Friday, December 02, 2016

Teaching All Students: Ask the Experts

After a professional learning community (PLC) focused on math today, I went back and consulted the the experts, the students, about a big question raised: If you have a class of students who are all dedicated but at different places on the learning continuum, how do you help everyone achieve well? The students were eager to answer and basically all their answers pointed to scaffolded learning opportunities, choice, and the use of technology.

After the meeting and the talk with the students, I realized that my next step is to put their advice to work with greater scaffolding, choice, and apt use of technology to help every learner make good gains.

We'll begin with last week's test. I'll give students a chance to make corrections with help if needed. I'll even offer those who want to take the test again a chance to do that since I think a few rushed through it. And, I'll have a menu of choices available for those who have finished making corrections. Next we'll have "computation camp" which will be a time for all students to gain mastery over expected computation skill. Again there will be significant choice and opportunities to "climb the computation ladder" in multiple ways.

I look forward to putting the students' wise advice to work in the days to come. Onward.