tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post7270028744192696338..comments2024-03-05T22:04:38.877-08:00Comments on Teach. Brian. Teach.: Facilitating Discussion with Peer InstructionBrianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06289013669698459078noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-74874046122743546342011-05-29T22:10:59.424-07:002011-05-29T22:10:59.424-07:00I have to say that the ones from the list that I m...I have to say that the ones from the list that I most often use are <br /><br />"Would someone like to add to that?"<br />"Is there anyone who would like to agree or disagree with what was just said?"<br />"Do you mean ABC or XYZ?"<br /><br />One of my favorite strategies to help students discuss their ideas is to ask the class WHY somebody might choose a specific answer (say answer C). I usually do this after a student has provided a clear explanation for a (more often than not) correct answer. This provides other students an opportunity to explain what they now believe to be incorrect answer. I find that I get answers from each of the following: a student who had the correct answer guessing why somebody might have chosen answer C, a student who originally chose C but changed their answer after the talk to your neighbor phase, and students who chose C and feel that I have provided them with a safe place in which to explain their thinking that led them to C.Joss Iveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10066226087706321541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-59182781282001730322011-05-08T19:34:17.126-07:002011-05-08T19:34:17.126-07:00I'm not so good at #2, but for #1 especially w...I'm not so good at #2, but for #1 especially when i've taught the class before, i get to knowing which questions are going to be gimmes and which will engender discussion. i do a mix of both - the easy ones help review, build confidence and to help me see who's really lost. with those, i will quickly give up the answer since at least 3/4 of the students will get it right. the harder ones will get discussion going - i see (via clickers, signs, or fingers held up) that there's significant dissent, and then i will get them talking to their neighbors.... if the correct answer is one of the ones more favored, i might eliminate some of the unchosen or less-frequently chosen answers from the running before i set them talking. then we do a re-vote after some peer discussion. it also takes experience to know when it helps to seed the discussion with some open-ended questions, some broad hints or whatnot... if the class is small enough i can throw these in during the discussion depending on what i hear people talking about. certainly if they come to a standstill in the discussion, i will toss in a prompt of some sort.<br /><br />i've definitely done these - very helpful for discussion and setting the tone!<br />"Two other big ones that changed things for me was to open with "I'd like to hear arguments on both sides." and to press iwth, "I'm not hearing any dissent. I want to hear at least one opposing argument before we move on..."<br /><br />for #2 i got feedback early in my teaching career from a microteaching session (videotaped practice teaching session in front of grad student peers) that when someone gave a part of the answer i was looking for, i jumped (excitedly!) on them, but came across as intimidating and they became unsure of themselves and clammed up. i didn't want to just declare it correct and take over the discussion, but instead my challenge to "say more" was taken as a threat by someone who wasn't sure if her answer was correct. so now i try to validate more what the person said, right or wrong, by hearing from them where the idea came from, because there's always a kernel of truth in there that i can bring the discussion along on.mezzalunahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08662922438384445305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-41119369469324384772011-05-06T08:11:23.952-07:002011-05-06T08:11:23.952-07:00Sorry to bury the good stuff in the comments. I ag...Sorry to bury the good stuff in the comments. I agree that minor word changes can have a big impact, partially because of the words themselves, but partially because when we say those words we have a different manner about ourselves.<br /><br />Two other big ones that changed things for me was to open with "I'd like to hear arguments on both sides." and to press iwth, "I'm not hearing any dissent. I want to hear at least one opposing argument before we move on..."Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06289013669698459078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-25803386120540703982011-05-06T07:17:26.302-07:002011-05-06T07:17:26.302-07:00Wow -- you buried the lead here. That list is real...Wow -- you buried the lead here. That list is really helpful. It's amazing how a tiny change in wording can make a huge difference. I sometimes ask "can anyone offer some evidence in support of [x]? Can anyone offer some evidence that contradicts [x]?" but I prefer your way of asking "would anyone like to agree or disagree". Also, in response to comments with an "edge" (you know the ones -- they are veiled accusations) I sometimes say, "it sounds like you're frustrated with me, but I'm not sure about what." So far, that has lead to students finding a respectful way to explain what they're upset about, so that we can address it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-38981554479497842782011-05-05T18:06:19.165-07:002011-05-05T18:06:19.165-07:00Not dumb at all. Most of things I have learned to ...Not dumb at all. Most of things I have learned to say I picked up from watching others say them, and seeing the impact that they have on students.<br /><br />I say pick ONE thing, just one, and practice saying it in class just a little bit. Pay attention to what happens.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06289013669698459078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-11626294156046347162011-05-05T17:14:15.488-07:002011-05-05T17:14:15.488-07:00Brian,
This is a great list. It sounds dumb, but ...Brian, <br />This is a great list. It sounds dumb, but I think it would be very helpful to print a card with questions/statements like this to spark me while teaching.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06706432911374565930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-22101383004284442092011-05-05T03:41:49.340-07:002011-05-05T03:41:49.340-07:00Here are a range of things I have pulled into my r...Here are a range of things I have pulled into my repertoire:<br /><br />"Say more about that?"<br />"That sounds really important."<br />"That sounds similar/different than so-and-so's idea"<br />"Would someone like to add to that?"<br />"Is there anyone who would like to agree or disagree with what was just said?"<br />"I didn't quite catch that. Can you elaborate?"<br />"You look like you have something to say."<br />"We haven't had a chance to hear from so-and-so yet"<br />"Do you mean ABC or XYZ?"<br />"What do you think of that idea?"<br />"Are you agreeing or disagreeing with so-and-so's idea?"<br />"Can someone help explain that idea, so I can understand, too?"Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06289013669698459078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-51225540641690165812011-05-04T07:42:05.616-07:002011-05-04T07:42:05.616-07:00I like to look at how the other students respond t...I like to look at how the other students respond to comments by students. Sometimes I'll say things like "so-and-so seems to disagree" or "what the heck was that face?"<br /><br />I also think the peer-instruction style "share with your neighbors" is great because they use such different vocabulary to communicate things to each other. -AndyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-33979999144491760822011-05-04T06:45:53.762-07:002011-05-04T06:45:53.762-07:00I just now looked up SATIC. Pretty cool. I'll ...I just now looked up SATIC. Pretty cool. I'll look into it more. I agree that the importance of our emotional and social response to student talk is underestimated.<br /><br />And yeah, wait time is huge. I find that wait time is easy if I give myself something to do or a place to be. I can either choose to be at the board writing down student ideas as they arise (something to do), or I can hide in the corner of the room as not to be "in front of the class" (a place to be) They serve different purposes, but both help me as a teacher to naturally build in wait time. I do it automatically, instead of trying.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06289013669698459078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7356300930740320331.post-81093283440280702502011-05-04T06:17:32.451-07:002011-05-04T06:17:32.451-07:00Are you familiar with SATIC coding?
How we respon...Are you familiar with SATIC coding?<br /><br />How we respond to student talk is so very important, but so very often underestimated.<br /><br />I'd suggest one strategy (that i'm sure you're familiar with) to address both of these issues: wait time 2.<br /><br />After every student response wait 3 seconds before saying anything and see what happens....it's amazing. :)Jerrid Krusehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04195634850530143328noreply@blogger.com