Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Teaching Expectations



One day a student raised her hand and offered an answer to a question I had posed to the class, she was a shy student, she did not participate in discussions very often, and therefore I was excited to call on her. The answer she gave, however, was wrong, but given with much sincerity. It was then that I started to wonder how I could help her understand the right answer without destroying her desire to answer a question again.

I found that Dr. Glenn Latham, a behavioral scientist from Utah State University, provided answers for my difficult situation. He says to not dwell on the failure of the student, but rather immediately pose the same question to another student; maybe one whom you know is familiar with the answer. After the question has been answered correctly, come back to the original student and ask the question again allowing her to echo the correct response. Dr. Latham maintains that by doing this you will create a successful experience for the student.

I found that making this skill feel natural takes a lot of practice, but once it is second nature, it will be a helpful strategy for you, just as it was for me.

Educators need to learn what behavioral research is available and trust it as the best option for handling classroom problems, instead of just relying on what seems like a good idea at the time.

- Jessica Smith, Substitute Trainer

2 comments:

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