WATTER GUTTER - CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Think-pair-share


To offer students the possibility to pursue their own ideas, it is useful to integrate open tasks in lessons. In addition to that, the method " think-pair-share" is suitable for activating all students. At first, each student works individually. This enables all students to get to know the task and develop their own way to solve the problem. This is followed by a period of working with a partner. First ideas can be shared, varied and completed. From a didactical point of view, this step is quite useful. Weaker students can take as much time as they need and instead of presenting their own ideas in front of the whole class, the student can make sure if he/she is on the right path. The fear of embarrassment will be reduced after a conversation with a partner. Finally, a phase in the plenary is taking place. Several solutions will be presented by students, which can be completed by the teacher. Students learn to argue and to think in a flexible and networked way. They get to know how manifold mathematics can be.
Jigsaw


A further opportunity to solve optimization problems and to improve cooperative learning, is the method of the "jigsaw". Students are divided into "expert groups", which should solve the given task in a certain way (group 1: graphically; group 2 : symbolically, group 3: numerically, group 4: geometrically). The teacher should take care that the different tasks nearly have the same level of ambition so that the students keep an open mind for the various ways. While working in the expert groups it is important that the individual member is included in the solution process. This phase is followed by an exchange with the plenary or another group work. When you decide to make another group work, students will be divided again in so called "jigsaw groups", so that each group has got an expert on the different approaches. In this new group the students start to exchange the different ways of solution. Advantages and disadvantages will be discussed and every student will be included in the group work.
One way to capture the process and the results of group work is to make up learning diaries or portfolios. These are made individually. Learning progress can thus be seen. In a following discussion with the teacher the student gets to know a response on his/her work and what can be improved.

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