Effective classroom
instruction is built around student thinking. In recitations, discussions, and
other means of checking for understanding, excellent teachers make sure that
students are doing the thinking and supplying answers, making connections,
correcting errors, etc.
The invariable temptation of inexperienced teachers is
to rescue temporarily stymied students or class discussion. In the interest of
student feelings, or in impatience to get on with things, some teachers will
plunge in and either give the answers to their own questions (or worse, fail to
even ask questions), or focus only on the students they know will give timely
and correct answers. This will move the class along, but it will give a
probably false impression that the class as a whole understands the learning.
Excellent teachers instead use many of the following to move past easy answers or awkward silences:
Remember wait time
Provide at least three seconds of
thinking time after a question and after a response
Utilize 'think-pair-share'
Allow individual thinking time,
discussion with a partner, and then open up for class discussion
Ask 'follow-ups'
Why? Do you agree? Can you elaborate?
Tell me more. Can you give an example?
Withhold judgment
Respond to student answers in a
non-evaluative way to solicit further discussion
Ask for summary
To promote active listening,
frequently ask students to summarize
Survey the class
“How many agree with…?’ Use ‘follow
up’ questions
Play 'devil's advocate'
Require students to defend their
reasoning against different points of view
Ask students to 'unpack' their thinking
"Describe how you arrived at your
answer"
Cold call on students randomly or by design
Not just on those with raised hands
Student questioning
Let or require students to develop
their own questions
Cue student responses
‘There is not only one correct answer
for this question. I want you to consider alternatives.’
Effective
classroom instruction requires thoughtful planning and great flexibility. While
keeping the learning targets central, and checking for understanding
frequently, excellent teachers focus their efforts on making sure that all
students are engaged all the time, that students and not the teacher are doing
most of the intellectual work in the classroom. Great teachers use a variety of
means to stretch, challenge, scaffold, support, and encourage students
The link below contains a form for classroom observation using these strategies.
Resources
The link below contains a form for classroom observation using these strategies.
Resources