A good teacher is always on the lookout for why her students are struggling.
Often, I come across students who seem to be doing everything right. Do they show up to class regularly? Check. Do they participate? Check plus! Are they completing their homework and spending time with the material outside of class. Double check!
So, why are these motivated, disciplined and hardworking students doing doing poorly on quizzes and exams?
Provided that assessments are aligned to the objectives taught, I’ve found the underlying reason to be study skills. They may be doing what they should be, but students are not connecting or internalizing the material.
Sharing this Learning Pyramid with students has helped many of them improve assessment outcomes. I still remember the impact this diagram had on me when it was shared with me at a staff development event. I realized that one reason why math concepts that had once been tough for me (eeek…probability) became easier once I began to teach them.
It’s a simple diagram, but gets an important point across quickly: Students need to work with material in a variety of ways to retain it. They need to work individually and in groups. Do homework, but also showcase a project. Come up to the board and do problems and help each other understand concepts.
This mimics real-life working conditions too. We all collaborate and use a multitude of resources and tools to solve a common problem.
And as a teacher, I learned an important lesson too. The less I talk, the better!
