“The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.” -Stephen R. Covey

“Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.” -Rodin

“I get that the Whole-Group Mini-Lessons shouldn’t be 45 minutes long since the students aren’t listening after 10 or 15 minutes anyway. I would like to know if I can use smart boards, interactive videos, lessons from the teacher’s guide, and other things.”

Yes, you can use whatever pedagogical tool is most effective to help students understand the simple concepts you are teaching during the Whole-Group Mini-Lesson. The primary things to remember about the Whole-Group Mini-Lessons are:

• Use pre-assessment tools to determine which concepts your students do and don’t know. If most of your students understand a concept, then you don’t need to teach it for a prolonged period of time. You may review briefly, but not make those mastered concepts comprise your entire lesson.
• Stay in your order of instruction or scope & sequence. You should be teaching grade-level concepts.
• Be timely. You may want to set a timer and have a student let you know when you have 3 minutes remaining.
• Make the instruction meaningful to the students. Provide opportunities for them to make a real-world connection.
• Use thinking partners so students can interact and share what they have just learned.
• Infuse genuine enthusiasm. When you are excited about the learning which is occurring, then students will be, too!