The Minimalist Educator Podcast
A podcast about paring down to focus on the purpose and priorities in our roles.
The Minimalist Educator Podcast
Ep 064 — Focusing on One Teaching Point with Tammy and Christine
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This episode emphasizes the value of focusing on one teaching point to enhance clarity and learning outcomes in the classroom. Through practical strategies, real-life examples, and discussions on cognitive load, the hosts provide insights into effective teaching practices that can improve student success while promoting a minimalist approach to education.
• Exploring the definition and significance of one teaching point
• Discussing the cognitive load and its relation to lesson planning
• Sharing real-life examples of complex versus focused lessons
• Presenting strategies for maintaining a singular focus during lessons
• Emphasizing the importance of lesson closure and periodic checks
• Highlighting the need for repetition to reinforce key concepts
This episode is sponsored by Plan Z Education Services.
Find our book The Minimalist Teacher and Your School Leadership Edit: A Minimalist Approach to Rethinking Your School's Ecosystem at the links!
Follow on Instagram @PlanZEducation and @minimalist_ed_podcast.
The Minimalist Educator Podcast is a Plan Z Education Services adventure.
Focusing on One Teaching Point
Speaker 1Welcome to the Minimalist Educator Podcast , a podcast about paring down to refocus on the purpose and priorities in our roles with co-hosts and co-authors of the Minimalist Teacher Book , Tammy Musialski-Borneman and Christine Arnold .
Speaker 2On today's episode of the podcast we talk about one teaching point . We discuss what that means and some real-life examples of what it looks like , and some non-examples as well . Hello everyone and welcome to today's episode of the Minimalist Educator Podcast . I'm here with Tammy today . How are you , Tammy ?
Speaker 3Not too bad , a little under the weather , but that's okay . I'm here with you and I'm excited to talk about today's topic . Oh , that's good .
Speaker 2That's good . How are you ? I am very well , thank you , and very excited to be here today . We are talking about the idea of one teaching point . One teaching point what does that mean , Tammy ?
Speaker 3Well , I feel like it's pretty um like explicit in those words , right so ? But we know that education can have like smoke and mirrors and all of these other things going on , but really it's really focusing in on one learning target or objective . I know objectives are bigger , but just really sticking to one thing that you're teaching your students for that time frame that you're in . And so you know again , this can be any grade or any topic , because we know that if each lesson that we teach , or each discipline or each subject or whatever , we're going to have something specific that we're teaching social studies topic in ELA , that might look a little bit different , but it's probably just different in like the content that you're reading , so that's not going to muddle with your one teaching point .
Speaker 3So it really is just focus on teaching one thing to your students so that there isn't a bunch of confusion , right ?
Speaker 2I always think about it , as what is the one thing I want the students to take away from this ? What is the main thing I want them to leave here with ? That's always my thought , with the one teaching point .
Speaker 3Yeah , and I find going into different classrooms and I find going into different classrooms . That's what I'm looking for , right ? So a lot of times I have some teachers that are nervous to have me in their classroom and others that are like come in anytime , and which is great , and that I tell them . My focus is I'm looking at what students are doing , because that's telling me what you've taught them or what they're learning , and so that that zeroes in on what was the teaching point or the kids doing or saying , or you know whatever . The task is what you set out for them to do and it's . It sounds so simple , but , but it's easy to get caught in teaching too much at one time . But we talked in a few episodes ago last season about cognitive load . Remember that .
Speaker 2I do actually , I think it was back in season two . I know it seems like just a heartbeat ago , but I think it was . It was episode 37 , which I think was in season two , but yes , wow oh my goodness .
Speaker 3Um , but yeah , it kind of relates to that too , right ? So the the less we have on our mind , the better we can focus . So if we're teaching a singular skill or a piece of content to students , then it makes it easier for us and them because we're there's no confusion in what the direction is for sure , absolutely , yeah , I think we're definitely at risk of of hitting that cognitive load level if we're trying to do too much in a single lesson .
