Why it works
The I do, we do, you do structure is built on guided practice with feedback, a consistently high-leverage phase of instruction. The common cause of failure on independent work is too little guided practice, jumping from the model straight to the solo task before students are ready.
The research: Pearson and Gallagher on the gradual release of responsibility.
The run-of-show
Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.
The core activity: map one lesson across the phases
Teachers leave with one lesson mapped across all three phases, with the guided middle built in.
- Pick a skill to teach.
- Plan the 'I do' model.
- Design the 'we do' guided practice, the step most often skipped.
- Plan the 'you do' independent task, and how you will check readiness before releasing.
Do not skip the middleMost struggle comes from too little 'we do.' Guided practice with feedback is where students build the thing you just modeled.
Facilitator notes
- Show how to check for readiness before releasing to independent work.
- 'We do' can repeat as many times as the evidence calls for.
- Release is a decision based on evidence, not a point on the clock.
Release on evidence, not timeMove to independent work when the checks say students are ready, not because the bell is coming.
Adapt it
- <b>Elementary:</b> more 'we do' and shorter cycles.
- <b>Secondary:</b> 'you do' can be collaborative before it is solo.
- <b>Students who need support:</b> extend the 'we do' and add a checklist for independence.
Participant handout
One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.
K12 Academics · Professional Learning
Gradual Release: model it, guide it, release it
<b>Three phases, on purpose:</b> I do (model), we do (guided practice), you do (independent).
- The skill:
- My 'I do' model:
- My 'we do' guided practice:
- My readiness check before releasing:
- My 'you do' task:
Make it stick
Make the phases a habit:
- Build the three phases into the planning template.
- Name which phase you are in, out loud, during the lesson.
- Bring a lesson where the 'we do' made the difference to the next PLC.
Common questions
How do I know when to release to independent work?
When your checks for understanding say students are ready, not when the clock says so.
Can I repeat the 'we do'?
Yes, as many times as the evidence calls for. Guided practice is where the learning is built.
Does every lesson need all three phases?
Not always in a single lesson, but the guided middle is the part most often, and most harmfully, skipped.
Go deeper
- Fisher and Frey, Gradual Release of Responsibility