In the Mix!!!!

Learning is messy work, and the only way to do it right is to get into the middle of the action - in the mix!  That means two things:  1)  the students are engaged in their own learning processes and 2) we are engaged in the students' learning.  

Check out these examples of teachers and students "in the mix!"

In this science review game, students are "in the mix" to demonstrate their knowledge.  Because the game is set up with students determining the answers as a group and writing those responses on the white boards, all students are held accountable.  This is much stronger than having individual team members come to the front to answer questions because there's "no escape" from learning.

This project required students to make a game getting "in the mix" of historical events.  While this is fun for kids, it also holds them accountable for synthesizing what they know of the time period.  For example, in this game of "Sorry," the sorry cards used real time examples of good and bad events along Paul Revere's ride.  Students choose their historic event, but they pull together relevant information from throughout the time period to support their game.

Students get "in the mix" as a group to review their eValuate tests.  Working together as a group, they can determine errors in their reasoning and learn from their peers.  Again, there's "no escape" from learning in this small group setting.

In the above photos, the teacher has designed a lesson where students choose two writing areas to self-evaluate.  Those areas range from sentence structure to word choice, and students are held accountable for their work by checking the chart identifying which elements they've addressed in their writing.  While students self-evaluate and revise, the teacher gets "in the mix" conferencing with individual students to enhance learning.

Here's another example of a teacher "in the mix" with students on writing while students complete a task to enhance and expand their work.

Getting kids to "in the mix" of their reading can take many forms.  In the above pictures, students have created a timeline of their historical fiction work to build a conceptual understanding of their setting.  They delve deep into their character analysis using their reading notes (aka Post-its), identifying their character through actions, thoughts and words.

Moving from Elite 1 to Elite 3 is a great way to get kids "in the mix."  Notice that the teacher has students put their computers at "half" while providing instruction, thereby, insuring their attention to her instead of their work.



In math, students get "in the mix" by analyzing their own data.  Within their own company, they discuss, evaluate and utilize data to make relevant decisions to build a successful business.


And, the final "in the mix" shows students working with fractions and percentages as they interpret forecasts for this crazy winter we are having!