- Be very concise. Make simple points. Address main ideas as opposed to trying to cover every point made by Johnson.
- Follow the rubric on blog posts.
- Original post is due Sunday, May 16 at 11PM
- Respond to questions posed to you and respond to at least one classmate by Sunday, May 23 11PM.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Johnson's Every Minute Counts
Choose a couple main points from this book and explain how they inform your concept of effective teaching.
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Chandan Sarkar
ReplyDeleteStamford, CT
Sir Francis Bacon once wrote, "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, some few to be chewed and disgested." Johnson's "Every Minute Counts," clearly falls into the last category. Chock full of helpful advice, I was a bit surprised that he chose to limit his audience to math teachers since many of the nuggets should have broader appeal.
The setting up of the student desks in a U-arrangement was particularly intriguing. Although I am not sure it is practical for a class with a large number of students. No doubt the geometry of the classroom will also be an important determinant on the feasability of this arrangement. But I like the concept not only for the reasons the author states:
1. it eliminates the back row;
2. allows the teacher to check work quickly;
3. keeps everyone involved;
In addition, this may be a better arrangement if some kids have trouble with poor vision and are reluctant to speak out about it. Certainly with small class sizes it should work well.
The other main nugget I got which runs central to the title of the pamphlet are the ideas presented to make sure there is no down time for any of the students. The use of a review problem to start the class while attendance is being taken seems so simple in retrospect; I wonder now why I never thought of it while I was a long-term sub. In addition, letting students start (but not finish) their homework assignment if there are a few minutes left to class also strikes me as a useful strategy.
Lastly, the concept of having every student write the answers to the teachers questions insteading of calling out names seems like a good way of keeping everyone involved. Too often I found that in my class, one or two kids tend to dominate for the entire semester.
While the philosophy readings (Dewey, Greene, etc.) are no doubt important, this booklet offers far more practical, day-to-day advice that will no doubt serve me well in the classroom. I intend to try out some of these ideas during my student teaching assignment in July and August.
Some questions for my colleagues:
1. What do you guys think is the maximum number of students for which a U-shaped class arrangement is feasible?
2. Why do you think Johnson choose to limit his audience to math teachers?
Hi Chandan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for getting the ball rolling with this book!
1. I think that the limit on the U-shaped seating will have to do mostly with space. I love the idea of the U-shaped seating arrangement but have yet to see a classroom actually use it. If it is a typical high school, then the most students you have would be about 27 (I hope...). If you were to have many more then that I would think you would run into the difficulty of managing your time and attention as you tried to circulate to the room.
2. I agree that Johnson has many great ideas for teachers, regardless of subject. Math is a bit of a different animal because it seems to be that a student is taught an objective, and then needs to practice it to understand it and commit the theory to memory. Johnson focuses a lot on how to practice the objectives through homework examples and classroom work. In a lot of other subjects it seems to be more discussion. For example, analyzing a book in an English class, or discussing the effects of a war on our Nation in a History class. Teachers from other subjects may not need to walk around the room to see what the student is working on because I believe a lot of their class would be discussion based. This could be why Johnson limited his audience to math.
Brenda
Johnson's book provided several key ideas in running an effective classroom but the one that really jumped out at me was: maximizing student participation.
ReplyDeleteIt starts with the u-shaped setup; it creates an environment where no student can truly hide. They are forced to participate knowing their teacher easily and frequently circulates around the room checking in on each one of them. There's no getting around NOT doing the homework and working all the example problems (or at least attempting them) during class. Constantly having the students work problems at their desks (while others work them on the board) during homework review and check ensures active participation. Using the "paper-and-pencil" response method, asking involving questions during new material lessons and implementing quizzes, puzzles and basic skill practices makes it almost impossible for any student to NOT get involved on some level.
Since math involves methodical, step-by-step problem solving capabilities, it is of utmost importance that each student repeatedly practice those steps to solve a particular problem. Math differs from other subjects in that it requires a significant amount of kinesthetic learning to accompany the visual and auditory styles. Brenda astutely provided a couple other scenarios (English and History) where kinesthetic learning likely doesn't come into play as much nor is it as essential in mastering key concepts. For me, maximizing student participation creates an environment where everyone stays sharp, gets involved in classroom/lesson activities and most importantly puts themselves in the best position to learn and retain the material.
I am new to the teaching profession, and Every Minute Counts is the first book I’ve read regarding teaching. What a wealth of information to digest from such a small book and eventually incorporate into my teaching!
ReplyDeleteFirst, Johnson sets himself up to always get constant feedback regarding a student’s understanding of the subject matter no matter what portion of the class he is in or what activity he is doing.
If you follow the new class routine, you can look at each step and see this (a note here that I strongly agree with the U-shaped setup to help with this). In the first five minutes, his suggested activities allow him to immediately determine if the students understand the objectives from the previous lesson. The same happens for each subsequent step. He even suggests not proceeding too far with new material prior to “catching any misunderstandings”. Being a new teacher, I will attempt to create lesson plans and activities that continually provide for student feedback in my student teaching this summer.
Second, I thought it was an interesting strategy to not grade homework, but later use homework quizzes to motivate students. I cannot really comment on the higher grades, but having 2 children in elementary school, I do feel with one of them it’s about getting it done quickly, but correctly. With the other it’s simply about getting it done. Johnson’s strategy seems to be a step in the right direction to correct these issues.
Furthermore, various items such as the following should encourage working through homework assignments:
1. Knowing that their teacher will easily see the amount of work they’ve done (via the U-shape)
2. Knowing that they can try the problem and fail – and it won’t affect their grade
3. Knowing that they will have to copy their work later on a homework quiz that WILL count
4. Taking away the fear of being wrong in front of others using such strategies as the homework tally chart
That being said, I don’t think that I would always choose to not grade homework. I might choose to correct (AND count) random homework assignments to encourage getting the right answer the first time and not waiting to get the answer in class.
Some questions:
1. If it appears that a large number of students do not understand the subject matter after reviewing homework, would one re-teach using the same methodology knowing it didn’t work the first time? If not, how do you typically prepare for this?
2. Some students thrive in a competitive classroom. In many ways, Johnson is taking away this type environment. Do you feel this is hurting the more competitive students?
In Every Minute Counts, David Johnson recommends starting the class straight away. I have to agree with his suggestion as I have tried it both ways. I recently taught a math class at a local college. In an attempt to ease any tension, I began the semester starting each class with a little chit-chat – How was your ride in? Anyone watch the basketball game last night? Not only were many students disinterested in the conversation they remained disinterested after I started the lecture. It took some time before they shifted gears and increased their concentration. As Johnson warns, some students arrived late and took their time getting ready when they did arrive. I soon changed my tactics by starting the class sharply at 8am. (I did notify the students of the forthcoming change.) At 8am I closed the door and began the lecture or took homework questions, depending on the situation. Thereafter, students were much more attentive when the class started and they consistently arrived on time – bar one, who remained difficult to motivate.
ReplyDeleteJohnson makes another point regarding timing… pausing after a question allows the slower thinker to participate. I believe his suggestion should also be heeded when assigning in-class problems. When I consistently did not allow enough time to do in-class practice problems, the slower learners wouldn’t even attempt to do the problems. I noticed this behavior after I identified my slower learners, following the first exam (there will be quizzes next time). Their behavior changed to the better when I allowed more time and perused the class while they worked on the problem(s). The desks were not arranged in a moon shape but I was able sift my way through the rows. I was able to notice and help those that were struggling and the shyer students were more confident, by the proximately, to ask questions as I came through their area.
