How It Works
The complete student and teacher workflow—from assignment to insight
Student Workflow
Students complete three steps that together reveal authentic understanding. No AI can fake this combination.
DO the Work
Complete the thinking work—reading, annotating, problem-solving, note-taking.
- Use whatever method helps you think: handwritten notes, sketches, diagrams
- This is YOUR thinking time—messy is fine, mistakes are expected
- The goal is genuine engagement with the material, not perfection
- "Read Chapter 5 and annotate for main ideas."
- "Solve problems 1-5 and show your work."
- "Take notes on the video and identify key concepts."
SHOW Your Work
Take a photo of your physical work and upload it.
- This is your receipt—proof you did the work
- Bring the original to class for verification
- The artifact shows effort and process, not just final answers
- Annotated text passages with highlighting and notes
- Math problem-solving steps on paper
- Concept maps and diagrams
- Lab notebooks with observations
TELL What You Learned
Record 90 seconds of voice explanation.
- "Here's what I figured out..."
- "Here's where I struggled..."
- "This is how I solved it..."
Your voice reveals your real understanding. It's the part that can't be faked.
- "The main idea I learned was..."
- "At first I thought... but then I realized..."
- "I would use this in real life by..."
Teacher Workflow
Teachers assign, review patterns, and act on insights—all in a fraction of traditional grading time.
Assign the Work
- Give students the thinking task
- Explain DO → SHOW → TELL expectations
- Set submission deadline
- Provide rubric or success criteria
Review Patterns
- Look at artifacts—did students do thorough work?
- Listen to defenses at 1.5x speed
- Identify class patterns: who's getting it, who's stuck, what misconceptions exist
- Take notes on common themes
Pro tip: Don't grade each individually first. Listen for patterns, then go back with targeted feedback.
Act on Insights
- Reteach tomorrow what students missed
- Provide targeted feedback where needed
- Grade based on understanding (revealed in TELL), not compliance
- Celebrate strong examples with the class (with permission)
Time Comparison
See the real difference in teacher time and feedback quality.
| Task | Traditional | DO Show and Tell |
|---|---|---|
| Collect work | Collect 30 notebooks | Review 30 photos |
| Review responses | Read 30 responses (5-6 hours) | Listen to 30 defenses at 1.5x (30 min) |
| Identify patterns | Manual note-taking | Patterns emerge while listening |
| Return feedback | 2 weeks later | Next class |
| Total teacher time | 5-6 hours | 30-45 minutes |
Ready to Try It?
Start with our step-by-step implementation guide. You'll be up and running in a week.