I went into my last Monday night seminar for Ed. Psych assuming it would be the same typical lecture over a different topic. To my surprise we did something else. The other class had us close our eyes and put stickers on our foreheads (blue, yellow and/or red). After we all opened our eyes were given instructions: 1) you cannot talk or use sign language of any sort. 2) find your group.
After a few minutes, everyone was in their color-coated group. Knick had the people with the blue stickers sit in the way back, the people with the red stickers sat in the middle (which included me), and the 3 people with yellow stickers sat in the front. About 60% of the people in the class were labeled with the blue stickers and 5 of us were in the middle. So as we all just sat there, Knick's students gave a presentation on the book "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. At the end of their presentation, the people in back were criticized for talking throughout and were then asked to recall what was said in the presentation. Let me just say that the response was not that great.
Now, think of all of this again. How does this relate to the classroom? How do you give assigned seats? Are the students in the back of your classroom achieving as high of grades of those in the front? Are students disturbing the learning process for others around them? Do you just put students you don't really want to deal with all together? I thought this Monday night was a the best lecture yet. It really made me think and keep in mind that everything you do as a teacher really matters and will have some sort of outcome with the students.
Then, all of a sudden, Knick asked, "so how did you choose or know which groups to go into?" Someone stated, "well, we all went with the people who the same color of stickers." His reply was, "who ever said that you had to be in groups like that? Why not your regular discussion groups?" ~Good point!~ Have you realized that we all just assume something, usually because it is the "norm" for things.
Now think about how you or your teachers do or have done grading. What do you notice?....
(to be continued...)
After a few minutes, everyone was in their color-coated group. Knick had the people with the blue stickers sit in the way back, the people with the red stickers sat in the middle (which included me), and the 3 people with yellow stickers sat in the front. About 60% of the people in the class were labeled with the blue stickers and 5 of us were in the middle. So as we all just sat there, Knick's students gave a presentation on the book "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. At the end of their presentation, the people in back were criticized for talking throughout and were then asked to recall what was said in the presentation. Let me just say that the response was not that great.
Now, think of all of this again. How does this relate to the classroom? How do you give assigned seats? Are the students in the back of your classroom achieving as high of grades of those in the front? Are students disturbing the learning process for others around them? Do you just put students you don't really want to deal with all together? I thought this Monday night was a the best lecture yet. It really made me think and keep in mind that everything you do as a teacher really matters and will have some sort of outcome with the students.
Then, all of a sudden, Knick asked, "so how did you choose or know which groups to go into?" Someone stated, "well, we all went with the people who the same color of stickers." His reply was, "who ever said that you had to be in groups like that? Why not your regular discussion groups?" ~Good point!~ Have you realized that we all just assume something, usually because it is the "norm" for things.
Now think about how you or your teachers do or have done grading. What do you notice?....
(to be continued...)
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