Speaker 2Absolutely , it reminds me of watching a writing lesson a while ago now , and you know not to be too critical of a colleague , but I do remember she was with the class and she was referring back to the previous lessons that they've done , which you know . There's nothing wrong with reviewing what you've done before . But that went on for quite a while , the reviewing , and then she introduced the new things that they were going to do today with a little practice . And then it was like oh , and don't forget that we have to check this for editing and revising . Oh , and remember , when we do feedback with a peer , they also need to talk about this and this and this and this is how you give compliments , and la la la .
Speaker 2And by the end of the lesson I was confused about what the main idea was . So everything she said was wonderful and relevant and necessary , but all of it together in one instructional lesson was I , was , I was like I'm not sure what the takeaway is here , and so that that's always stuck with me is is you know , if I'm confused . What are the kids feeling ? Like you know they might . They would be like , oh , that was great , I had a great chat and I practiced and yay , I'm going to get feedback . And then they go back to their desk and go wait . What ? What am I doing ?
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , I feel like you were in one of my writing classes . I feel like teaching writing is really tough to just focus on one thing , honestly , like reading can be pretty straightforward , like you can be teaching a strategy or practicing a strategy Math is can be pretty focused , just again like one way to solve a problem or discussion , you know whatever , but I feel like writing can be that , that subject area where there are just so many things to work on that feel like they can be simultaneous , right .
Speaker 3So like yes , we teach the writing process , but you could , you know , I and like , as writers we've kind of discovered you know , the process can be messy and confusing to ourselves . Yep and so right like you , can do some drafting and revising and editing at the same time . Is that the best way to do things ? Maybe not , but it depends on how your workflow feels and how your , your mind is working that day . So , um , I can definitely relate to that messy writing lesson and just being all over , but I think the important thing is I I feel like I became very good at stopping myself and being like okay , hold on a second , let's refocus on what we're supposed to be doing today and that is this thing . So make sure .
Speaker 3Yes , I said a lot of other stuff . Let's erase it and just say , okay , this was the teaching point we're just looking at . You know how to use a question at the beginning of a story or whatever it is , and I think it's important that teachers recognize they have to do that , and that's a different skill for teachers to be able to do . Well , I guess , and every day , make sure we're on task .
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely . I'm already thinking about some ways that people might be able to keep coming back to this one teaching point . But before we get to that , I'm wondering whether you feel like it is this feeling of urgency that we have as teachers , that maybe it doesn't feel like enough . Like if I'm just doing one teaching point , is that enough ? If I have six periods in a day and I've got six teaching points , is that enough in one day ? Do you think that could be part of why it's so challenging for people ?
Speaker 3I would think so
Sticking to One Teaching Point
Speaker 3. I think , culturally and societally , we've just learned to become people who , you know , we try to cram in as much as we can in our time because there's just so much to do , and that's like in personal life and in teaching and other work forces right , and we've seen that it doesn't really work out that well for us if we try to do too much , because it does lead to confusion and frustration and kids shutting down . When there's too much going on . I mean I shut down , so like stop , what are you talking about ? But yeah , I think we're in this . It's almost like a false sense of urgency kind of we realistically probably have enough time to do the things that we need to do . If we became more efficient at sticking to the teaching point , if we're able to do that , would we have to do less reteaching ? Because if we're able to do that , would we have to do less reteaching ? Right , like it makes you rethink of how your time might be spent in the classroom .
Speaker 3It does , yeah , right . Yeah , for sure , so do you think we're ready to launch into some strategies for how people can stick to this one teaching point ? Sure , I think so .
Speaker 2I mean we could go on and on about some crazy lessons we've seen or even taught , but you know we'll not relish in that oh yeah , We've all been there where we've a lesson has completely got away from us and we're just left thinking what , what was that ? What ? What just happened ?
Speaker 3I mean , it's good storytelling later on . Right it is .
