What is Teach Like A Champion?
Teach Like A Champion is a teaching approach that proposes a set of particular techniques for teachers to follow.
The philosophy behind it is that the solution to closing the achievement gap in schools lies in classroom practice itself, particularly around consistency and an embedded, shared vocabulary.
Where did it come from?
The term is taken from the book of the same name, published by Doug Lemov in 2010. Lemov researched and observed many “great” teachers (who, despite having pupils with additional needs or coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, saw consistently high results each year) and found that all of them used simple but effective approaches, which ensured all of their pupils were engaged, learning and had high aspirations.
What techniques does it promote?
Although there are currently around 62 techniques recommended, at its core, Teach Like A Champion promotes the following:
Setting high academic expectations
All pupils need to know that they can and will be made accountable, with a “no opt-out” policy and an insistence on fully correct responses rather than those that are partially thought through (Lemov insists that “right is right”).
Planning that ensures academic success
All teaching should start with the end and plan backwards effectively from there. Objectives should always be effective and every task should lead to an ultimate end goal of learning.
Focusing on engagement
Lemov recommends using a “hook” at the start of a lesson to spark interest, naming and sharing the “steps of learning” with pupils, and maintaining the focus of the whole class with techniques such as the “cold call”, where students are selected at random to answer questions.
Creating a strong classroom culture
According to Lemov, great teachers maintain control of their classes through consistent routines around elements such as entering and exiting the classroom, and even the transitions between tasks. Underpinning all of this is the “golden rule” that high standards are for 100 per cent of pupils, 100 per cent of the time.
Further reading:
Teach Like A Champion website.
Doug Lemov, Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College, Jossey-Bass, 2010.
Doug Lemov, Teach Like a Champion Field Guide 2.0: A Practical Resource to Make the 62 Techniques Your Own, Jossey-Bass, 2016.