As I do one of my classroom observations next week, I’ll be particularly attentive to the utilization or non-utilization of the methods Johnson uses and I look forward to observing how the classroom dynamics are affected.
This book was filled with many useful ideas for teachers. I know it will definitely be a “go to” guide for me when determining the flow of my classes.
ReplyDeleteI do like the idea of getting the students right to work once they enter the room. It seems very different from the traditional style of kids milling into the room and finishing conversations while the teacher prepares to begin the lesson. Starting immediately shows the students that the teacher is prepared for them from the start of class. Showing a class that you are ready immediately is a sign of your dedication to their learning.
The paper and pencil method seems like it would be very useful. It gives a teacher a chance to see where students are in their learning process, and it gives the quieter student a chance to be heard. By seeing their work, they are speaking to you and telling you their level of comprehension. This activity also keeps the entire class working.
The section on homework helped answer some questions I had about how it should be incorporated into classes. What I took away is that homework should not be overly challenging to students. Based on the way the objective is presented in class, and the practice that the students do in class, homework should just be a means of repeating the work for practice. Homework should not be assigned based on stuff that the student has not been presented (seems obvious).
One of the overall lessons that I drew from this reading was the importance of having the students write down their work and take notes. By always being prepared for class and having a pencil and paper ready, they hopefully will retain most of what is being taught, or at least have a point of reference. The idea of having homework quizzes is a great way to show the students the importance of note taking, AND they will be rewarded for a job well done! Many of our students will be going on to college so proper note taking will prove invaluable to the success of their education.
Some questions that I have are:
How consistent should you be with how the class starts? Should you have a problem to begin each class regardless of the objective of the day? Should you begin the class by posting answers to prior night’s homework so they may copy the answers down? Should you switch up your method of beginning the class often?
Hi Brenda:
ReplyDeletei think your comment that math differs from other subjects because of the immediate practice involved is insightful!
with respect to the U-shaped desks, given the size of the average desk i have seen, i dont think it would work with that many (27) students unless the class room is exceptionally large. i'm going to visit a high school tomorrow (AITE in Stamford) and will try to make a mental note of the desk arrangements and classroom sizes.
chandan
Johnson’s book is full of practical ideas and reminds me in many ways of Lemov’s “Teach Like a Champion.” There is a pervasive emphasis on involving the student in every portion of the class. In reviewing homework, the students are involved in correcting their problems. The teaching portion of the class has students answering questions and reacting to other students’ comments. Johnson encourages his readers to even use the final few minutes of class to review previous material or give a preview of the next day’s lesson. This teaching style is much different than the experience I had as a high school math student, in which the primary activity in class was taking notes. I remember my mom, who was a high school teacher, talking about how students were more likely to learn material that involved the three components of seeing, hearing and doing. It seems that the “doing” portion of teaching has become much more important.
ReplyDeleteJohnson’s method of grading homework by doing periodic notebook checks and quizzes which rely on only the homework is a fantastic idea. I think this is an example of “shortest path” (Lemov’s Technique 9), with the added benefit that the teacher has a good understanding of the students’ progress. I can relate to the idea of homework being a “safe” place to make mistakes. It’s much less intimidating to try something new if you know that you don’t have to do it perfectly the first time.
One thing that I have grown conscious of is the need to break problems down into small steps. Johnson gives an example of step by step instruction in his section titled “Teaching the new material”. As an engineer, I have spent many hours doing calculations, and there are things that I do without using intermediate steps. When I rearrange a formula to solve for a specific variable, I often just re-write the formula without showing my work. I convert from feet and inches to numbers with decimals without doing the calculation of dividing the inches by 12. Having students write out all of their steps will force me to think about problems in the same way.
In Johnson’s Every Minute Counts, the author discusses effective teaching methods as he has developed them through his own teaching experience. Although I found this book somewhat simplistic, there were a few points that informed my concept of effective teaching. I will add that I’m sure these techniques are easier said than done, and I expect that they will come in handy when I begin teaching.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of whether or not I will use the exact methods as described in this book, I think it is important to think about a plan and teaching strategies for my first year of teaching. Certain things can be learned from someone else's mistakes and others will probably have to be learned by trial and error. Some of the points I liked in Johnson’s book were to think about effective seating arrangements, a style of questioning that includes the whole class, developing a routine that makes efficient use of the whole class period, and techniques for notebooks, worksheets, and tests.
Seating arrangements can definitely affect the atmosphere and learning capabilities of a class. With the traditional rows, the students in the T-zone have the best ability to listen and participate, whereas the students in the back corners, as Johnson describes, can be left out. Johnson suggests using the U-shaped desks, but I’m curious what other types of arrangements are available. One that I have thought of using is having groups of four desks so that the students can actively participate in group work. I will have to put more thought into what arrangement I will use to be the best and most effective teacher I can be.
The chapter on questioning was very informative. I liked his suggestion of asking “why” questions and open-ended questions that make students think and interact with each other. I also liked the idea of not asking individuals questions that don’t really give the teacher feedback about the whole class. His paper-and-pencil method, as he describes it, might be useful to engage all the students. I am definitely going to try to implement this style of questioning and use some of Johnson’s suggestions, such as pausing after asking a question.
In terms of a class routine, Johnson suggests utilizing every minute. I like the idea of having something ready for the students when the bell rings, such as a problem to work on, or a method of correcting homework that is quick and gives the teacher feedback about where the students are at. Utilizing the last few minutes of class time is also essential.
Johnson also discusses techniques for students to organize their notebooks, different uses for worksheets, and tips about tests. Personally, when I was a student I never liked when teachers checked notebooks. I can see how it might be useful to give some organizational tips to students however. In regards to test taking, the author suggests giving exams that test material from previous chapters, giving partial credit for work shown, and returning tests in a timely manner. These are all tips that I would like to include in my classroom.
Overall, the book “Every Minute Counts” was a simple guide to teaching that included a plethora of tips and techniques that could be very useful for new teachers. I will definitely give this book another read through before beginning my first year of teaching.
Chandan, why is letting students start homework a “useful strategy?” (And how would you stop them from finishing?)
ReplyDeleteBrenda, other content areas don’t have objectives that are practiced?
Roger, students can be forced or we can ensure they are involved? Do you anticipate any level of resistance? How would you overcome this?
Shaun, what’s the purpose of homework?
Mark, why quizzes next time? How will that assist the slow learners?
Brenda, will the students automatically make the connection between notebook organization and assessment results? Will this connection automatically result in better notebooks?
