Rigor is creating an environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels,
each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels,
and each student demonstrates learning at high levels (Blackburn, 2008).

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Quit Bothering Me!

Have you ever felt like saying that to a student?  I had one student, that no matter what I did, he always came up to me with questions.  He was insecure, and needed extra reinforcement.  I believe part of our job is encouraging students, but sometimes, certain students take advantage of that.  So, here's a simple strategy to try.

Implement "Ask Three Before Me".  During small group time, or independent work time, if students have a question, they have to ask three students for help before they can ask me.  You may want to change the number, but it's important to give a concrete number, otherwise, you'll have students ask everyone else so they can delay doing their work.  By allowing them to only ask three students for help, they also need to become wiser about who they ask.  It doesn't take long for them to learn that asking their best friend doesn't always help. 

Then, if they come to me for help, it's more likely that their question is a valid one that only I can answer.  It's another way to decrease the number of "what are we supposed to do" questions that you get.  You might also have them write down who they asked so you can ensure they did ask others before you.  Just another way to save you some time and allow you to support the students who need it the most. 

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