Reflect after reading Chapters 5-7:
How do we answer questions in a thinking classroom? When and how do we give tasks?
Consider the following questions:
- What is resonating with you from the reading?
- What caused you to pause and think during this section?
Respond and Interact
After reading these chapters, please post your response to one {or more} of the prompts above. Read our colleagues' reflections. Feel free to respond to someone by sharing a comment, insight or interesting possibility.
Tasks given at the beginning of the lesson when energy and engagement is high makes so much sense to me. A part that I underlined was: ."just know that the longer you talk, and the longer they listen, the less likely you are going to be able to get them to think." We need our kids to be DOING math within the first few minutes of every lesson.
ReplyDeleteThe types of questions students ask resonated most with me. I hadn't heard the term "keep-thinking questions" before. Encouraging my students to ask these types of questions in a thinking classroom seems possible by asking one of the counter questions listed by the author on pp 89-90 in response to their proximity questions and/or stop-thinking questions while circulating the room as they are working.
ReplyDeleteWhat mostly caused me to pause and think during chapter 5 was how difficult it is for me to answer only keep thinking questions. To be honest, most of my second-grade students seem to be ok when I use the tips like smiling and walking away or encouraging them to keep trying. I paused to reflect a lot about two particular students in my room. These students are somewhat slow to start tasks and really struggle to persevere through solving them. They are often the members of the group who sit back and let the others take control. They appear helpless and lack confidence. I think building the confidence of those students will be key, but it's a challenge for me to let them struggle!
ReplyDeleteI thought about the Cool Downs a lot when reflecting on check your understanding questions in Chapter 7. In unit 3 I started to use the excel spreadsheet but fell behind with the rush before the holidays. Being more intentional with my cool downs is what resonated with me!
What most resonated with me throughout these chapters were the suggestions in how to answer a proximity or stop-thinking question. Having these responses prepared and ready to go will help SO much in acknowledging these questions without giving away any info & encouraging the kids to keep thinking. I also really loved the quote, "Me telling you that is right is worth almost nothing. If you can tell me that it is right, however, that is worth everything." This will definitely come in handy for those students that are constantly asking "is this right?".
ReplyDeleteThe portion of "where to give the task" in chapter 6 really made me stop and think. I've tried to start our warmup routine with gathering the class around the flat panel in the front of the room to participate, but didn't have great success with it after the first few times. It turned into a struggle to encourage all of the class to come up to the front for it, so I think I'll try changing up the huddle location and see if that increases engagement again.
Krysta - it is so impressive how willing you are to reflect on your current practice and think about how you might change it slightly to improve the experience for your students. Your energy is contagious. :) What lucky kids to have such a thoughtful and intentional teacher.
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