Play 7
The best possible end
What is it?
The best possible end play is a useful routine to ensure your lesson finishes on time, is orderly and maximises learning all the way to the end of the lesson. During this phase of the lesson, the teacher reviews and celebrates learning, using the data they have gathered on students’ understanding throughout the lesson. Quick learning points are carefully selected, providing opportunities for celebration: DPR judgements are adjusted and Golden Tickets are issued.
Why is it important?
End of lessons can often be rushed and chaotic; we need to finish on time and leave the classroom tidy but we don’t want to compromise the learning time so we leave packing up right to the last second! This end of lesson play combines easy routines that achieve both: it maximises learning time as well as ensuring order.
End with motivation: link success to learning by rewarding your students with merits and Golden Tickets. Ending the lesson by celebrating learning means your students will leave feeling successful and motivated.
What to do:
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Countdown and commentary Ensure enough time has been allowed for this final phase. From swivel, countdown from 10 in a strong voice. Intersperse your countdown with a commentary of instructions and narrating the positive: 10…books away… 9…standing behind your chairs in 8…well done to the back row are almost ready…7… |
Pack up routine Have a routine that your class is familiar with. It will make the packing up smooth and purposeful. You could designate roles to students to support a smooth pack up: X Y Z will collect the books from their rows… Have the DPR up ready to update in teacher view. |
Celebrate learning Call for SLANT in a strong voice. Expect 100% compliance. Summarise the key learning from the lesson. Review the DPR key objective and highlight common errors and strengths from the lesson. Cold call with some review questions. End on a high: update the DPR to celebrate success. Tell students how they can make further progress on the KO, eg. using DPR resources. |
Golden ticket Start with why you are issuing the Golden Ticket today; the reason must link to the learning in the lesson: this student persevered today even though they got the task wrong the first time…they even provided more than one interpretation…the Golden Ticket goes to…. End with revealing the student’s name to build anticipation! |
Dismiss from threshold Move to threshold and remind the class of corridor expectations. Dismiss the class row by row, only if they are in SLANT and silent. Be upbeat and expect their gratitude as they leave. |
