From: Jeanne (for Teacher2Teacher Service)
Date: Dec 05, 2001 at 04:04:18
Subject: Re: Respect for different answers

Hello,

Here are some of the things I do with my students--

Behaviors
1)  At the beginning of the school year, we have our usual discussion of class 
rules and procedures.  I have many class procedures, but one overarching rule:  
Show respect.  And we discuss different ways one can show respect.

2)  I model respect by saying, "Please" and "Thank you."  When students share 
ideas, I make sure everyone else is quiet and listening.

Mathematics and thinking
3)  I praise good thinking (in addition to effort and correct answers).  When 
a student shares an idea that isn't quite right, I praise/recognize the part 
of the idea that is helpful.  When an idea is off track, I try to redirect the 
student's thinking in as positive way as possible.  (Yes, sometimes this is 
VERY hard.)

4)  I have the students work on tasks/problems for which there is more than
one correct answer.

5)  I have students work on tasks/problems for which there is more than one
way to solve.

6)  I ask students to find more than one way to complete a task/problem.

Hope this helps.
 -Jeanne, for the T2T service

Post a public discussion message
Ask Teacher2Teacher a new question