"It make me nervous...I feel like I'm not doing anything!"

When we give control of learning to students, it can be very uncomfortable.  Sometimes, we may even feel a little bored when students are doing the work and we are facilitating it.  But, that's okay!  When the students need us less, they are actually learning more!  Consider this question, when you are doing all of the work in teaching, are the students bored?


"I'm walking around impressed by everybody!" a teacher recently shared as she tried a Jigsaw teaching activity.

Students in the above pictures are working in small groups, teaching one another about aspects of the Civil War.  Here's the recipe:

1)  Students choose a teacher approved topic that fits with the essential unit outcomes.

2)  Students research their topic, using the guided note sheet.

3)  Students organize/prepare how to share the information with others.

4)  Students work in small groups learning from one another.  When not presenting their topic, they ask questions and take notes on the new information.

5)  Students who have presented quiz their small group members to ensure understanding.

6)  Students in the first group then join with students from each of the other groups to share what they learned.

7)  The new learning is applied as the teacher builds understanding throughout the remainder of the unit.

In this way, students are building background knowledge to further their understanding and apply it to the big ideas of the rest of the unit.