WordsMatter: Frames Discussion

Frames create perspective in the classroom (Helpful or Harmful)

Here is part of the initial prompt for this session...just to jog your memory. Read, comment, and interact!

 "You are administering a test in your classroom (55 minutes of total class time). Your students seem to be diligently and quietly working. The room is filled with the pleasant sound of pencils scratching on paper. You happen to look up and notice the the class period ends in 5 minutes. Being the responsible and compassionate teacher you are, you immediately decide to pass this information along to your students. You stand up to loudly and clearly say:

 

"You have just five minutes."

 

 Suddenly, you see the behavior of most of the students change...some dramatically! You don't see the change as positive, either! Instead of increased focus and record level attention, there are heads looking up and around, panicked faces, and a near cessation of writing. Now the sounds you hear in the classroom are gasps and frantic page flipping. As you observe the final minutes of the test, you notice very little of the expected behavior (counting and portioning remaining questions, brief review of earlier pages, etc...).

 

 Question: How productive were the final minutes of the test?"

 

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Here was the "Bonus" situation to solve...

 Imagine you have been asked to teach the teachers in your building what you have learned from this course so far. You have been asked to do this on a Friday afternoon from 4 to 6. Everyone has been teaching all day. They may not be thrilled to see you. Does that put it too mildly? What are you going to do or say to at least help nudge them away from any negative feelings?

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Please contribute and feel free to post difficult frames about which you would like others to comment!

 

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