47 Micro-Practice Drills

Wait Time Trainer

Ask a question, count silently to 4, resist filling silence.

Open Question Converter

Given a recall question, rewrite as open question, deliver it.

Cold Call Circuit

Call on 5 non-volunteers by name in 2 minutes.

Follow-Up Probe

Student answers, practice 'Tell me more' / 'Why do you think that?'

Turn-and-Talk Launch

Practice: question, think time, 'turn to your partner,' timer, share out.

Socratic Sequence

Ask 4 linked questions that build from concrete to abstract.

Exit Ticket Design

Write a 1-question exit ticket that checks understanding (not recall).

Revoicing Drill

Student says something, restate in academic language, check: 'Did I get that right?'

Attention Signal

Practice 3 different signals and measure response time.

Transition Countdown

Move class from activity A to B in under 60 seconds.

Positive Narration

Narrate what students ARE doing right for 60 seconds straight.

De-escalation Response

Student says 'This is stupid' — practice 3 calm responses.

Proximity Move

Drifter goes off-task, move toward them without interrupting instruction.

Non-Verbal Redirect

Student side-talking, redirect without saying a word.

Restorative Check-In

After a disruption, practice the 2-minute private conversation.

First 5 Minutes

Practice the opening sequence: greet, bell-ringer, attendance, launch.

Specific Praise

Replace 'Good job' with specific process praise.

Growth Mindset Reframe

Student says 'I'm bad at math' — practice 3 reframing responses.

Scaffolding Without Telling

Student is stuck, provide a hint without giving the answer.

Tiered Question

Same content, 3 difficulty levels, ask each to appropriate student.

Check-for-Understanding Blitz

3 formative assessment moves in 2 minutes.

Error Analysis

Show student work with a common error, walk them through finding it.

Peer Feedback Scaffold

Model how to teach students to give each other specific feedback.

Accommodation Reminder

Given an IEP snapshot, practice 3 in-the-moment accommodations.

Name Learning

12 student names flash, practice saying each correctly within 5 seconds.

2x10 Strategy

Practice 2 minutes of non-academic conversation with a disengaged student for 10 consecutive 'days'.

Funds of Knowledge

Student mentions their weekend, practice connecting it to content.

Affirming Identity

Student shares something personal, practice validating without tokenizing.

Community Circle

Practice facilitating a 3-minute community circle opening.

Parent Communication

Practice a 90-second positive parent call about a struggling student.

Praise-First Sequencing

Start every response with a specific acknowledgment, then teach.

60-Second Intervention Ladder

Move through 4 micro-interventions in under 60 seconds without stopping instruction.

90-Second CICO Check-In

Practice the structured morning check-in: greet, review goals, predict success, encourage.

Plan B Empathy Step

Practice the empathy step of Collaborative Problem Solving without jumping to solutions.

Productive Struggle Timer

Watch a student struggle and decide when to intervene — not too early, not too late.

Restorative Circle — 5 Questions

Practice facilitating the 5 sequential restorative questions after a conflict.

Co-Regulation — Lower YOUR Energy First

Practice calming yourself before responding to an escalated student.

Fidelity Self-Check

At end of day, score your own intervention implementation honestly.

Curiosity vs. Deflection Check

When a student asks a tangent question, check if it's genuine exploration or avoidance.

IEP Accommodation Quick-Check

Practice delivering the same instruction with and without accommodations.

IEP Goal Progress Check

Practice collecting formative data toward an IEP goal during regular instruction.

ELL Sentence Frame Scaffold

Practice providing language scaffolds that support expression without reducing cognitive demand.

Same Concept, Three Levels

Practice asking the same conceptual question at three different complexity levels for a mixed classroom.

Extension, Not Busywork

Practice creating on-the-spot extension tasks that deepen rather than widen.

Universal Design Quick Scan

Scan a lesson activity for UDL compliance across all three principles.

504 vs IEP Decision Point

Practice identifying whether a student's needs call for a 504 plan or an IEP referral.

ASD Transition Protocol

Practice giving effective transition warnings for a student on the autism spectrum.