Note: This blog post is based on Juli Dixon’s work on “just-in-time” scaffolding versus “just-in-case scaffolding”. Whenever I plan to teach a lesson, I try to anticipate the foundational skills students will need to know to complete it. For example, if students have to determine which slope is steeper, I think about how they will…
Have you ever called on students to ask them for an answer or explanation and gotten the feeling that they were just repeating what the earlier students had said? I’m guessing you have. You probably wished that students would state their own thoughts so you had a better idea of what they were thinking. This…
In last week’s blog post, I mentioned how I use a metaphor of a bench presser and a spotter to explain why I want to be the “least helpful teacher possible.” When I talk to students, however, I use a slightly different metaphor about personal trainers. Students will sometimes become frustrated if they think that…
When I work with teachers, I often tell them that my goal is to be the “least helpful teacher possible.” I believe I first had this goal after watching Dan Meyer’s TED Talk. While the idea of being the “least helpful” usually elicits a few laughs, I never mean it to be funny. To better explain…