Ideally
- Have an extra challenge ready that allows the student to go deeper into the subject, learn a little more, or apply a skill he has just learned in a new way.
- Beforehand, help the child to create an ongoing individual project. Perhaps a report on something she is interested in, a PowerPoint presentation, or a creative writing project - anything that is motivating, educationally sound and can be worked on here and there.
- Critical thinking activities - logic puzzles, brain teasers and the like. Have them ready for whenever they are needed. Better yet, make a packet of a bunch of them that the student can get out and work on whenever he has some extra time.
- Journal writing - ideally with some focus or prompts, possibly related to what you are studying
- Silent reading - again, ideally with some focus - perhaps exploring a genra or subject with some kind of associated project or review, even if it is minimal.
- Give the child more of the same. Or give the child something different, but equally easy.
- Have the child help you by correcting papers, taking down bulletin board items, cleaning white boards etc.
- Have the child help a struggling student. I know, everyone loves peer teaching, but I don't. I believe it puts both the student teacher and the learner in difficult situations. A bright child is not necessarily a sensitive child, or a good teacher. Further, it isn't a good use of that child's learning time. "Teaching is learning twice" is true for sure, but odds are, your bright student doesn't need to learn it again. He already knows it, really well. As for the learner, that kid is struggling already. How much does it help that child's self-esteem to be paired with a student who gets it without even trying? Worse yet if the bright child is impatient, condescending, or just plain mean little learning is going to take place.
Creative and Critical Thinking Activities
Creative and Critical Thinking Cards
Tic-Tac-Toe Journal Prompts
This post is part of TBA's Smart Teaching Link Up:
13 comments:
My children finish their work early. My older daughter learned that there was something wrong with her and that she was a hasssle. My middle child is expected to help struggling students, she doesn't like this and one night at dinner announced that the kids she had to help were stupid. Since she was six at the time, I'm sure she didn't hide her disdain at school.
My children's job at school is to learn. It is not to teach. If they were grouped with the other bright kids in their grade, the class could move at a reasonable pace for them. the other classes could move at a reasonable pace for the students in the other class. Of course, this can never happen.
Really interesting, and an issue here in the UK too. There is a real problem with having 30 children of mixed abilities in a class and anything that helps is great.
Thanks for your comments! This post actually started as a rant about peer teaching, but I didn't want to rant without offering alternatives.
Good suggestions. It is too bad so many educators are recommending that bright students be kept in the same class as the not so bright students. (I've heard too many administrators say that it is good to keep them there). It isn't best for the teacher, and it isn't best for the rest of the students. Fortunately, some schools are experimenting with programs for highly gifted students. But other school districts are skeptical of the idea. We will see, I suppose. But, since many school districts are trying to keep classes with mixed aptitudes, your suggestions are good.
Your objections to peer teaching are especially right on. Besides your reasoning, I also think it is not fair to the student for a teacher to rely on a bright student to help teach the class, as he is not getting paid.
LOVE this. This is one of the MANY reasons we are homeschooling for the first time next year.
The problem with separating children by ability level is that more often than not, the "lower ability" children also have behavior problems. A child who is not preforming on grade level often feels frustration and acts out. In other cases the main reason why they are below grade level is because of disabilities such as ADHD or ODD. It is not fair for one teacher to have all of the behavior issues in one room. This is why administrators do not separate children by ability level. It is also against the law to keep children with these issues away from their peers. I agree that higher level kids should not be asked to assist struggling peers, but I do not think the answer is to segregate students who are below grade level. The answer is differentiation. All skilled teachers should be able to do this for their students. The suggestions that you gave are all perfect examples of how to differentiate for bright kids.
I know this post is old an my comment unlikely to be seen, but here goes. It depends on the subject, but for many cases I strongly disagree with you. I was one of the students. These kids need to be put on a different track entirely. If they finish every assignment quickly, but you keep assigning the same material over the course of the year, they are being held back. They need to be challenged not on a one off basis, but all the time. I finished homework for entire semesters in 2 weeks or less and was totally bored and upset for the rest of the semester. I know teachers can't satisfy the needs of all the kids all the time, but our country could be far and above where we are compared to other countries if these kids could get what they need. I wish I had been homeschooled.
It's ridiculous to imply that peer tutoring isn't effective. It even seems like you're saying that it is somehow immoral because the student isn't getting paid. So, you can only help out a fellow citizen with a struggle if you get paid?! Don't tell the boy scouts!
Children learn from their peers, whether teachers and parents like it or not. Children listen to their peers. Also, when one child is tutoring, a very important process is going on. The children are communicating. I wholeheartedly oppose your theory of students having only enrichment that is independent and SILENT and never sharing their knowledge and skills with their peers. Communication among peers is good, especially when it is academic.
