#76 When asking a tricky question, tell students not to write anything for 30 seconds
It forces them to think more deeply
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💡 A tip to try in class this week 💡
Recently, I worked with a maths department to help them develop a coherent approach to problem-solving. A key component of that approach was asking students not to talk or write for 30 seconds when presenting them with an unfamiliar problem for the first time.
Asking them not to say anything stops the inevitable: I don’t get it, or I’m stuck, or What do we do? before students have had a chance to think about the question.
Asking them not to write for 30 seconds stops students from diving straight in with the first thing that comes to mind. Instead, it gives them the time and headspace to consider the problem and plot a way in.
Those 30 seconds can feel like 30 hours the first time you try this, so explain to students why you are asking them to do this to get some crucial buy-in.
What do you think of this idea?
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Great tip! I get my students to read through a maths worksheet in silence for a minute before they begin the lesson but only that, so I’ll try and do this with other mini-tasks throughout the lesson today. Thanks Craig!