While the jug is boiling and I'm putting sammies into containers I love #BFC630NZ via Twitter. It is usually happening just as my coffee is ready and something that I can use to make me think or start to centre my day. It is an amazing group of other educationally minded people who are also up early and ready to just kick off with a wee question or some sharing.
This morning really got me thinking ... a good thing while Little Einstiens was in the background. The question was posed "How do you ensure all students are thinking and participating .... or is it their choice not to?" on the basis that the age-old hands up might be a tool that actually limits student thinking - especially when trying to get feedback on understanding. Well, that needed a large coffee! I had a few ideas, shared them, but have been mulling it over today - hence the post.
What am I doing to make sure that all my students are thinking and participating? For me the biggest thing is to make sure students are thinking about what they have learn and what they are still struggling with. One of my favourite tools when it comes to this type of feedback are little stickies or PostIt notes. As we transition between activities students quickly answer a feedback question (today ... what was most difficult) and sticky it to a spare spot. I can then do a quick read over, organise into similarities etc, and see where the help is needed or what other things need to be covered.
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| Student stickies after an activity |
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| Organised by me after students left ...I can now see that twelve students had the same or similar difficulties with one part of the teaching / learning ... we will need to revisit that point for the majority of the class in a new learning session. |
When using the stickies for feedback on understanding generally I don't require them to put a name to it. They are not called out in front of the class - so they don't have to feel ashamed about 'no-getting' something which in turn provides more honest and specific feedback to me. Sometimes I ask them to initial it, but mostly it is reliant on me knowing their handwriting if I really want to know specifically who is finding what hard.
If we are working on the devices (chrome-books) or in Blendspace lesson I might include a link to Padlet, which is like an online PostIt notes page.
So ... I would encourage you to invest in stickies!! Currently the budget is on plain and boring yellow ... but who knows ... we could get exciting and branch out to colours!!
