Dear Colleagues,

Excited and grateful to make the SamTastic Weekly Tip this week with “Learn to Look at Classroom Cause and Effect.” Visit www.samsconnect.com for information about the National SAM Innovation Project and the upcoming SAMs National Conference. 

This week’s Tip: Great Teaching Moves

Have you considered what defines a great teaching move? Mike Rutherford, Rutherford Learning Group, says:

“Keen classroom observers can spot and analyze effective teaching moves. A “move” is a “short burst of teaching technique that puts the teacher at a quick advantage.”  Great moves have two parts: cause (what the teacher does) and effect (how the move affects learning and learners).Specific feedback can only follow specific observation. One way to enhance specificity is to observe classroom happenings using the frame of cause-effect. Things the teacher does, says, designs, or allows can be viewed as causes. Effects can be thought of as the resulting impact on learners and/or learning. A simple cause-effect expression might sound like this: “When the teacher asked all students to count by threes out loud and all together (choral response), the energy level in the classroom increased.” Or, “When the teacher asked students to use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast fiction and non-fiction, students confused these two types of writing less often.”

You can access Mike’ article by clicking here: Learn to Look at Classroom Cause and Effect

Mike’s website address is:  https://rutherfordlg.com/

Mike has been a featured presenters at several National SAM Conferences. Here’s a link to his keynote at our 10^thannual conference:  Seven Unforgettable Classroom Observations:  



Thanks and best wishes,

Mike