Today is an extension of yesterday's post about what a teacher can accomplish in 10 minutes or less. I watched a classroom this morning and was amazed at the level of learning taking place. This was a 2nd grade class and the topic was adding or subtracting by 100's. The teacher had already taught the lesson and the students were divided into small groups to have a competition of sorts. A problem was written on the board and groups had a set amount of time to work together to solve it. When the timer went off, the teacher called one group to the board to show how they solved the problem. But, not only did they have to write it, they also had to explain to the class why their answer was correct and the process they used to get it. While the group was working at the board writing their response, the teacher was working the room, questioning the other students. When the group at the board was ready, they explained their response and the other groups were able to ask them questions. Once it was determined that their answer and explanation were acceptable, they got a point. Then the process repeated During the eight minutes I was in the room, I did not see a single off-task student. In fact, they were eager to demonstrate their understanding. In addition, I watched these students rise to the challenge even when a difficult problem was presented. (They all groaned when they had to solve using a number line).
Students will think at higher cognitive levels when the task is both meaningful and enjoyable . Great teachers know this and develop lessons that create such an atmosphere. The class described above was not quiet nor were they sitting still. They were moving and talking and thinking. And, most importantly, they were learning.
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