Preamble:
Viewing a 'good' lesson as a work of art is restrictive: it becomes the preserve of a few talented performers. It may be more beneficial to view lesson structures as a science, or a technology of lesson structures and effective teaching behaviours rather than looking at (and being distracted by) individual characteristics. An intention of the incorporation of a starter, main and plenary section to lessons was an attempt to section lessons into episodes that are demonstrably helpful to students. What is also important is that lessons do not always have the same very predictable routines, that there is some variation and drama in teaching and some variety of learning styles.

Much in the literature has been written about effective lessons and there is a shared understanding of what constitutes a good structure:

Effective lessons, evidence from research:
. Whole class, interactive teaching - for a large proportion of time.
. Well-structured lessons - several 15 or 20 minute episodes or sections
. Lessons or sections usually have a single focus
. Higher order questions and statements are involved
. There is frequent questioning and dialogue
. Student's ideas are sought and built upon
. Students have opportunities to review what they have learned

In 2006, teachers at the school worked on criteria for lessons - to try to identify aspects of effective practice. This work is provided in Excel format with the possible intention of studying aspects of lessons, within co-coaching sessions.

Lesson Criteria
Lesson Observation Form
Lesson Observation Form with a Focus on Questioning

C Kyriacou (1997) Eight qualities of effective lessons (adapted, slightly)

Preparedness: the lesson is well organised and prepared, both for teaching during the lesson and for setting work; the lesson is well structured with a clear focus on where students are going and how they will get there; some instructional variety to lessons is planned.

Pace and flow: there is an appropriate pace which maintains interest and attention; the lesson flows smoothly with the teacher able to attend to more than one thing at a time and the flow of lessons is not broken by providing help or disciplining individuals.

Transitions: the lesson begins quickly and whole group attention is re-established when required, such as transitions between activities; the teacher is sensitive to how the lesson is progressing and interjects or mediates, to help or cajole, appropriately.

Cognitive matching: the lesson is well suited to student's ability; the teacher is able to accommodate individual differences by varying the difficulty level and pace; work is challenging as well as instructive; feedback is used to adjust lessons.

Clarity: teacher's instructions and explanations (both verbal and written) are clear and at students' level; ideas are developed with students as well as for them; tasks are clear; concepts are presented in a step-by-step order and links are established.

Business-like: authority is firm; incidents of misbehaviour are tackled calmly; teacher exudes confidence and sets positive expectations for quality of work and behaviour; work is purposeful, especially in preparing students for external exams.

Withitness: teacher is aware and monitors what is going on in the room; has eyes in the back of their head; maintains eye contact with students; scans well; pre-empts poor behaviour; knows who the culprits are; develops a rapport with most pupils.

Encouragingness: interactions are essentially encouraging, pleasant and positive; self-esteem is enhanced; praise and instructive criticism used; enthusiasm is conveyed, and with a good sense of humour; student ideas are sought and utilised.

Ofsted, have identified various qualities of a good lesson:

Quality of teacher-pupil relationships and classroom management
Good relationships with pupils
Teacher manages the class well

Quality of planning and preparation of work
Aims and objectives are appropriate and clear
Well-structured lesson
Good choice(s) of resources
Pupil's work is thoroughly and constructively marked
Where work is carefully matched to individual abilities, pupils are interested, attentive, fully involved and responsive
Aims and objectives are achieved

Quality of teaching process and match of work to pupils
Appropriate teaching styles are adopted
Mastery of subject is evident (by the teacher)
Pupils given appropriate opportunities to organise their work
High expectations for all
Good pace to lesson
Feedback provided (written and verbal)
More able pupil's needs catered for
Average ability pupil's needs catered for
Less able pupil's needs catered for
Pupil's capabilities suitably stretched
Good challenge to task(s)
Pupil's interest is maintained
Pupils appear to be motivated and enjoy the lesson/activity
Better lessons are less 'teacher-dominated'.

