What is the “I Do, We Do, You Do” Teaching Model?

Tuesday March 15, 2016 comments

After a new concept is taught, teachers often expect students to be able to use it independently right away. While this may work for some students, others need more support and practice before they are ready to try on their own. "I Do, We Do, You Do" is a teaching method that is well suited for teaching these new concepts. This three step process easily guides children from the concept's introduction to full understanding. The technique works well for modeling reading comprehension, problem solving, and the writing process for kids, and more.

Another name for this method is "scaffolding." Just as scaffolding allows builders to reach the top of the roof, "I Do, We Do, You Do" helps children reach success. Each step takes children to a higher scaffold until they have reached the peak—being able to utilize the new concept independently.

I Do

The first step of this teaching method is the teacher modeling the new concept for the students. This is more than scribbling a quick demo on the board. The teacher should slowly talk through the process step-by-step. She should elaborate on what she is thinking and what questions she is asking herself in her head.

We Do

The next step is practicing the concept in pairs or small groups. By working together, the students can help each other when they get stuck or confused.

You Do

Now that the kids have had practice with the new concept, they are ready to try it for themselves. Although they may still have questions or need clarification, they should be capable of working independently now thanks to the experience they gained. The end result? Confident learners that feel successful.

This method can be used to teach sentence construction with WordParts. Understanding the parts of speech is an important foundation for teaching the writing process for kids. First, the teacher shows the students step-by-step how to use the interlocking blocks, working through several examples aloud. The children then split up into pairs to use the blocks collaboratively. Finally, the students practice independently and confidently using the WordParts app.