Speaker 2It is yes we could write a book of just that . I think probably yes yes well , one one thing I'm thinking of is well , I know some people have to do it , but is writing that objective in the room , on the board somewhere ? That's one way to keep it front of mind . Right is to have it written right in front of you , right in front of the kids .
Speaker 3This is , this is the point that we're working on today yeah , I see that in a lot of classrooms , which is great .
Speaker 3Sometimes it's written just as an objective statement or an I can statement , and so and I've seen teachers , you know , read it to their class and the students read it to the teacher and to each other , and so that there's some of that kind of internalizing at the beginning of the lesson . So , you know , does that mean that they always stick to that ? No , but at least the intention is there . Sorry , I took a slide into the other side there , but but the intention is there , which is great . Right , so like teachers are intentionally putting it in their plan book and putting it on the board as a reminder . So , related to that , I think that teachers could and even students , if , if you know , they're hyper aware and reflective checking in with that teaching point throughout the lesson . So right , so like , if the it's introduced at the beginning of the lesson and then maybe after the mini lesson , so just to say , okay , did we ? Was the lesson related to what our objective was ?
Speaker 3yes or no , you know , do we need to make tweaks ? Do we need to talk a little more ? Whatever ? Do a little more . And then when students go off to do their partner or small group work , you know again , like , okay , when we're in our groups , this is what our focus is , and just telling , making that part of the group protocol .
Speaker 3So , before they start they're like okay , this is what our target is or what our teaching point is , and so that's what our focus is . And then again , like , it almost seems like beating a dead horse . But then again at the end of the small group time , okay , did we do that ? Okay , great , then we're on track , and I think teaching students to do that is , I mean , it makes them reflective on what they're learning . And then , of course , with the lesson closure , right and that often gets .
Speaker 3It gets dropped off a lot of times in lessons because kids are doing the activity and there's not enough time to wrap up . Getting back to the point of this was what we were trying to do today . Did we do that ? And so that's something that I think I mean it was hard . It's hard to do when you only have like 45 minutes to do something and you're trying to do all these lesson components and then have some kind of closure .
Speaker 2but it's so important to have the closure Like you can't , you can't drop that Absolutely , and that's that was one of the things I was thinking . Is you know some sort of closure or review or reflection , or you know pre-planning your exit ticket around your teaching point so that you know going into it ? Okay , I need them to respond at the end of the lesson about what we've done today . I think that's really powerful and I think one of the things to remember with this as well is you know , what do they say ? It's something like people need to hear something like seven times before the message is actually received . So I think don't be afraid to repeat and repeat and repeat . Like it's totally fine to say today we're practicing this or going back over our ICANN statement , this is what we're doing , and , just as you say , like , keep hitting it over and over again throughout the lesson and checking in with the kids on it and don't feel like , oh , I'm being really repetitive here because they probably need to hear it .
Speaker 3Yeah , and it's a good practice for teachers to get into right .
Speaker 3So , like , sometimes it feels like I have to say it again and we get tired of it and so we drop it , but like it's an essential part of the way we talk to kids and the things that they hear and the way that they keep seeing , oh , we keep going back to this learning target or this teaching point . That must be important . So I'm going to just do that myself now , you know , and so , like , eventually , the goal would be that students are just doing it themselves , which , like hallelujah to that right when kids are doing the independent things , especially something important like that .
Speaker 2For sure . It'd be great , you know , if a kid went out to the bathroom or something for a minute and came back and said to their friends , like what are we doing ? And the kids had that statement ready to go , because they've heard it a few times already or it's written on the board .
Speaker 3That would be a great way for the kids to be supporting each other and themselves with their learning yeah , I also think that , um , you know , whatever kind of exit ticket teachers are planning in doesn't have to be the elaborate thing either . Right , it can be a quick last minute , like turn to your partner and tell them how you , you know , use the teaching point today , or you know something that we did helped you achieve that , or whatever . Like it doesn't always have to be directed back to the teacher and as something to read or listen to too . But teachers , can you know if they're doing a turn and talk or something they can just go around and listen in and maybe zero in on those kids that you think , maybe you know , depending on what you saw during the lesson , check in on those ones . But it doesn't have to be this big elaborate check-in either to make sure that they got it For sure .