Cordell Wallace
ReplyDelete#18
David Johnson’s Response
Confucius once said, “ By three methods we may learn wisdom; First, by reflection, which is noblest; second , by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” This quote influenced me to truly reflect on the paths that I will be taking in becoming a certified math teacher. In David Johnson’s work, Every Minute Counts, he also incorporates this same ideal. He reflects on his years or teaching and effectiveness in the classroom. He uses imitation to imitate effective teaching styles, and of course experience where he learns from his mistakes which we all must do in life. Learning from our mistakes is in fact a true bitter experience if not effectively dealt with. I loved the idea of the notebook system. Unfortunately, many teachers are not consistent with this ideal. We have to take into account that many students and teachers are more concerned about learning objectives and the grades to reflect learning those objectives. It is a main point in that many students are not organized in note taking and or organization. This is of course key in mathematics or any other discipline. I can think back at the times I tutored students from middle school and high school and asked the question, “ May I see your note book”. Upon review I noticed varying styles. Overall they were in my opinion disorganized or non legible. Asking a student to read what they wrote in a particular passage, he was unable to do so. Many students have not learned all the short hand necessary to write effective notes. Many I have read tried to write out word for word what the teacher said in his lecture in a new objective. I realized after many years of bitter experience that effective note taking is crucial for retaining and retraining my knowledge. This will be very important in my times and studies with ARC as well as my student teaching. I will not be an effective teacher unless I keep a consistent, legible, and organized lesson plan and of course notes.
Another main point I believe is as the book is entitled every minute counts, especially when teaching the new objective. Johnson stated that “teaching the new objective is the most important part of any class period.” As a teacher, I will be presenting daily objectives and making student and self assessment of its effectiveness. I will however critique how my objectives will be measured in the classroom. It is clear that for each subject there are specific goals that must be made in order to move to the next level. But for each level of a subject how much time is necessary to meet that objective? Can the majority of my students successfully reach the objective goal before the end of the class period, along with homework review, questions, examples, group activity, etc? It then reflects back to time management.
As a side note I did however noticed that throughout the book he did not mention anything in regards to addressing those with special needs. Johnson stressed the effectiveness of the u-shaped classroom and I wondered how does one effectively include everyone? How do you include the new strategies without excluding anybody? The same would be said about the note taking directive. Today, more classrooms are more inclusive than exclusive in education for all learning types. I must persevere in obtaining the three methods to wisdom.
One question I have for my colleagues would have to be: Where does effective note taking actually begin? Why is effective note taking or graded notebooks not a consistent standard discipline for all math courses?
The second question. Why does Johnson not speak on classroom management in regards to disruptions or how to effectively handle them? I believe this also would be a helpful nugget as well. We will all deal with disruptive behavior. Knowing how to handle that behavior will be the difference to being in control or losing control of your classroom.
Rachelle, why is there a need to break down a problem into small steps in terms of teaching?
ReplyDeleteJoshua, if you don't use the methods used by others how will you plan your own during your first year?
Cordell, how do we know if an objective has been met regardless of time?
"ARC Methods for Math said...
ReplyDeleteChandan, why is letting students start homework a “useful strategy?” (And how would you stop them from finishing?)"
Allowing students to start their homework will allow them to avoid the dead time that often occurs at the end of class. There is also potential for some mischief during this period. The simplest method for not letting them finish is to only allow them to start when there is insufficient time to get it all done. Ideally, one would want to let them get started with 7-10 min left if you think the HW would take twice as long (approximately) ... just my thought.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePoints that I felt I could relate to:
ReplyDeletePage 3: “I will give no options for nonparticipation.”
I’m about to finish up a 5 week long-term sub in a high school that runs on block scheduling, in a classroom where spanish students spent two years watching Finding Nemo in english with spanish subtitles. Now I come in and require work and participation, and the backlash was incredible. The turning point was when I stopped asking for participation, and required it. It was actually a great way to learn their names. While I took attendance, I would randomly choose names off the attendance sheet and read of numbers from the previous night’s homework and say “Head up to the board and show me what you’ve got.” I then went right back to taking attendance, as if I just assumed that they were going to do what I’d asked. It TOTALLY caught them off guard! The entire time I’m mentally terrified that nobody is going to move…. And then one person gets up… and then another… and before I know it, I’ve got more than half of them up at the board!! Since then, in many respects it’s definitely still been an uphill battle, but that was definitely a turning point. Getting them out of their seats, and interacting with me and each other, has done a lot to promote discussion and to engage them in the day’s activity.
Page 4: “U” shape arrangement
One of the sections I’m teaching right now had been asking for a “square”… and one day I said ok let’s try it…. And it ended up turning into a “U”…. I feel like I have a more one-on-one connection and interaction with each and every student. It’s also much easier to keep an eye on everyone, in the sense that there are less “blind spots” in the classroom.
Page 8: Trouble with 1-to-1 questioning
Also, when it comes to pausing and not answering questions too quickly… I try making eye-contact with the advanced students who are about to say it, acknowledge that they know the answer, in hopes that they won’t shout it out. It’s definitely worked well with smaller classes, not so easy with the bigger ones.
Page 14: Questions I seldom ask
A question I’ve been guilty of asking is “Do you have any questions?” The answer is usually silence. Then I tried out the idea of asking for 15 written sentences… this allowed me to see patterns in their work, i.e. common mistakes, etc. This helped me to be much more effective…. It provided me with a starting point that next day…. I’d review “general points” which were in actuality the rough spots I saw in the homework…. students would silently identify with what I was saying as they reviewed their own assignments, and at no time was anyone ever put on the spot.
Page 41: “Daily Plan”
I love this idea!! The approach of categorizing your day’s lesson plan in a consistent and organized way would help you to set a rhythm and encourage continuity from one day to the next.
some more reflection....
ReplyDeleteWhy is homework important?
Homework is important because it is a way for students to prove to themselves on their own that they grasp the concept of what was introduced in class. I really appreciated Johnson's insight on not spending an abundance of time checking and reviewing each homework problem. The tally system, where a student vote dictates which homework problems are ultimately reviewed, makes the students feel heard and at the same time, immediately identifies the problems worth going over.
Why would a U-shape be effective?
More on the U shape....
A U shaped classroom ultimately brings each student physically closer to the front of the room and closer to you as the teacher. Because of this proximity, students are not able to hide in their own little worlds in the back row. Also, it puts you as the educator directly in the middle of classroom conversation. Any discussion occurring between any "arm" of the "U" will in theory pass by you first, allowing you to hear and evaluate how students feel about what is being discussed in a much more effective way.
Why was getting students up at the board effective?
Getting students physically out of their seats is effective because they become the teachers. A big reason students don't like to get up is usually "It's not right." What they come to appreciate is that any idea is a right idea. So by having everyone get up and put their "ideas" up, the class becomes the one speaking to the teacher about their answers. This helps create a great classroom dynamic where the student's work displayed on the board can be used as a platform from which the teacher can quickly assess and identify where more practice/instruction/clarification is needed.
David Johnson’s book is a great resource and I know I will be relying on it when I begin student teaching! I have enjoyed all of the thoughts and comments made by everyone so far, and would like to share some additional topics that resonated with me.
ReplyDeleteI found the section on the Art of Questioning to be very valuable. I have seen it used effectively by classroom teachers and it is truly an art! The atmosphere in the classroom is completely different than in the “lecture” version. The increase in student participation and attention to the material is readily apparent, since the students are intellectually engaged and on task. The use of Wait Time is key – in waiting (or in rephrasing the question and waiting again) the number of students who will raise their hand does increase, and it does draw out the less extroverted students. I have also seen the value of asking “Why?”. Not only do the students tell the teacher what they know, it stimulates interesting discussions when the teacher asks if anyone has an elaboration or a different idea to add. Overall, I find that students like connecting with and listening to their peers, so encouraging this type of discussion really taps into what gets them going. In reality, they are learning from each other as they do this. (And of course the paper and pencil participation and practice- with teacher circulation, is key to seeing how many of the students are really “getting it”.)
