A new way to share a worksheet
Sep 09, 2023 7:19 am
The Education Echo
A new way to share a worksheet
As we embark on another exciting school year, I wanted to take a moment to delve into an important aspect of teaching that's becoming increasingly relevant – fostering soft skills in our students.
Whether it's harnessing the power of AI or inspiring our young learners to contemplate the UN sustainability goals, the conversation invariably leads to the essential soft skills our children need to cultivate.
According to the UN's list of skills for 2025, problem-solving, learning strategies, and leadership are among the top five skills for the future.
Integrating these skills into our weekly lesson plans can sometimes feel like a formidable challenge, but it's a challenge we're ready to tackle head-on.
Many of you have already explored the world of cooperative learning strategies, and I'd like to shed some light on one particularly effective approach – the "Rally Coach" strategy.
Why Cooperative Learning?
Cooperative learning not only enhances academic engagement but also nurtures a sense of community within the classroom, creating a warmer and more inclusive atmosphere. It can significantly reduce instances of student disengagement and aligns with the innate need for social interaction that our students possess.
Understanding Rally Coach
So, what exactly is Rally Coach, and how can it benefit our students?
Rally Coach operates on the premise that "Students are more open to feedback from a friend than comments from the teacher."
In pairs, students take turns, with one student answering the A side while articulating their thought process aloud. Their partner (person B) listens attentively, acting as a coach when needed and offering positive feedback.
Roles are then reversed, allowing each student to engage in problem-solving and coaching. So far, I have used this primarily to explore 'mixed partnerships' where higher-ability students can adopt higher-order thinking skills while supporting their friends.
In the future, I will most likely adopt more challenging questions for the B side while modelling 'gaining inspiration from a friend' to try and make more challenging questions not only an aspiration but also a potential achievement.
Maximizing Interaction and Feedback
Importantly, Rally Coach promotes simultaneous interaction, ensuring that every student in the class is actively engaged, either as a problem solver or a coach.
The downsides
The downside of rally coaching is that person A in more senior year groups may gain an understanding of the implication of being 'lower ability'. This is where more complex psychological complexities intertwine and emphasizes the need for a supportive classroom environment where students feel comfortable seeking help and learning from one another, regardless of perceived ability levels. As we navigate these potential drawbacks, it becomes essential to cultivate a culture of inclusivity, empathy, and mutual respect.
Rally Coach offers a valuable tool to enhance the soft skills our students will carry with them into the future. It's an exciting addition to our teaching toolkit, and I encourage you to consider its integration into your classroom activities.
If you've had experience with Rally Coach or other cooperative learning strategies, please feel free to share your insights and experiences with me on Instagram @thomasblakemore.
We can all learn from each other's successes.
Here's to a fantastic year of teaching and learning!
Thomas
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