After reading the 8/27/2015 post, “This Year Be a More Effective You,” a teacher asks:

SC,

OK, I’ll be the one who asks for everyone else, “What is the appropriate way to close a lesson?”

SC Response Excellent question, and one that should be asked more often due to this one fact. In the field (actual classrooms) effective lesson closure is observed less than 1% of the time.  So in spite of the fact that everyone says that they know how to do it, no one is.  Which would seem to be a lot more damning than simply not knowing how to do it. But enough of that… now to your question. 

How to Close a Lesson Effectively

In the last five minutes of class, have EVERY student articulate in their own words the critical understanding of the lesson.  The two best ways manage this process are to:

1.  Have all students respond to a quick critical writing prompt on an exit-ticket; or

2. Have all students pair up and address a higher order question prompt.

Here is the absolute truth.  To not close the lesson is to squander effort and leave student retention on the table.   Think. Work. Achieve. Your turn…

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