And continuing on the topic of student involvement, I like the way Johnson suggests bringing students to the board to solve problems while others solve problems at their seats. Kids love it and I remember liking this in math class too. I have tried it and it can eat up a lot of time, so I’m not sure how to utilize this effectively. (And it can be a bit of a classroom management nightmare...)
* Any thoughts on strategies for bringing students to the board while managing lesson time effectively? (Do we even know yet?)
*Hi Jenae – I hadn’t noticed my students being reluctant to come to the board so far, but maybe this dynamic is different at the High School level. I am curious to find out more about how this works for teachers.
To weigh in on the U-shaped desk arrangement: I have not seen this at the high school level when subbing, but I have seen desks paired in the middle grades 4-8. During the lesson, the teacher may pose a question or problem and ask students to discuss/solve it with their partners before asking the whole class for their ideas. Or the teacher may have students work on practice problems and compare their answers with their partner. (If they disagree, they need to find where and discuss why.) This frees up the teacher to pause and address concerns while circulating the room. (The caution is whether one person in the partnership is doing all the work….)
*Do you think this type of arrangement would work at the High School level?
Catherine, does wait time automatically draw in the less extroverted students? What else can be done to draw them into class discussion?
ReplyDeleteJenae, if students are afraid to take a risk of a public mistake by going to the board, how does going to the board help them? Will they even go to the board?
"If you don't use the methods used by others how will you plan your own during your first year?"
ReplyDeleteThis is a great question! I recognize that most methods must come from others for one's first year of teaching. They can be either taught directly by a teacher to a prospective teacher, or experienced and picked-up on as a student. I think it could be possible, though rare, for a first year teacher to have an original idea related to methods and implement it. It would require experience however to see if it actually worked. Regardless of where one gets his or her methods from, I think experience will serve to improve on those methods. Johnson himself said that he had to adjust his teaching methodology after his first year and that he learned valuable lessons from his mistakes.
I will add to Jenae's comment about the purpose of homework. In the book, Johnson discusses the importance of repitition in learning, in additional to the "proof statement" Jenae offers, I feel the comcept of repetition is also valuable. I have too many student's parents that comment, Jimmy said he had it when I drove him home after school, but when he took the test earlier this week its like the concept vanished.
ReplyDeleteI believe we know a concept is met only when the student can demonstrate mastery of the concept. My definition of mastery is 100% understanding. That metric does not have time as a unit of measurement.
ReplyDeleteMy AOL manager had an expression, "a simple plan executed well always beats a sophisticated plan executed poorly". Or, alternatively as my Drill Instructor (both a Korean and Vietnam War Veteran) more colorfully communicated “you have to have a plan that is so simple, that even when those #$%@*s start shooting at you, the average Marine can still remember what to do”. I am a big believer in simple plans, straight forward directions, ensuring people know not just "what" they are to do but also "why" they are to do it, what is the road map (end goal),interim checkpoints, how the task they have been instructed to complete supports the end goal, etc. In short, it’s my observation that too many people and organizations feel they must develop complex solutions to problems - when a simple solution is often the best.
ReplyDeleteWhat Johnson has provided us with, (I will cheat a bit and observe Lemov continues in the same vein) are dozens of common sense, easy to execute techniques to improve learning. Both my brother and sister are elementary school teachers, they became nearly apoplectic when I told them about ARC and how the program’s mission is to turn me in to High School math teacher in a summer. I realize we will become much more polished teachers as we gain experience, but it strikes me that techniques such as those described by Johnson must provide us with a goodly portion of our initial foundation of teaching skills.
It’s my observation that, like many organizations, some schools and teachers have forgotten their mission, which I believe simply put is “to improve learning”. Although I have not yet taught in a traditional school setting, in the past 4 years I have been in many different schools and have attended many parent teacher conferences where we discussed how to help a child improve their learning. Initially, I would come out of many of these meetings totally confused - but assuming I was the only one confused as the teacher certainly knew what they were talking about and if the parent did not understand certainly they would ask for clarification. As I became more experienced, I came to understand that during many of those conferences not only was I confused, but so was the parent, often times the teacher seemed to be more interested in using "education speak" to confuse or intimidate us, than to enlighten. This is the teaching equivalent of using a nuclear power plant to boil water for tea. In one fairly recent case, I attended a conference with one of my parents and their 2nd grader’s home room teacher where we discussed Tyler's math challenges. The teacher described her elaborate math program, it involved a number of illogical and confusing elements, but the most memorable element was her desire to provide each student with "5 or 6 strategies to choose from to solve each problem type." I thought, "I am an engineer and have used a lot of math in my life, but I don't think I could identify 5 or 6 strategies to answer a basic arithmetic problem”. After the meeting was over, the mother asked me, "what do you think Mike", my answer "I think Tyler needs to get another math teacher." She would have been more successful just using the “re-write problem #13 on a piece of paper, using only your homework papers” technique. By the way, she was fired before the school year ended.
I love the simple concept that "instruction starts when the bell rings". I did not realize it when writing last week’s blog entry, but this is one of the practices my favorite teacher, Senior Thome used. When the bell rung in Senior’s Spanish class, the expectation was that you were in your seat, not talking, and your Spanish book, notebook and a writing instrument were the only items on your desk. Also, be prepared for him to begin the daily class by striking up a conversation with you, in Spanish of course because that is the only language recognized in his class.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many useful techniques and concepts in this book it is hard to decide where to stop, but I will highlight two more. The first is Johnson's concept of notebook organization which leads to student organization. As with anything, when it comes to notebooks you must inspect what you expect. The U shaped classroom lends itself to continual observation or "inspection". In my business, I have worked with far too many students of all ages suffering from weak to non-existent "Executive Functioning Skills". My Freshman in college suffers from a mild version of Asperger’s Syndrome. One of the common traits of this syndrome is poor executive functioning skills. He is a brilliant kid, as many students with poor executive functioning skills are, he scored a 31 on the ACT but nearly flunked out of his first year of college. I have done quite a bit of reading about the syndrome and potential mitigations, both in an effort to help my son as well as to help my students. The only technique I have seen suggested is to help the student develop and maintain a strict organizational system, and to inspect it daily or even hourly. I believe Johnson's binder concept will help both Asperger’s and "regular" - students, provided it is implemented properly. Proper implementation must include frequent spot checks, and an absolute instance in organizing it the "right way". Students with weak executive functioning skills do not benefit from a "once a quarter" notebook check, nor by being given the opportunity to "develop an organizational system that works for them".
The final techniques I would like to elaborate on fit together to make a powerful combination. One is Johnson's process for spot checking homework, (students must write their problem solutions on a piece of paper and may only refer to their homework - not the text). The second is his process for students to communicate, by placing checkmarks on the white board next to the problem number(s) they had trouble with from last night's homework assignment.
I was discussing ARC and this book with my Junior in College yesterday - she is planning to be a secondary school English teacher. When I described the above two techniques she commented "oh sure, that is what Mr. Specht does". Don Specht is a legendary math teacher at the high school my 4 children attended. Emily described 2 additional steps Mr. Specht has added to refine this process, he always assigns homework 2 class sessions before it is “due”. He expects students to complete essentially a "first draft" of their homework by the following class, during that class he reviews only those 2 or 3 questions students indicated they had the most difficulty with, if you need further help you are to come to his office during lunch or after school. Mr. Specht always eats lunch in his classroom and never leaves school until at least 5PM, 2 hours after the students are released. The shear brilliance of this elegant but simply designed system is an example of the type of teaching techniques Johnson offer and I believe as an ARC student I must employ. (Note to self: email Don Specht today and set up a day to shadow him.)
