IMPORTANCE OF CLOSURE

If there's one portion of the lesson that we, teachers, sacrifice due to time constraints, that is no other than closure.

I remember my Assistant Principal reminding the teachers always not to forget ending a day's session using a good closure: a summary of what were discussed and a powerful line that will linger in the minds of the students, making them remember exactly the meat of the day's discussion.

Come to think of it, she was right, we had to utilize the ending portion of our lesson to maximize learning. What we noticed happening to our students during the course of discussion was that most of them would lose interest and eventually zone out. How sad...how frustrating! But that's reality and we just had to live with it.

So, how do you maximize learning when you are already toward the last few minutes of your lesson? Knowing the natural tendency of students to zone out during the most crucial part of the lesson, when you are discussing the most important details, will make us realize that the least we can do is to have them bring home with them even just the main items they need to remember about your topic for the day. And that is exactly what an effective closure will achieve.

Now, you might ask? And how is an effective closure done? There are three steps on how we to make your ending truly powerful and effective.

• First, inform your students that you are about to end your lesson. Since the usual scenario is that they are already sleeping at this time, believe me, when they hear you say that you are about to end, you will once again capture their attention, even more than a 100% of it. You see, they are to excited to leave your class and go to the next class and see the next teacher (who seems more popular than you are). The effect will be that of seeing your students keeping their things in their bags, looking at you intently and listening attentively.
• Second, take advantage of the situation. When you have already gotten back their interest and attention, summarize the most important points you have discussed in your lesson. For every item, add a line or two that will concisely and clearly explain to them what it is about.
• And third, add a punch line (a memorable line) that will capture the main essence of the day's lesson (e.g. a quote or a saying, a rhetorical question that is relating to the lesson, or a preview of tomorrow's activity in relation to today's to excite them a bit). This way, your idea to remember will truly make them remember. Ensure that the line is indeed memorable that it will have the same effect as that of the last song syndrome, that it will continue to linger in their minds hours or even days after. Of course delivery in this case counts.

So, why not try employing a powerful ending the next time you hold a session with your class? See the wonders it will do for you and for your students.