Chapter 9: Managing independent work

1. Chapter 9: Managing independent work By Brittany O’Hare

2. Teacher testimonials • Ken states “seatwork is inevitable” • Barbara adamantly “hate(s) seatwork” • Your thoughts?

3. Seatwork: how much, what, and why? • What are students doing when they do seatwork? • Why do Americans engage in so much seatwork? • Instructional perspective: practice skills, apply new knowledge, and develop independent work habits. • Managerial perspective: keep students involved for a predictable period of time that does not require close teacher instruction.

4. The pitfalls of independent work: The Challenges for teachers • Selecting or creating seatwork that promotes academic achievement, yet can be done independently • Matching seatwork to students’ varying levels of achievement • Keeping track of what the rest of the class is doing • Keeping students on task • Dealing with the varying paces at which students work (ragged endings) • Collecting, correcting, recording, and returning seatwork assignments

5. The pitfalls of independent work: The Challenges for students • Completing assigned work on their own • Understanding how and when to obtain the teacher’s help • Understanding the norms for assisting peers • Learning how to be effective in obtaining help from peers

6. Designing and implementing effective independent work • Assign work that is clear and meaningful • Match the work to varying achievement levels (differentiation) • Make sure oral directions are clear • Monitor behavior and comprehension • Teach children what to do if they get stuck • Plan for ragged endings • Find alternatives to workbook pages