Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- Thanks and acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 Getting to know our students
- 2 Motivation and activation
- 3 Reviewing while maintaining interest and momentum
- 4 Dealing with written work
- 5 Working well in groups
- 6 Individualizing and personalizing student work
- 7 Making students responsible for their own learning
- 8 Establishing routines and procedures
- Bibliography
- Index
7 - Making students responsible for their own learning
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Dedication
- Thanks and acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 Getting to know our students
- 2 Motivation and activation
- 3 Reviewing while maintaining interest and momentum
- 4 Dealing with written work
- 5 Working well in groups
- 6 Individualizing and personalizing student work
- 7 Making students responsible for their own learning
- 8 Establishing routines and procedures
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
It happened in the first grade. The teacher was explaining to her new students that they would be doing something called Show and Tell. Students would bring something that was dear to them from home, and tell their classmates about their special object. That way, a piece of home would come to school, and school wouldn't seem like such a strange place.
‘Miss Smith,’ said little Tommy eagerly. ‘Can I bring my dog, Rickie?’
‘No, Tommy, I'm afraid not,’ said Miss Smith. ‘I did say that you should bring a thing from home, didn't I? Now a doggie is not a thing. A dog is an animal, and we don't allow animals from home to come to school, do we?’
‘But Miss Smith,’ said Tommy. ‘I have taught Rickie how to whistle.’
Now Miss Smith was truly intrigued – a whistling dog – well, that would be quite something. So she gave her permission.
Well, the next day, Tommy showed up with Rickie. And what a cute dog Rickie was – all white and fluffy, he sat on the teacher's desk and looked happily at the children as he wagged his tail, but he did not whistle.
‘What is this, Tommy?’ said the disappointed teacher. ‘I thought you said that you had taught your dog how to whistle.’
‘Well, yes,’ responded the ever resourceful Tommy. ‘I said that I had taught him how to whistle. I didn't say that he had learned!’
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Teaching Large Multilevel Classes , pp. 159 - 181Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2001