Speaker 2One I use all the time , especially if I know I'm running out of time and we've got to get out of . There is the you know on your hand . Show me on your hand out of five , how well are you ? You know how well have you got this , how confident are you feeling ? And you know , if it's something like that example I gave of working on giving compliments to your partner , you could just do a quick . Okay , show me on your handout a five . How did it feel to receive your compliment from your partner today ? Or something like that . It's so quick , you don't need to print or cut or laminate or glue or anything it's . You know it's right there , it's quick , it's ready to go , but again , it gives the kids a chance to be drawn back to that teaching point again before they leave .
Speaker 3Yeah , and then the data that teachers get from that is helpful to know . You know what you potentially need to revisit the next time .
Speaker 2Yeah , for sure .
Speaker 3Yeah , yeah , I mean it's tricky to just stick to your point Cause I mean you know how I tell stories . They're big , long circles , which is like common for people , right , and so , like people who , there's a lot of teachers that you know , they they can get talking and giving examples and more examples , and which can be great . But again go back to your teaching point . What am I really doing here ? And you got to kind of rein yourself in a little bit . When you get excited teaching , because I know that happens , it's a thing .
Speaker 2It does , it does . But maybe it's good modeling too , to , you know , get a little bit distracted and then model saying to the kids oh , we've gone off track here . This is our teaching point for today . This is our statement for today . Let's , let's bring ourselves back and focus on what we're doing yeah , exactly I like that .
Speaker 3Modeling is key , yep absolutely that might be our pare down pointer . I think , modeling , yeah , just model how we keep going back to our point , to our teaching point , and then you know , I think it's like I was saying before , when kids start doing things independently , like that's the goal . So , yeah , just keep modeling . We're sticking to this , we're referring back to it and we're going to stay on track so we can get our stuff done .
Speaker 2Yeah .
Speaker 3I like it . Do you have another one ? Okay , great .
Speaker 2Do I have another one ? Maybe on the one teaching point episode we should stick to one pair down pointer .
Speaker 3Maybe , maybe teaching point episode we should stick to one pair down , maybe . Maybe . I feel like it's a good reminder teachers know this I feel like in I don't want to say inherently , but you know , with practice and time like I gotta stick to this , but I I'm hoping that whoever's listening just it's a good reminder , even if you're not teaching honestly , honestly you know , if you're having a professional conversation with , like a parent , a colleague , your administrator , whoever , stick to your point , right , like it's great , it's great to converse with people and chit chat and all the things , but during the school day we know how precious time is .
Speaker 3So , like you're not being rude , but you're just like focusing on this is what I need to say to you right now and then we'll talk more later . And I think if you preface your conversation like that , you know , because you know people can , it's easy to get on tangents and you know , especially parents want to know stuff about what's happening with their kids and all these things . Um , but you really have to just stick to your one point and then , you know , go back and have the rest of your conversation later yeah , when it's a better time to be just free-flowing conversation .
Speaker 3Yeah , sorry I went on a little tangent , but it was related .
Speaker 2Speaking of Tammy going on tangents . Okay , thanks , tammy . That was a great conversation . We'll wrap it up there for today . Thanks for listening everyone .
Embracing Minimalism in Education
Speaker 2Today's episode was brought to you by Plan Z Professional Learning Services forward-thinking educator support . Find out more at planzplservicescom .
Speaker 1Be sure to join Tammy and Christine and guests for more episodes of the Minimalist Educator Podcast . They would love to hear about your journey with minimalism . Connect with them at planzpls on Twitter or Instagram of the Minimalist Educator podcast . They would love to hear about your journey with minimalism . Connect with them at PlanZPLS on Twitter or Instagram . The music for the podcast has been written and performed by Gaia Moretti . Thank you .
