Don't Ever, Ever, Ever Take the Pen Out of the Student's Hand!

One of my favourite things to do when students are whiteboarding problems (or designing labs, or playing with manipulatives) is to point at something that is correct and ask "Can you please explain this to me?"

The students' instinct to immediately grab an eraser under the assumption that something must be wrong because the teacher asked about it is incredibly strong and must be squashed.

I want my students to be able to talk to me about physics (or math) even when their answers are correct. Correct mathematical answers do not necessarily correlate to deep conceptual understanding. I want to know what they know. And I want them to be able to explain it to me with confidence.

Of course, I then point out something that is incorrect and ask again "Can you please explain this to me?"

The teachers' instinct to immediately grab the pen (or pencil, marker, crayon, manipulative, mouse, iPad - hereafter all referred to as the "pen") out of the students' hand to "show" them the correct way is incredibly strong and must be squashed.

Don't ever, ever, ever, EVER take the pen out of a student's hand.

Why? These are some of my thoughts:

• It turns a problem or inquiry activity into a lecture.
• It makes the teacher an integral part of the conversation (not a good thing).
• It makes the student a spectator rather than a participant or leader in their learning.
• It makes the student a listener rather than an explainer.
• It removes responsibility from the student to explain their thinking and reason through the problem.
• It negates any opportunity for a student to self-correct by discovering the flaw in their reasoning.

So, I resist the urge to grab the pen. Instead, I continue the conversation something like this:

Me: Can you please explain this to me?

Student 1: We are calculating the coefficient of friction. We know that the force of friction is equal to the applied force.

Me:  How do you know?

Student 1: Because the forces are balanced.

Me: How do you know?

Student 1: Because of Newton's 1st Law.

Me: How do you know 1st Law applies here?

Student 1: Because it is moving at a constant speed.

Student 2: Wait. It's not moving at a constant speed, it's accelerating.

Student 1: What?

Student 3: Ya, see the position graph is curved so there is a change in velocity.

Student 2:  So there must be an unbalanced net force.

Student 1: Oh, I see. So the friction force is not equal to the applied force.

Student 3: But how do we figure out the friction force then?

The entire conversation is student driven. They supply all the arguments and reasoning. The only thing I say is "How do you know?" This forces them to get to their fundamental assumption, the bedrock of their reasoning which is Newton's 1st Law. Once there, the error in their assumption becomes obvious. They self-correct and move on to the next problem, determining the friction force.

Notice how the teacher becomes unnecessary at some point. In fact, I probably walked away around the time that Student 2 jumps in. And I am no where to be found when they start asking what to do next. I am not needed.

And the pen is where it belongs, in the hands of the students.

Collaboration from #ConnectEdCa

You don't get to opt out of standing in front of your colleagues and talking about your practice.

Deirdre Bailey - Calgary Science School

Although this statement was uttered in the context of the philosophy and culture of Calgary Science School, I see it as a call to teachers everywhere to stop hiding behind closed doors.

Our profession allows (and even encourages) practicing our craft on an island alone. New teachers are thrown into a classroom and no one looks in on them again. I tell my students and parents that my colleagues are excellent teachers, but how would I ever know? I have never sat in on any of their classrooms. I have never seen them teach.

Aside from a cursory first year review, no administrator or colleague has been in my classroom for 6 years except by special invitation from me. Of course, I plan these invitations when it is most convenient and flattering to me, when I have some great activity planned or some new technology to trot out.

How can this be?

In politically charged British Columbia, true collaboration has been crushed by the rush for accountability. My school once had planned collaboration time like CSS. It was scheduled every second Friday, teacher-driven and supported by administration. And it died after 2 years because of a government push to control it by making the process accountable to arbitrary goals of student success (read higher test scores). Now, new legislation imposes a punitive teacher accountability process that can only make more teacher's doors close.

But there is still hope.

Hope for challenging dialogue, meaningful constructive criticism, true collaboration.

My colleague across the hall, Blair Miller, has been my collaboration partner for almost 2 years. This despite the fact that we do not teach any of the same courses. Our collaboration has focused on assessment practices and broad pedagogical philosophy (including inquiry and problem-based learning), but always rooted in everyday lesson planning. Through our collaboration, he holds me accountable to the highest possible standards (best teaching practice, student engagement and inquiry, authentic assessment through meaningful feedback) in short, what's best for kids. I can confidently say I would not be the teacher I am today without Blair's constant challenge, encouragement and correction.

It may be daunting. It may make you feel vulnerable. And a little scared. But, collaboration is too powerful for us to continue to hide behind closed doors.

So, open your door, stand in front of a colleague and start talking about your teaching practice.


UPDATE: September 2016

I was thrilled to see the #ObserveMe campaign promoted by Robert Kaplinsky and others. This is exactly what I was talking about back in 2012. Encouraging others to observe your practice and offer feedback is amazing.

I believe it is even more valuable to connect with another teacher you trust for ongoing feedback and collaboration. Blair and I continue to connect and challenge each other despite the fact we are no longer even at the same school.

Trust me. It is worth the risk.

Planning Inquiry for Energy Unit

Messy and chaotic planning means messy and chaotic activity. Let the learning begin!

Summer School - Day Thirty - Report Cards

Last day of summer school. Students pick up report cards.

I am thinking about the inadequacy of our reporting system. Specifically 3 things are bothering me:

1. Percentage Grades
Most of my students have a high C+ or low B. What does that mean? No really! Do they understand 74% of the material? What material? What do they know and what do they still have trouble with? How is 74% different from 72%? One is a B and the other is not... why? Is the 74% student who coasted and did little studying really a better student than the 72% who worked really hard?

2. Demonstration of Learning (Growth)
My students have essentially one or two chances to demonstrate learning of any given topic. That's it. Even if they learn it later and demonstrate their new understanding on a final exam, that old failed quiz still haunts them. How much better if they demonstrate mastery in the future, this new data replaces the old? After all, their new knowledge has replaced their misunderstanding. Why can't new grades replace old ones?

3. Specificity of Learning
What do they not understand? What specific topics gave them trouble? Was it conceptual or procedural? If they didn't get the Pythagoras question, was it because they don't understand the theorem? Or because they have poor algebra skills? Or because they mixed up the legs and hypotenuse? I want to know! And really, the student needs to know in order to improve.

Enter standards-based grading. The more I read, the more I like. The B.C. curriculum is organized with specific learning outcomes and achievement indicators. It is a fairly simple task to map these indicators to standards and start tracking student progress in a more specific manner.

The great thing about it is not how it tracks growth or how it gives more specific information. Although that is great. The great thing is how this system helps students learn. It gives specific feedback, time for remediation, and opportunities to demonstrate growth.

The irony of this is how students react. They are addicted to grades. Even as I type this there is a student in my class complaining of how she failed French because she got an 82%.  She will need to go through grade withdrawal. I explained the new system and its benefits and she is terrified. But I know the new system will help her learn.

Summer School - Day Twenty-Nine - Teacher Thoughts

An informal poll of 3 other physics teachers at summer school reveals the following:

1. Most physics teachers use the majority of class time to lecture yet acknowledge the limitations of lectures.
2. Most physics teachers do some demonstrations or activities to teach concepts.
3. Most physics teachers would like to do more labs but have little or no equipment.
4. Most physics students love labs and activities.
5. Most physics students don't like writing lab reports.
6. Most physics teachers don't like marking lab reports.
7. Most physics teachers grade based on quizzes and tests.
8. Most physics teachers do NOT use standards-based grading.
9. Most physics teachers are a little afraid of standards-based grading.
10. Most physics students are wary of standards-based grading.