Students that are able to finish work early -- first it's important to make sure they are finishing accurately -- it's not a bad idea to put a group (even if it's small) together that finish early together to check their answers. True mastery of a subject comes with collaboration -- not saying the child is responsible for another child's learning, but in my class we are a community of learners and we lift each other up. I have students ASKING me help their needy peers. I never force this task on an unwilling student however.
Reading: Having student create and swap questions about a class reading, or using the student library and create a "Question Log" created by students while they are reading a book. Having students illustrate a chapter book that doesn't have pictures, or create word sorts using words they find. Each of my students has a word jar where they are collecting words they like. I use one of my doors in my classroom as a fact door: if you finish early you can use my fact flash cards (bought at Target for $1 a pack) or a nonfiction book/article and write down a fact that you learned on a sticky note. After writing the fact, you are allowed to post it on the door. Students are allowed to add to their reading log if they wish, students are allowed to create a play based on a story they are familiar with or have read.
Math: Students create and solve math problems on their own. Student take a regular algorithm and write word problems around that algorithm and share it with other students. Students can create multiple choice questions and explain why they chose the answers they did. Measuring items in the room in standard and nonstandard units. Explain the number of tiles in the room, based on an array. Estimate the number of "Paw Bucks" it will take to cover a certain space. Measure angles in the room. Find different geometric shapes.
Science: I have a small investigator's kit (made up of rocks, magnifying glasses, a scale, tweezers, a cheap microscope and a few slides) that my students love. I provide textures for them to feel and examine, and plants for them to observe.
Social Studies: I have a number of books about famous people from history. The kids love to tell me about interesting people they have learned about -- I try to always let them feel like they are giving me wonderful information that I wasn't aware of and ask them if they can find more about that individual. I am lucky to have four computers -- so research is an option. Creating a timeline of their life -- with illustrations.
Writing: We keep journals, we write poetry, we write newspaper articles, we create slogans, we make a fake advertisement for products we make up in our heads, we plan, we create and use words as much as possible because words are the key.
OH -- and to top it all off -- I work a Title I school -- we are 98% free and reduced lunch -- so they are not students that typically are driven to push their educational envelope and we are a school that struggles with every environmental issue, behavioral issue and family issue that you could imagine. Drugs, abuse, alcohol, gang-related deaths are a norm for my students...but my students are always learning and growing -- wanting more for themselves.
Students should not be allowed to be idle -- if they aren't going home tired because of all they have worked so hard to achieve that day -- I have not done my job as a teacher. If they leave my class at the end of the year without a spirit of wanting to help their fellow humans and striving for a better life for themselves -- then I have failed them somehow. My students come to me, being told they are not capable by so many -- and leave my room each day knowing they can do great things. We are always busy...we are always learning. Hopefully some of the ideas helped.
Wow Kimberly, your comment is a blog post in itself! Thanks so much for providing so many great ideas! I am sure Minds in Bloom readers will benefit from them. It sounds like you keep your students busy!
I completely agree that peer teaching is outstanding when done correctly and with the right students/topics. Isn't that how most of us learn something... From those that have a strong understanding and in the same field or situation your in?!? Most students who help teach others gain confidence and find any "loose holes" in their understanding when they teach others. It's similar to presenting a topic or having a discussion the child has to completely understand all the steps and the reasons why. I agree these activities are still a great idea and there are definitely students that will not benefit from teaching others. As a professional these judgements can be made with experience but I wanted to voice my opinion on this because many of my students enjoy and value this teaching strategy.
I'm not an educator, merely a Pinterest user who came upon this site. As an elementary student, I was often the first one done with assignments. Not in an every grade, but in a few, I was expected to help those who struggled. I did not ever enjoy it and felt like I was being punished for being "good" at school. I would have much rather been challenged with a more difficult assignment, given the opportunity to read a book, etc. The student's job is to be a student. Not that I was given the "option" to peer teach, but even if I had been asked, as an elementary student I would not have told my teacher "no." I think most kids would feel obligated to peer teach, even if they did not want to. Thank you Rachel Lynette for your thoughtful post and alternatives. I am glad there are educators such as yourself out there.
I didn't have time to read every post, so it may have been covered, but children teaching other students is not a waste of time. First of all, the best way to ensure total understanding of something is to teach someone else. Every teacher knows that. Also, teaching others teaches fe skills, like patience, understanding and tolerance for differences. Something that six year old who called the other students stupid clearly needs to learn.
Often, children who are bright struggle with social interactions, likely because they spend a lot of time with adults. As such, sticking them in a room with other socially awkward children will not help them with this. Forcing some interwction with other children their age will benefit them as well as the child who is learning from them.
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