Teacher's Fortune: Facilitating active Learning: How I helped Shy Learner with Class Involvement

Reason Why I Chose this Activity:

I chose to use this activity because as a teacher I felt that all the students not readily participate in the active learning. I wanted to use this strategy to encourage shy learners to involve during lessons. My objective was to make a shy learner perform and share her knowledge and learn with the help of class fellows. I planned to do the “Pupil as a Teacher” starter activity where shy learner would be chosen to recap the previous lesson they studied on metric units and their conversions. My aim was to explore a set of active learning strategies that can be more effective and interesting for all the students. Therefore, The activity was aimed at enabling the passive learners to participate fully in the lessons.

Using Activity in the Lesson:

I planned a maths lesson that would involve all the students in an active learning process. I kept my role merely as a facilitator by incorporating maximum student participation. I focused on engaging the shy learners of the class to take dynamic and energetic role in their own education. I identified a shy learners in my class. Then looked at the possible ways by which she can take a lead. My objective was to make a shy learner perform and share her knowledge and learn with the help of class fellows. I planned to do the “Pupil as a Teacher” starter activity where shy learner would be chosen to recap the previous lesson they studied on metric units and their conversions. This strategy also helped me in representing a shy learners in front of the whole class as one who participates less and requires friend’s help. I also assured to the class that with rest of the student’s help she would be a good peer teacher even. Knowing the personality of the student I planned to encourage my shy learner on taking buddy and peer help as per her requirement. I planned some pair share discussion activities. Frequent use of personal mini white boards was ensured. I also tried to keep the involvement of the shy learner in the class as a reason of encouragement for other students to be ready to take lead. The students were also provided with the calculators for conversion tasks. I used inland Google map of Dubai and aerial distance of Dubai with other major cities around world as the distance conversion tasks.

During the lesson I took a role of a facilitator. I discussed the main concept of lesson during the development. The whole class played a huge role in making it an enjoyable and a complete active learning experience. Especially the shy learner took the lead with the help of her class mates. She participated in activities with interest. She was reluctant in the beginning but with encouragement she showed excellent team work abilities and independent learning.