As I read textbooks, I take copious notes. It helps me digest what I read, and helps me retain more than if I just read straight through. With Every Minutes Counts, I was tempted to just copy the whole book word for word.
ReplyDeleteI liked the idea of the U. When I was a senior in high school, the teacher of the Humanities class would have us sit in a U. (Because his other classes did not, we had to set up the arrangement at the beginning of class, and return the chairs to rows at the end.) He preferred the arrangement because it facilitated group discussions of the readings. There were probably 30 kids in the class and it worked pretty well. There was an element of privilege about it –we could sit that way because we were lofty seniors.
I’m guessing he had us sit in rows for exams, because the desks were snacked up against each other. Johnson doesn’t mention if he rearranges the seating for exams or quizzes, nor if there is a problem with cheating in the horseshoe arrangement.
Another question I have about the arrangement has to do with students with special needs. One thing that helps my AD/HD son with concentrating in class is to be seated by the teacher. But with a U, it seems like all students would be equally distant from the teacher. It would also be easier to be distracted by the other students if they are all in your view. On the other had, the idea of all the students working problems on their scratch paper, means more activity for each student, and thus less opportunity to drift off (while a single student works a problem).
I like the idea of the homework quiz immensely. In order to pass the quiz, the students have to have completed all their homework, showing their work. It also meshes well with the idea of having the students correct their own homework, and the idea of not penalizing them for incorrect homework (just for not doing it at all).
I wondered at how difficult it would be to implement his idea of the cumulative tests. Wouldn’t the tests later in the term get to be very long, since they would contain material back to the beginning?
I found his recommended class routine to be extremely helpful. Everything he said made sense from getting the students busy right away, to waiting to assign the homework, to using the last five minutes effectively. In fact, I found the book so full of useful information that I think I will be carrying it with me while I teach.
Jenae, if students are afraid to take a risk of a public mistake by going to the board, how does going to the board help them? Will they even go to the board?
ReplyDeleteMy response....
Going to the board seems to be the ice-breaker to realizing that the most important step is getting the problem started. From there, the steps come relatively easy. Getting students up to the board and putting their "ideas" up for everyone to see is a great way of conquering the blank page. And more than once, I've seen looks of pride from the students... they see their work up on the board and they can then say to themselves "I did that." And for more involved problems, I've tried assigning one problem to three people, and between the three of them, they work together to combine all of their "ideas" and it's worked out well. As a "team" they feel more confident to go up and provide their work as a group rather than as an individual. My biggest encouragement to them is to not see what they are contributing as "right" or "wrong"... but as an "idea"... and how can you pass judgment on an idea??? You can't!! So it's a win win situation... their confidence builds with each contribution they make, and you as the educator now have a visual representation of their thought process. For these reasons I'm a big fan of students being at the board as much as possible.
In reading (and rereading) Every Minute Counts I found a few central themes continually reinforced throughout the book and very valuable for me to internalize as I get ready to take on the challenges of being a math teacher. What also struck me as I thought about these points is that they are not rocket science but more of a common sense approach to making sure that learning is actually accomplished in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThree of the key themes that resonated with me and will take a sentence or two to discuss include:
- Interactive participation is required and enforced for every student
- Feedback needs to be continuous; both for the student and the teacher
- Managing and maximizing the use of time is essential and a that takes planning and preparation
- Be ready to adapt or vary the approach when learning is not taking place satisfactorily
For interactive participation Johnson give a variety to techniques applicable to all portions of the class period from U-shaped seating to scratch paper and pencil use to the section on the “art of questioning” but the underlying principle is that you must involve each student at all times to keep their attention and to keep them motivated to learn. Through proper teacher technique and preparation this difficult task is attainable. I think this the classroom application of a basic principle of human nature in that if someone pays attention to you it generally inspires you to respond in kind. In a larger classroom setting it would be fairly easy to lose a student early if they didn’t feel their effort was important, noticed, and appreciated.
The continuous feedback theme directly relates to the participation concept as it would not be possible to provide this kind of feedback to each student without daily routine participation. Probably more importantly is that this two way feedback allows to the teacher to adapt as needed on the fly without losing days or weeks before noticing a simple concept was lacking in comprehension. Again Johnson gives several tips on how to accomplish this including spot checks and proper testing but the key point for me as an aspiring teacher is to make sure I put this two way feedback into application everyday and for every student as much as practical.
Most folks have probably heard some version of the Law of 7 P’s – “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance” and that axiom certainly applies to the use managing time in the classroom. On this point Johnson’s central theme is the most important part of each class session is teaching new objectives and without proper planning this can get lost. The author does a good job addressing time management and even presents a sample daily plan that includes maximizing the effectiveness of the first and last five minutes and efficient ways to review homework and present the next assignment. In conjunction with the points above Johnson makes it clear we need to grab the student’s attention when the starting bell rings and make it a learning experience for each individual student until class ends.
In summary this nifty little 66 page book is full of practical tips on a variety of topics beyond the four themes I focused on and is worthy of repeated rereading as we gain experience in the classroom to tweak our individual approaches to being the best teacher possible. To get the most out of this book I plan on taking the specific ideas as important tips but more importantly to focus on what those tips are trying to accomplish.
One question for general discussion: In the event that the class size or classroom geometry is not conducive to the U-shaped seating arrangement what other approach could be use to gain similar benefits of one on one access and the elimination of the back corner seat? Would for example in a traditional 6x5 seating arrangement a weekly random seating assignment help so that students would not be able to stay in the back corner for more than a week at a time and each student would have their chance to be in (as Bob Uecker would say) “The Front Row”?
Adam Scianna
ReplyDeleteNorwalk, CT
Clearly the overarching theme to Johnson’s Every Minute Counts is just what the title states. An important way to accomplish this that Johnson refers back to a number of times in the book is to seat students in a U-shape pattern instead of the traditional rectangular pattern. He states that this in an effective way a teacher can go around a room to check on students work and it makes all of the students more engaged in the classroom setting. This book provided a lot of good information and there are several points I would like to comment on.
1. In Johnson’s chapter about questioning he states that teachers should wait at least 3-4 seconds after answering a question to wait for responses. I challenge him and everyone else to wait 10 seconds. As a teacher I find the silence of 10 seconds daunting. I feel as if there should be someone talking in the classroom or nothing is getting done. But I still feel students need this amount of time to ponder difficult questions. This will also emphasize that fact that you are not going to answer your own questions.
2. Another recurring topic although not emphasized as much as I thought it would be is creating a “safe” environment for students in the classroom. Johnson says one way to do this is to have paper and pencil responses in addition to oral responses. I remember there were a number of times when I was going to elementary school that I thought I knew the answer but did not give it because I thought it was wrong and other students would laugh. A lot of the times I would have had the right answer if I just had the confidence to speak up. Johnson mentions that these paper and pencil responses will build students confidence and have everyone engaged in class.
3. Have students work together. I would want to emphasize this just as much as the paper and pencil responses. Johnson mentions this in many forms throughout the book and I am a big believer in it. I think students can learn an extreme amount from their peers and students who know the material will learn to master it by explaining it to someone else.
