Calling all Mathematics teachers!

The traditional high school math class can be tedious.  The teacher asks students to take out their homework and then review some or all of the problems students had difficulty solving.  Questions to ask the teacher: What are all the students doing who answered that particular question correctly? What if a student doesn't feel comfortable sharing he had difficulty solving the problem? What if students are delaying the lesson by seeking help with problems they know how to solve? What if the teacher is working harder to solve the problem than the students?  Student accountability, engagement, and interaction with fellow students can reduce symptoms of a tedious classroom. Special thanks goes to visiting Jamaican teacher, Keno Kerr of Cross Creek Early College, for this engaging mathematics-centered protocol. 

68. EVERYBODY TO THE BOARD! (Discussion, Collaboration, Writing)
 
Description: An adaptation of Chalk Talk, this highly engaging approach provides students not only an opportunity to be accountable as an individual learner, but also as a team.
 
Application: Everybody To The Board! can be used to assess student understanding, increase participation in discussions, and/or to review homework. The protocol is perfect for math but can be adapted for other subjects.
 
Process: Have specific problems in mind before class meets. (If using as a review of homework, ask students which problems posed difficulty.) Determine if there is enough space at the chalk/white board for every student to work at the same time.  (If not, arrange for one mini white board per student.) Before using this protocol for the first time, give the following directions: 1) move to the board or get a mini white board when the teacher says, “Everybody to the board;” 2) write first name at the top of the working area; 3) listen and write the problem down underneath name or copy the projected problem (all students work on the same problem at the same time); 4) work the problem as an individual, showing steps; 5) at teacher’s signal to stop, switch places with partner, standing in front of partner’s problem; 6) study partner’s steps and answer; 7) explain the steps to the originator of the steps/solution, either agreeing with the answer or challenging the solution; and 8) repeat process with partner. At appropriate time call on a random team to share with the entire class, asking for other team’s feedback (Was the solution correct? Is there another way to reach this answer?) Direct all students to move to another location with new neighbors and repeat process with a new problem.
                                                                                                                                            Keno Kerr, CCECHS