Observation and Accountable Talks

What?

During my observations in the purple room, I had the chance to observe the students doing an activity called Accountable Talks. The students were given a rubric and a chapter summary. Then each student would have a few minutes to create thought provoking questions that could last a ten minute, small group discussion. After the ten minutes, each student would score themselves through the rubric criteria. The criteria included On Task, Movement/Progress, and Proof/Analysis and is scored on a range of 1-4. 

As I walked around the classroom to listen in on the discussions that the groups were having, I was really impressed to hear that the groups were staying on task. Even though roles were not specifically assigned for this activity, a student would speak up and keep the group focused on the question they were discussing. When the ten minutes ended, each group discussed what their scores should be based on how they thought their talk went. I saw some students giving themselves 2 points for On Task because they had drifted in the conversation to off-topic things. The students owned up for how they actually participated in their groups Accountable Talk.

So what?

Mrs. G didn’t have to prep the students on how to do the assignment because they probably had done it before. I think it has something to do with routines and teaching the students how to act and perform the activities. If Mrs. G didn’t take the time to make sure the students understood the activity the first time, then it would not have run as smoothly. I also think that the students wouldn’t have been so honest about their own scores. 

I can remember times in high school where we had to score ourselves on activities and we would always put 4s because we thought the teacher wouldn’t know or that we actually were that great in the activity when we were not. These students in the purple room were actually honest about their scores and what the contributed in the conversation. The students pushed themselves and each other to put the honest score they thought they deserved, and I’m not sure that you would see that consistently through high school classes.

Now what?

I know that I need to take the time in the first place to teach the activities to the students. This was only one of the activities that I saw Mrs. G use where she just told the students what type of activity and they already knew what they needed to do. I think that is a new goal of mine for my first year of teaching; take the time in the beginning of the year so that the end of the year can run smoothly. This could also be used with how to take notes during lectures or just daily routines in the classroom, like when students can go to the bathroom or when it is silent reading time. I also see how this could be a form of modeling. If the student is new to a certain topic or activity, it doesn’t hurt to show them how to do the activity before having the students do it. By taking the time to teach the students how to do things in the classroom, then the chances of having a smoothly running class go up, and that is where I want to be with my class.