4. There are a number of other good points made in the book but one that does not sit particularly well for me is the emphasis on the notebook and having notebook checking. I believe in providing an outline for a well organized binder and notebook is important but I do not necessarily believe that a teacher should be after a student for his or her note taking or note keeping skills. I realize that this is probably a dissenting opinion but perhaps others feel this way? Perhaps others can expand on why they think Johnson is right in saying teachers should be doing notebook checks in secondary education?
Adam Scianna
ReplyDeleteNorwalk, CT
I would like to respond to Shaun's second question.
2. Some students thrive in a competitive classroom. In many ways, Johnson is taking away this type environment. Do you feel this is hurting the more competitive students?
I grapple with this all the time. I have taken other education courses and some may say I like being the "gatekeeper." I understand that all lessons have to have objectives and if you are able to meet these objectives then you should be able to receive an "A" in the class. So in theory, if all students meet the objectives then all students should get an "A". But what about students who could have exceeded the objectives? Are we holding these students back? There is no way to give them higher than an A. When Johnson talks about going over homework he says that perhaps most students got all of the concepts right and there may not need to be a need to go in depth on the questions. Should there always be a small portion of the homework that you think will really challenge students and that perhaps a lot might not get? Perhaps I have raised more questions than answers but this is something I would love to continue the discussion on.
This book was filled with many useful ideas for teachers. I know it will definitely be a “go to” guide for me when determining the flow of my classes.
ReplyDeleteI do like the idea of getting the students right to work once they enter the room. It seems very different from the traditional style of kids milling into the room and finishing conversations while the teacher prepares to begin the lesson. Starting immediately shows the students that the teacher is prepared for them from the start of class. Showing a class that you are ready immediately is a sign of your dedication to their learning.
The paper and pencil method seems like it would be very useful. It gives a teacher a chance to see where students are in their learning process, and it gives the quieter student a chance to be heard. By seeing their work, they are speaking to you and telling you their level of comprehension. This activity also keeps the entire class working.
The section on homework helped answer some questions I had about how it should be incorporated into classes. What I took away is that homework should not be overly challenging to students. Based on the way the objective is presented in class, and the practice that the students do in class, homework should just be a means of repeating the work for practice. Homework should not be assigned based on stuff that the student has not been presented (seems obvious).
One of the overall lessons that I drew from this reading was the importance of having the students write down their work and take notes. By always being prepared for class and having a pencil and paper ready, they hopefully will retain most of what is being taught, or at least have a point of reference. The idea of having homework quizzes will be a great way to showing the students the importance of note taking, AND they will be rewarded for a job well done! Many of our students will be going on to college so proper note taking will prove invaluable to the success of their education.
Some questions that I have are:
How consistent should you be with how the class starts? Should you have a problem to begin each class regardless of the objective of the day? Should you begin the class by posting answers to prior night’s homework so they may copy the answers down? Should you switch up your method of beginning the class often?
Brenda, other content areas don’t have objectives that are practiced?
ReplyDeleteI do believe that other content areas have objectives that are practiced however I don’t know if all subjects are as clear-cut as math. When executing a math lesson, you want to know as soon as possible if a part of the class is not getting a concept you are introducing. For example, you would want to know immediately if students are struggling with fractions when they come across them in solving for equations. If you can quickly assess that they need a mini-lesson on fractions as you are walking the room and checking their work, then you can take a step back to get the student understand the basics before your proceed.
Now that I think about it a bit more, I do see how a lot of the concepts could be applied in a Foreign Language class. When the students walk into a French class, they could have the assignment of translating a paragraph or conjugating a verb. Also, as a lesson is being taught, the teacher could be walking the room and checking to make sure the application is correct. So I guess concepts in Johnson’s book could be applied in other content areas…
Brenda, will the students automatically make the connection between notebook organization and assessment results? Will this connection automatically result in better notebooks?
ReplyDeleteI don’t think the students will automatically get the connection between the two especially if note taking is a new concept for students. I do not think that it will automatically result in better notebooks and better grades for those students who are ‘resistant’ to the idea. Some students are very organized and great note takers, and those students would have done well with, or without the added grade from the requirement of keeping an organized notebook.
The students who would normally not take notes may resist it and require a little extra attention from the teacher to follow the process. Hopefully, with a little persistence from the teacher, reminding the student to have a pencil and paper ready, and to clearly label and then file their work away, the student will follow the process. The student can then benefit from the extra points towards their grade and perhaps maybe even have improved study habits and organizational skills.
I currently work in a high school and know that students, who are aware they can use their notes for tests and quizzes, usually do a pretty good job of taking notes down. There are exceptions to every rule though and some students still might not want to put in the work.
David Johnson’s book Every Minute Counts is full of practical advice on creating a classroom environment conducive to learning for the teacher. I can easily envision this relatively short and easy to read booklet having a significant influence on myself as I attempt to embark upon a teaching career. Some observations;
ReplyDelete1. The concept of the U-Shaped classroom makes sense (and facilitates several of the other concepts presented in the book). However, this seating arrangement is not something that I have seen in many (if any) classrooms. Given the value of the arrangement I wonder why it is not seen more often?
2. I found the chapter entitled “The Art of Questioning” to be particularly interesting to me. The questioning “try to” list on pp 9-13 has applicability to my current position coaching a High School baseball team. The “pause” technique, not directing questions to specific individuals, and the follow-up “why” can be used to help the entire team assimilate important information quickly and avoid alienating individuals on the team.
3. Requiring all students to be prepared with a paper and pencil during class was a simple but clever method that obligates everyone to participate, builds student confidence, and provides the teacher with another technique for assessing student progress. Johnson stresses the importance of understanding student progress on a daily basis (rather than waiting for a test.) This information is critical to determining the optimal pace of instruction. Johnson’s questioning techniques are also designed to help the teacher assess student progress on a daily basis.
4. Johnson’s ideas on homework management are also valuable. The teacher and student use homework to understand how well the material is understood. While it is important that homework is completed, time spent by a teacher correcting homework is not a good use of a teacher’s time. Rather the teacher should spend time on a plan (including prepared examples that demonstrate the material) for teaching the new objectives. Johnson describes techniques for assigning/reviewing/correcting homework without using an inordinate amount of class time. A technique with merit that I was not familiar with was the use of a “tally chart” to determine where students were requesting a review of specific homework problems.
Previous "anonymous" comments were posted by Rick B.
ReplyDeleteTo answer Chandan's 2nd question, I do agree with Brenda; Johnson's suggestions might not work for other subjects but works in Maths because of the subject matter or nature of Maths. Although his methods and suggestions might be most effective in Maths, I don't think it is limited to that subject area. There are some important points and suggestions that could be applied to other subject areas.
ReplyDeleteJohnson's every minute counts has a lot of information, it is a book I am sure to keep handy because of practical examples.
My new goals- two points I view as being very important and agree with are;(1)being able to "identify" the students who are able to meet the objectives.(2) "allowing" students to make mistakes without fear of failure. This has always been one of my concerns because as a student I struggled with this.
A "try-to" list- (1)the act of pausing for three to five seconds or more, is an important tool that will encourage "inclusion"-no child left behind. I think this will help with the problem of "the same students" answering questions all the time.(2)I never really saw it this way but what an eye opener- calling on a particular student before or immediately after asking a question causes all the other students to tune out the question.
