Practice

Learning in our classrooms is guided, supported, then independent. We offer opportunities for young people to practise in order to master content. We use a variety of co-operative learning strategies.

"I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand."

Chinese Proverb

Intro

When we talk about practice, we mean putting into action something that has been shown, described or explained to you (Robertson, 2021).

Practice should be guided, supported and then explained.

I do, we do, you do

This teaching strategy comprises three stages:

modelling (I Do),
scaffolding (We Do), and
independent practice (You Do), each acting as a cognitive scaffold for students.

Rather than being confined to a single lesson, this model can extend across multiple lessons. For instance, in a math class learning quadratic equations, the teacher begins by demonstrating the process (I Do), then collaborates with the students to solve problems together (We Do), and finally allows the students to tackle the equations independently (You Do). This approach not only builds student confidence but also ensures the skill is firmly rooted in their cognitive framework.

I Do (The modelling Stage)

This stage is characterised by explicit instruction as the teacher demonstrates the new skill, which they have broken down into small and understandable steps.

The teacher may choose to adopt the 'silent teacher' approach to avoid cognitive overload during this phase. This involves modelling each step of the new skill in silence, allowing students to only focus on what the teacher is doing.

Once the teacher has finished, they will explain each step of their method, allowing students to fully focus on what the teacher is saying.

We Do (The Facilitation Stage)

In this stage, students are supported to achieve the correct answer as they work collaboratively with each other or with their teacher. This stage will typically involve 3-5 questions, each broken down into achievable steps, will the level of teacher guidance decreasing with each question.

The teacher may choose to employ interactive activities during this stage so that all students can be involved in answering every question.

You Do (The Independent Practice Stage)

This is the time for students to put into practice what they have learnt during the first two stages by practising the new skills independently.

There will still be opportunities for students to ask questions and for individual students to receive additional support from their teacher during this stage, but it is expected that most students will be able to work through the questions independently.

Adapted from Benjamin, Z. (2023, November 1). I Do We Do You Do. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/i-do-we-do-you-do