Introduction

Liz Willingham introduces a 10-minute Demo Lesson and discusses key tips for success.

Key Points

• Know the length of time you will be given to setup and execute the lesson.
• Practice the lesson until it feels natural.
• Demo Lessons should include each component of a full lesson:

1. Brief introduction where expectations are set, objective is established, and teacher is introduced.
2. “Do Now” or quick activity that references prior knowledge.
3. Beginning or “I Do” that introduces the new material. This will be heaviest on teacher talk time.
4. Middle or “We Do” that highlights student interactions, and partner or small-group work time.
5. Ending or “You Do” that focuses on student independent work (an exit ticket).
6. A closing that thanks students for their time and repeats the day’s objective.

Insider Tips

Create your materials ahead of time! Posters that include the subject, grade level, lesson objective, and teacher’s name can save you valuable time. If you are bringing materials for students to work with, sort them beforehand to ensure each student gets exactly what they need.

Practice with a timer, in front of a mirror (or record yourself)! This will help you optimize your classroom presence and pacing.

Prepare for a debrief reflection. Even if your Demo doesn’t go as well as you may have planned, showing how thoughtful and responsive you are to feedback can go a long way with hiring teams.

LAUSD Candidates: You will be given two minutes to set up for your lesson, and a full ten minutes to execute the lesson itself. We strongly suggest the following time breakdowns: Intro (1 min), Do Now (1 min), I Do (2-3 mins), We Do (2-3 mins), You Do (2-3 mins), and Closing (1 min).