Walk us through the lesson you would teach

Whether the panel asks you to describe a lesson or to teach one, they are scoring the same five things: a clear outcome, a structure, active students, a check at the end, and time. A candidate who talks for 15 minutes and asks no question fails even if every fact was right.

1. 1Start from one outcome, written as what students can do. “By the end, students can add fractions with different denominators” is an outcome; “fractions” is a topic.
2. 2Starter (3 to 5 minutes): one question or picture that connects to what they already know. Sharing bread at home is a starter for fractions; the price of sugar at the market is a starter for percentages.
3. 3Teach (10 to 12 minutes): one method, one worked example on the board, then a second example the students solve with you.
4. 4Practise (15 minutes): students work in pairs or small groups while you walk around. Give three levels of questions so fast and slow students are both busy.
5. 5Check (5 minutes): three exit questions on slates, in notebooks or by show of hands. Their answers tell you what to re-teach tomorrow, and you say so to the panel.

For the demo itself: ask in advance for the topic, grade, time and materials, and prepare a one-page plan with the outcome at the top; hand a copy to the panel. Treat the panel or the class as real students: ask them questions by name, wait for answers, praise a correct one. Practise twice with a timer. Finishing at 14 minutes with the check done beats finishing at 20 minutes with the best explanation in the world. If something goes wrong, say what you would do next time; reflection is itself scored.