Hello @the-hockey-haus,Friends call me Windy, hope you do too! But for real, congrats on getting to the demo lesson, as I’ve written about before, that is a feat in and of itself. I’m “end-of-the-year” tired, so this post is probably too late to even help you, and I am so, so, so sorry for that. 1.) Keep it a skill that is easy and quickly assessed. Depending on the grade-level, I always recommend the “active vs. passive voice” lesson. It’s easy, the kids usually get it pretty quick, there’s a Flocabulary video and set of activities you can adapt…etc. In the demo lessons that I have had, it’s always been about “how do you KNOW the students learned something?” You want to be able to quickly say “well, 13 did well, 10 did average and 7 did not meet the expectations, indicating to me they will need some additional one-on-one help moving forward.” My advice would be no paragraphs, no essays, no short answers. A “Fist-to-Five” in the middle of the lesson to gauge understanding, then a multiple choice exit slip. 2.) Nametags. This seems silly, but have the kids put their names on nametags, and have one for you too! I recommend putting Mr./Ms./Mrs. rather than your first name, it seems friendlier but you want the principal to view you as a professional, not “just out of college.” It’s also a lot better to use names than “hey you with the hat on!” 3.) Impeccable Lesson Plans. If there were ever a time to have the most detailed lesson plans of your life, now would be it. (Have you ever seen Brooklyn Nine-Nine, when Peralta asks Gina what the moon phase and humidity was the day he arrested a perp? THAT’S the level of detail you want for this lesson.) You want it scripted, with differentiation (WIDA “Can-Do” Descriptors would be a good idea too.) next steps, possible homework…etc. This work on the front end will help when your evaluator (who will more than likely not even read your document, btw) asks “so how are you differentiating your instruction for a large group of students?” or “how are you making sure each student is getting what they need?” You can refer to sections of the lesson plan and look like you walked in the door with your proverbial ducks in a row.4.) That being said, expect some tough questions and answers that aren’t in your lesson plan. They are wanting to see how you think and how you process information. But it will feel like you’ve done everything wrong and they’re poking a thousand holes in your meticulous materials. They have a ton of applicants to sort through, so they are going to “back you into a corner” so to speak, and see how you react. In my experience, this is especially true in urban districts and “rough” schools. They want to make sure you’re not going to run out of the building crying after the first week. Keep your calm, and maybe admit a few times “you know what? I’m not so sure how I would respond to x, y, or z, but I can say I’m very coachable, and feel very comfortable reaching out to my more experienced colleagues or even my administration for solutions.” It’s not the best answer, but it buys you some time and allows you to give an answer without stuttering or breaking a sweat. 5.) Be yourself. I know that sounds pithy, but too many colleagues went in feeling they had to be Mary Poppins or else they wouldn’t get the job. During a demo lesson, I had a student who was so obviously over it, he put his head down and tried to sleep. These kids had been the guinea pigs for a dozen or so demo lessons over the past few weeks, I can’t really blame him. I told the kids to try the first question without me, and then I walked over and quietly, but firmly, said “hey, let’s go.” He tried to pick a fight with me, “I ain’t doin’ this!” I replied “This is not a debate, I’ll come around again in a minute to see how you’re doing.” This is going to sound caustic, but most principals aren’t looking for the nicest teachers, they’re looking for teachers who are going to get results. I’m not saying don’t smile, but I am saying don’t be afraid to have expectations, this isn’t a date, don’t let the kids walk all over you just so they’ll like you. After it’s done, reflect for about an hour, but then put it behind you. By your third or fourth demo lesson, you don’t want the ball and chain of previous slip-ups to weigh you down. Each lesson is your best lesson. All that being said, you’re going to do great. Or possibly have already BEEN great, depending on how late this post is sending out for you, sorry again. Good luck,-WCT