Assigning Homework- I liked the point he made about waiting till the next day to give homework if Students do not master objectives because if he did not he would end up helping them "unlearn a wrong method"....Sometimes we misplace priorities, placing "homeworks" before "learning".
After the test- Handing back papers in order of scores being humiliating. I remember as a student in High school this was often done, it was mot humiliating to me, instead it was a motivation for me to do better. If the scores are not announced to the class, my thinking is that the grades are still confidential.
Working Together- Promoting the idea that students are there to help each other learn and not just to take instuctions from the teacher;I have always loved the idea of teams and incorporating it in the classroom helps student to learn a valuable lesson that not only helps them in the classroom but helps them in the real world-in life.
He advises us to respond to each student's answer in a tone and manner that is respectful, firm and receptive. How? Would love to have read some suggestions or examples on this.
The act of pausing for three to five seconds or more, is an important tool because, often we see the same students answering questions all the time, if the teacher waited a few seconds, it would give "not so fast" thinkers more time to come up with answers and the shy ones more time to gather up courage to answer the question asked.
ReplyDeleteCalling on a particular student before or after a question is asked, causes others to tune out the question. If they tuned out the question then they would not be able to answer it. Knowing this helps me realize that if I am going to expect an answer from any other student then I need to address the question to the whole class.
Responding to Randy’s question: Why quizzes next time? How will this help slower learners?
ReplyDeleteQuizzes will be given next time to provide for earlier detection.
From different perspectives, quizzes may help the slower learners in the following ways:
From the teacher’s perspective:
• The teacher will learn which students are having difficulty and the type of trouble they are having before an exam is given.
• In knowing where the problems lie the teacher could adjust his/her lecture to focus on those issues.
• In the teacher knowing who is prone to difficulty he/she could focus more attention on the struggling students during lecture and in-class assignments.
From the student’s perspective:
• The quiz shows the student how much he/she knows and understands.
• The quiz is a preview of an exam and provides practice for the exam.
• In knowing what he/she understands and doesn’t, the student could adjust his/her study habits, by doing the homework and by practicing more. She may also ask more questions or ask for help, seek tutoring or work with other students.
Annadoug,
ReplyDeleteYou made a good point: As soon as students know they are not going to be engaged they will tune-out. At some point, one student will be answering the question as the whole class cannot answer simultaneously. Perhaps, to keep the others on their toes, the teacher could occasionally bounce more questions off of the first response and subsequent responses.
I overlooked Bruce. Bruce, you have spent the past couple.months.in the classroom. Give a specific example of a.point Johnson makes that you have witnessed and evaluate his point using your experience- be specific.
ReplyDeleteRandy asks: "Roger, students can be forced or we can ensure they are involved? Do you anticipate any level of resistance? How would you overcome this?"
ReplyDeleteNo one can be forced to do anything. That's why as teachers, we need to be organized, creative and smart about how to assign it.
1) Be as concise and clear about what is actually assigned for homework - have it on the board for everyone to see. There should be no misunderstanding about what the homework is.
2) Stress the importance of doing the homework not just because of what it counts towards grading, but more importantly because the "at-bats" (Lemov's term.....and I like ANY baseball analogy) are crucial to mastering the specific skills needed to solve the problem.
3) Be prepared to adjust the quantity of homework so that each kid is not completely overwhelmed but still gets the necessary at-bats.
I believe if the lesson/concepts are effectively taught and the quantity is just right, resistance will be kept to a minimum.
There's been some chatter about the U-shaped room regarding advantages, ideal size, etc amongst many of you. As I read about it I loved it. It's extremely effective in the manner Johnson runs his classroom. Since I just did my day of observation at Greenwich HS I'd like to make a couple comments.
ReplyDeleteDespite the fact there's almost 2800 kids in that school, the actual classroom sizes were small-medium sized. I never saw a class larger than 16 students.....yes, I was surprised. Therefore the U-shape would've been very easy to implement although no one did it. In fact, it was noticeable how a couple teachers at times struggled to make their way around the standard grid of desks to check homework......sidestepping, tripping over huge backpacks.
Jenae makes a good point about the U bringing each student closer to the front and ultimately the teacher. There's no back row allowing kids to camp out in a disengaged state or to listen to I-pods or secretly text a buddy. Believe me, I saw plenty of that yesterday!
I don't feel the need to regurgitate every plus supporting the U.....we've done that already. I think the U should always be used (except for test time) for as big as the class will allow. There shouldn't be a precise number that dictates when you don't use it.
How do we know if an objective has been met regardless of time?
ReplyDeleteI believe the best way to determine if an objective is being met regardless of time is by asking follow up questions. Asking questions along with walking around the room and checking students' work. If there is a clearer understanding based on the discussion and responses then I would have met my objective. Of course sample problems will help in my assessment of the objective.
Brenda responding to your great questions.
ReplyDeleteHow consistent should you be with how the class starts? Should you have a problem to begin each class regardless of the objective of the day?
I observed a high school where each math class had a "Do Now " problem to work on as soon as they came into the room. It worked relatively well especially when it was time to correct the problem. I was fortunate to observe a classroom with smart board technology. The students worked out the solutions on the smart board. In regards to being consistent with the classroom, I believe that the more consistent one is the more likely that students will get used to your order of operations.
In response to Brenda's questions, I agree with Cordell. I believe that consistency is important. It gives students a sense of confidence in knowing what to expect, and allows them to gauge their progress. I also like the idea of starting the class with a problem. As a student I would find this interesting. As a teacher it not only could be useful in keeping the students engaged as class begins, but also could be used as for assessment.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to strict consistency of starting class everyday.....I also believe it's important.
ReplyDeleteBut would it be possible to introduce a couple small differences and change it up every 2-3 weeks or so? I think so. But it would be unwise to change it up everyday or even weekly.....that's too often.
For example.....in staying with the "do now" upon arrival theme , perhaps for 2-3 weeks, 3 questions could come right out of the homework and be present on the board. Then switch to perhaps a worksheet retrieved by the students as they walk in of completely new problems. Then after that, perhaps a real 1-question multi-step tester already written on the board as they enter.....presented as a grand prize or something equivalent. Make them feel like it's genius-level type stuff.....try to stir up the competitive juices a bit and make them feel good about themselves should they answer it correctly. Clearly this should be done deeper into the unit when confidence and mastery are high.
It's all about putting them to work immediately, but changing it up a little in attempting to provide some sort of variety.
"Rachelle, why is there a need to break down a problem into small steps in terms of teaching?"
ReplyDeleteThe reason it's important to break the problem into small steps is because when you first learn a new skill you have to understand the process to be able to successfully repeat it in the future. When a process has been practiced and fully understood it becomes more routine. For example, as my daughter has practiced her reading, many of the words she previously sounded-out have become automatic.
I saw that Mike noted a concern from a second grade conference with a teacher who had difficulties communicating effectively (it seems on many levels). As a math para at the elementary level, I do see this emphasis on strategies. They are explored as a way for students to get started on word problems and include options such as draw a picture, write a number sentence, - and since I work in the "higher" grades: use a t-chart, make a table, etc. What I like about this is that it recognizes that children can and do reason in different ways and it encourages them to do so by developing number sense, thus avoiding mere rote learning and a strict reliance on algorithms. This will help them as they progress through math at every level.
ReplyDeleteCatherine, does wait time automatically draw in the less extroverted students? What else can be done to draw them into class discussion?
