We were nearing the end of the discussion and five students still hadn’t participated. I wanted to give them an opportunity to speak so that they could get a passing discussion grade, as students were graded on active participation during the discussion. So, I said, “We have about five minutes left. Can someone summarize the main points we’ve made in the discussion? I want to give everyone who hasn’t spoken yet an opportunity to answer first, to get discussion credit.” No one said a word. I almost “cold called” on a student who hadn’t yet spoken, but realized this might make them feel like they were being put on the spot. Then, I thought about a turn-and-talk, but we only had five minutes left and this could drag on too long. Finally, I wondered if maybe it made sense to just allow anyone to speak, since we were almost out of time.
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Felisha
8th Grade
Social Studies
Second Year Teaching
- What is the teacher's dilemma? Consider the teacher's goals, possible actions, beliefs about the situation and the students, and their own self-perceptions.
- Complete or modify the following sentence in a way that captures the teacher's central tension in the situation: "While on the one hand, the teacher believed/wanted/felt/did __________, on the other hand, they believed/wanted/felt/did __________."
- Thinking about your own classroom, how do you create opportunities for quieter students to participate meaningfully in discussions without putting them on the spot?