Quality of language used in the classroom and questioning techniques
There are many useful dialogues between the teacher and pupils
Pupil's use of language is always appropriate to the occasion
The teacher varies questioning techniques appropriately
The teacher's questioning is well distributed among pupils
The teacher makes good use of pupils' responses
Pupils are encouraged to develop arguments: to formulate as well as to answer questions and to articulate their ideas through open discussion.

Student views.
Research has shown that students value lessons where:
. civilised order is maintained
. explanations are clear and you know how you are doing
. the teacher is positive and enthusiastic
. students are treated respectfully and fairly
. there is some humour or fun
. student ideas are sought and listened to
. the teacher likes their subject
. the teacher likes teaching students
. the teacher treats people equally (don't have 'pets')
. you can have your say
. lessons vary

Not such a valuable lesson (an example, drawing on the work of Mike Hughes, in 'Closing the Gap')

It's the last lesson of a windy day. Students amble aimlessly in, sloth-like, having been off-site, ice skating during the previous PE lesson. They slump in their chairs and need asking several times to get their books out and to open them. No-one seems inclined to do so, preferring instead to carry on with their quiet or loud conversations. Several students defiantly proclaim that they do not have a pen (or any other writing implement), neither do they have a bag or a book and seem incapable of fetching paper even though they know (and are reminded) where it's kept. The teacher remonstrates with the various latecomers, several of whom carry on conversations, some laughingly across the room. Drained at the end of the day, the teacher has no semblance of niceness or pleasantry left. They are visibly exasperated and frustrated by the lack of cooperation and respect.

Eventually some kind of (brief) lull is achieved and the teacher asks everyone to get out and show their homework. Not too many students seem to have completed the task, very few with much semblance of any real effort. For the usual offenders, the teacher reminds them (again) of the value of doing homework if they want to attain a good grade in the subject. Several students are indignant because they have a good reason (in their opinion) for not having their work with them ("I've done it but left it at my Dad's"). Detention lists are created, with arguments, and these are recorded in planners. Growing in frustration, the teacher becomes ever grumpier and eventually sends one or two students outside, not always the worst offenders, just those who open their mouths at a time of extreme annoyance. These students proclaim their innocence and point to other students who were far worse than they were as they scrappily exit the room. Other students resume conversations whilst the teacher deals with those sent outside. It is now about 15 minutes into the lesson. The teacher is painfully aware of the six silent, good natured and keen students who clearly want to learn.

It is hard to start the lesson because of regular interruptions and so the teacher asks them to copy down a sentence or two off the board. Some complete this quickly whilst others show no inclination to start this task. A sheet of questions is distributed and barely looked at. The only comments are of the "I don't get this" variety, accompanied by deeper slumping. It is now 20 minutes into the lesson.

The lesson is dominated by the three or four students who routinely blurt out answers in spite of questions being targeted at individuals. Pen clicking continues throughout the lesson and there is little opportunity for interaction because there is very little attention on the lesson.

Around 10 minutes before the end of the lesson students begin packing up and thinking about their journey home and who they will be meeting up with after school, maybe the problems they had over lunchtime, maybe where they will meet up with their girlfriend. They are halfway home before the bell goes and the lesson, such as it was, fast evaporates from their heads. The teacher reminds the students that the bell is for the teacher not students but this is to no avail since most already have their coats and scarves on. Next lesson they will not recall what they have done, maybe claiming they have never done it. Their homework shows a complete lack of understanding and this is reinforced by a test, which shows clearly that no-one understood or recalled any of it.

As Mike Hughes suggests, this highlights a vital need to start with some activity that all can begin. The lesson also needs to start early on unless students are invited to go through aspects of their homework on the board. Resources need to be distributed early on. Routines such as taking the register or collecting homework can be better managed part way through a lesson. Some form of review helps to fix the central aspects of the lesson and these can be reviewed at the start of the next lesson.