Save the Last 5 Minutes

Dear New Teacher,

Save five minutes for closure. When you send the students off to work, ask them to keep the ideas below
in the back of their minds.

• Greatest Insight or Contribution: What was the most significant idea or aha? Who said something particularly interesting or phrased something beautifully or clearly? What did they say? Why is this important?  
• Important Point or Distinction: What did you notice that was critical to understanding? Is there something new worth pointing out?
• Struggle and Solution: Where have you struggled? What isn’t working? What seems to be working?
• Link to Reading, Writing, or Yesterday’s/Today’s/Tomorrow’s Lessons: How might this learning connect to other things you are reading and researching? How might we use these ideas or craft moves in our own writing? How does the work today connect to what we did yesterday, today, and what we might consider tomorrow?

As you circulate to monitor, refine, and extend student learning, jot down notes and names of group and
student contributions to celebrate. Be looking for key misconceptions (pseudo-concepts) that might need
reteaching.

In the last few moments of class, bring the class back together to reflect. Pose the four types of responses.
Give students some time to pause, think, and jot ideas. Ask students to pair or square to share ideas with
those near them. Then select two to three students to share the high points of their discussion. You’ll have
the perfect opportunity to refine, extend, or reteach key learning outcomes. You may even have noticed
something or someone special to bring forward to the group. (Be sure to solicit their approval before
asking them to share with the group. While they are working, say, "You really have something worthwhile
for the whole group. Would you mind sharing this idea when we all come back together at the end of
class?")

Saving five minutes to consolidate and celebrate learning will be well worth everyone’s time.

Sincerely,

Shona