Crusoe College has been fortunate to have worked with Professor David Hopkins (Emeritus Professor, University of London). As part of this work, a Crusoe Model lesson was developed and has been implemented to ensure high quality instruction is occurring in every class.

1. Clear learning protocols

  • Students on time and on task
  • Being prepared
  • Grouping protocols
  • Opportunity for all to be involved in discussion

2. Clear goals at the start of the lesson

  • Defined time at the beginning of the lesson where there is a focus on the goals of the lesson
  • Understanding/Knowledge for the lesson
  • Tasks
  • Personalised to the student
  • Connect to assessment/understanding
  • Extension/Continuum
  • Verbally, on paper, projector, whiteboard

3. Differentiated Curriculum & Tasks

  • Flexible groupings – different in different lessons
  • Grouped by stage of development or understanding of the task
  • Mixed ability, use of data
  • Each group and task own purpose and learning goals
  • Teaching group – teacher working with a small group of students – monitoring progress through discussion and questioning
    Peer tutoring
  • Clear instructions – written down
  • Use of thinking models and tools to elicit deeper levels of thinking
  • Literacy expectations around accessing text for understanding across school
  • Explicit literacy teaching
  • Establishing prior knowledge
  • Conceptual understandings
  • Paraphrasing
  • Summarising

4. Questioning

  • Open ended, asked by teacher
  • Wait time
  • Teacher responds to students with further questioning to probe for further knowledge
  • Encouraging questions from students
  • Valuing all contributions
  • Asking students what they think the answer may be
  • Phrasing questions for higher order thinking
  • Making questions inviting – What do you think some ways might be?
  • Focus on understanding rather than knowledge and facts

5. Student Voice

  • Provide choice in type of assessment to suit ability and interests
  • Listen to student ideas with respect for the contribution – student confidence in raising questions
  • Provide opportunities for students to excel
  • Student led discussion

6. Positive interactions between students and teachers

  • Teacher greeting at door – different students
  • General talking
  • Both questioning
  • Smiling and good humour
  • Group discussion
  • Good body language – inclusive of all students
  • Actively participate
  • Talk with, not at
  • Incorporate games that promote higher order thinking and engage

7. Reflection at the end of the lesson

  • Asking the best thing about the lesson
  • What they learnt, didn’t learn
  • Clarify understanding
  • Circle time
  • Journal
  • Peer Assessment, etc.
  • Individual data