

I have written a lot about the Do Now, such as my work with a maths department to improve its effectiveness. Some of these changes are substantial, but one is not: Don't have the title and date on the board during a Do Now.

Surely that is not an issue? Surely students will quickly copy down the date and title and then crack on with their questions?

Well, here is a Do Now from a recent school visit:

And here are a couple of student books, 4 minutes after the lesson started:

The teacher had not picked up on this because, from his vantage point at the front of the classroom, it looked like the students were working. But they weren’t. They were busy tricking, something students specialise in, especially during the Do Now.

I see this all the time - students slowly copying down the date and title, happily putting off thinking for a few minutes.

Effective circulation can help, of course. But with large classes, this is tricky to do. Also, some students may want to crack on with the Do Now, but are just a little slow when copying things down.

A more straightforward solution is not having the date and title on the board during the Do Now, just the questions.

This removes a significant barrier to thinking, allowing the lesson to get off to a productive start. Then, after the Do Now has finished, the date and title can be revealed.

What do you think of this idea?

What would you need to change to make this tip work for you?

When could you try it for the first time?

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🏃🏻‍♂️Before you go, have you… 🏃🏻‍♂️

1. … tried last week’s tip about stopping saying the word “Just”?

2. … read my latest Eedi newsletter about my lesson observation and coaching template?

3. … listened to my latest podcast about planning examples and behaviour systems?

4. … read my Tips for Teachers book?

5. … considered booking some CPD, coaching or maths department support?

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