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have seen that wait time increases the number of students who will raise their hand and contribute to the discussion, it does not automatically draw in the less introverted. There may be students who are uncomfortable entering the discussion and simply will not due so. Over time, I believe a teacher can gain the trust of those students and get them excited and involved in the material and ultimately break down their reluctance to participate. In the short term, there are definitely ways to include them.
Not all participation in the class discussion needs to be with the students raising their hands to answer a question. If the paper and pencil response is being used, the introverted students are in fact participating. The teacher can be inclusive by complimenting and remarking on the student’s solution/idea and then use the idea to progress with the class discussion (giving value to the student’s input).
The teacher can also pose questions to the whole class and ask for a thumbs up or down response (“yes/no” or “agree/disagree”). Or the teacher may pose a question and offer options for an answer: the students respond by raising one, two, or three fingers based on the choice that they make.
I’ve also seen the use of individual whiteboards through the elementary and middle grades. Students can respond to questions whole class and raise their boards, while the teacher can quickly assess how they are doing without circulating through the entire room.
I also like pairing students and asking them to turn to their neighbor and discuss a problem for a couple of minutes before bringing the discussion back to the whole class. I can then pose the question to the partnerships and they can decide who will respond.
Over time, I believe an intuitive teacher will be able to gauge when and what type of question can be directed to a shy student thus drawing them into the discussion, and that it is important to create a classroom climate that includes all the students and their ideas.
Question from Randy:
ReplyDeleteGive a specific example of a point Johnson makes that you have witnessed and evaluate his point using your experience- be specific.
In Johnson's Every Minute Count he placed a great deal of emphasis on the effort of the student. While in a classroom I have had different responsibilities, one of which was correcting certain tests or quizzes the students have taken. I saw a lot of parallels between Johnson's section of giving and correcting tests and the actual task of correcting tests.
While grading tests it is very common for students to have a strong grasp of the material, but end up with the wrong answer, for example:
Question: Simply the expression (i2 + 2) (i - 3)
Student Answer: i3 - 3i2 + 2i + 6
-i + 3 + 2i + 6
i + 9 ---> students final answer
Correct Answer: i3 - 3i2 + 2i - 6
-i + 3 + 2i - 6
i - 3 ---> correct answer
I was instructed by the teacher I was assisting to take off -2 points out of 4 for this answer by the student. The student knew the first step of the problem was to multiply the to parenthesis using the FOIL method. The only hiccup there was that they made a mental mistake and said (2)(-3) was a positive six. The student showed they understood that i cubed equals -i and that i squared equals -1; as a teacher this and the FOIL method is what I'm looking for to see if the student grasps the problem. Since they made a minor mistake, we would only take -2 off and not mark the entire problem wrong.
Johnson said, ".. I will always try to give some credit for appropriate steps, even though the final answer is incorrect." I think this example from the classroom properly shows how the teacher I've worked with feels the same way. I will also grade with this in mind for my future students.
Response to a question from Cordell:
ReplyDeleteWhy does Johnson not speak on classroom management in regards to disruptions or how to effectively handle them? I believe this also would be a helpful nugget as well. We will all deal with disruptive behavior. Knowing how to handle that behavior will be the difference to being in control or losing control of your classroom.
Cordell, I was happy you brought this up because I was thinking the same exact thing while I was reading this book. In a completely optimistic thought, maybe Johnson is inferring that if we follow his steps exactly there will be no disruptions in the classroom (highly unlikely though). However, I do think that he provides a strong template to follow in order to minimize disruptive behavior (i.e.- less down time, strong student involvement, both student and teacher accountability in the classroom, etc.) I am interested though, to hear his opinions on this matter exactly.. I'm also curious which one of the theories on how to effectively run a classroom get throne out the window by a disruptive class or a few disruptive students.
Adam brings up an interesting point when he talks about waiting up to 10 seconds (instead of the 3-4 that Johnson suggest).
ReplyDeleteIt has been years since I have been in the classroom but I would imagine that fitting the silence to the situation would be appropriate and could in fact take more than 10 seconds once in a while.
I my background I have been lead negotiator many times and its amazing how powerful the tactic of just staying silent can be and imagine that it can similarly translate to the classroom (not to mention its a lost art in everyday conversation).
Ellen wrote, "I wondered at how difficult it would be to implement his idea of the cumulative tests. Wouldn’t the tests later in the term get to be very long, since they would contain material back to the beginning?
ReplyDeleteI wondered about this as well. What does a test which incorporates review material look like? From what Johnson writes in later books about showing how new material is related to old material, ideally the review material would correspond to current material. For example, when teaching the law of sines, you could review the Pythagorean theorem. As a student I disliked not know what material to review. As a teacher I would want to try telling my students what review material would potentially be on the test, rather than generally stating that any previously covered material could potentially be on the exam.
Bruce, in your post of May, 21
ReplyDeleteyou gave wonderful example how a student knows the material (FOILs, converts i² and i³ properly), but misses a minus. I agree, it is fair to give the student some credit for “appropriate steps”. It encourages students to show their work and if the answer is wrong it helps the teacher to see what concept is misunderstood.
From Victoria:
ReplyDeleteMost interesting for me were methods to change questioning in order to make it more efficient and reflect a real situation in the classroom. “Now I ask questions in a way that will involve all the students in the class and will also give me an immediate idea as to whether or not the students are understanding. “
Among the useful pieces of advice there were some I knew, like “Pause after asking a question for 3-5 seconds” or “Try to avoid answering your own question”, but there were some new ones as well. They made me think about things I was doing from a different perspective, and gave me pause for thought. For example “Try not to label the degree of difficulty of a question”. I used to say “Let’s begin with an easy one” as encouragement, assuming that it would make a student more confident that he/she can solve the exercise. I did not think that this would diminish the satisfaction in solving the exercise. My favorite is “Try to replace lectures with a set of appropriate questions. This way students will discover for themselves the ideas they have to learn. The ability to learn any material by asking yourself questions and getting the answers in books or any other way is vital for any professional. And this strategy is a first step for students to learn how to do it. A quarter of a century ago a professor in Russian university asked his students what knowledge or skill we have learned in the university which we believe is the most important. After listening to our answers, the professor said that he believes the most important is not what we have already learned, but that we develop skills to find and acquire any information we will need in the future.
Another unexpected strategy is correcting homework. Johnson recommends writing answers on a transparency or on a board, or reading them aloud from the key to students. I am not sure if this is enough for students to understand how to solve the exercises. If a teacher gives the correct answers, asks students to compare them with their own and write the number of right answers at the top of their pages I am not sure they would be honest. The author does not spend time correcting papers (pg.38), and he encourages one not to include homework scores in determining final grades. But he would not give a passing grade unless most of the homework has been completed. I would love to understand how he knows if a student really works on homework assignments and makes mistakes, or just writes something not to get punished. When I was collecting homework, previous classwork packets, and quizzes every day, I was buried under the piles of paper. My dream is to give this work to the computer. The student has to log in and submit each answer and get an immediate result if the answer is right or wrong. If it is wrong, the student needs to review the classwork and find the mistake because this exercise may be on tomorrow’s quiz. The teacher would see all the results and will know which exercise was the most difficult and go over it in the beginning of the class. If all the numbers in the exercises would be randomly generated, this would be the best, because the students would call and ask each other “how did you do it?” rather than “what is your answer?”