I may be a rarity in administrative circles, because I genuinely enjoyed cafeteria supervision when I was a high school administrator. The reason I enjoyed lunch time with our students is because it gave me opportunities to talk with students about whatever they wanted to talk about. I learned a lot, and on some occasions … Continue reading The Expression-Driven Classroom
When my high school music appreciation class entered the room they were a talkative bunch. They were energetic and wanted to share with their peers anything and everything that had happened during the prior six periods of the day. Once the bell rang and we started exploring content, there was hear-the-chirping-cricket-in-the-corner silence. I felt I … Continue reading Encouraging Student Participation in Classroom Discussion
Teachers can use a variety of classroom questioning techniques to help students deepen their understanding of content, but the real power of the questioning process lies in student responses. As such, it is important that teachers develop, teach, and routinely use a variety of response types within the classroom to ensure that students are making … Continue reading Student Responses to Classroom Questioning
I come from a long line of storytellers and joke tellers. It wasn’t uncommon for my dad and his brothers to regale family gatherings for hours trying to outperform each other. One thing I found fascinating is that in those authentic storytelling moments, they could spin a yarn that had everyone laughing uncontrollably; however, if … Continue reading Encouraging Every Student To Respond
In the television show Whose Line Is It Anyway? improve artists often play a game called “Questions only.” One artist starts with a question to another artist who has to respond to a question with a question. This question-on-question-on-question can go on for an extended period of time with comedic results. I think formative classrooms … Continue reading Student-Generated Questions In The Formative Classroom
In the movie Shrek, the ogre Shrek waxes philosophical and tells his traveling companion, Donkey, “Ogres are like onions. They have layers.” Focus questions are also like onions. No, they don’t make you cry or turn brown in the sun (as Donkey suggested to Shrek), but they do contain layers that can be peeled back … Continue reading Questions Are Like Onions
I suppose it’s because I’ve been a professional educator for a number of years, but there are parts of movies that strike me a little differently than those in my home, and I laugh probably more than I should. There’s an old (ancient now that I think about it) comedy movie called Back to School, … Continue reading Developing Effective Focus Questions
I began playing guitar when I was five years old, and a guitar has been a constant companion of mine to this very day. Learning to play guitar provides some great challenges, but it also provides tremendous feedback. Notes are either right or wrong, and you know the status immediately. The guitar allows you to … Continue reading Make Your Classroom Like A Guitar Circle Jam Session
One passage in my favorite book of ancient wisdom says a cord of three strands is not easily broken. The interweaving of those three strands provides great overall strength and makes for a sturdy, effective cord. In the book Questioning for Formative Feedback: Meaningful Dialogue to Improve Learning, author Jackie Acree Walsh identifies three teacher … Continue reading Three Teacher Roles for the Formative Classroom
I really enjoy the holiday breaks. The change of place and the change of pace give me opportunities to think, and when I have time to think I frequently solve problems that have been lingering and bring creative ideas into fruition. Think time is also important in your classroom when you are asking questions of … Continue reading The Importance of Think Time
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