No Series: Think Time and Collaborative Learning

Think Time and Collaborative Learning

Lesson Objective: Work independently before working in groups

All Grades / All Subjects / Groups

2 MIN

Discussion
Supporting Materials

Thought starters

Why is it important to have students start by working individually?
What is Ms. Pittard's role during group work?
How could you use think time to enrich collaborative group work?

23 Comments

Vanessa Abrego Nov 26, 2020 9:05am

I love giving them individual wait time. I agree that when students automatically turn and talk to their partner that there is always a student that leads the discussion. Sometimes the other student neglects to share their thoughts and rather agrees with their partner.

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Elaine Schreibman Jan 11, 2020 2:25pm

It is important to give the students time to work independently, while at the same time giving them permission to seek help from their peers. In this way, we ensure that all of the students are focusing on their work. This is especially implortant for some of our weaker students who might be inclined to drift off into social talk. In this way, they are accountable from the beginning. Again, this gives them accountability and therfore motivation.

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Robin Stricklin Dec 9, 2019 8:50pm

Think time is important in elementary school as well as in high school. I use Bell Ringers to stimulate the student's individual thinking. It's important to hear what they think. I also use group work so that they can share their ideas with other classmates. Both individual time and group time is important to learning the subject.

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Pamela Johnson Jun 5, 2018 5:05pm

I really believe in think time. All too often, teachers are in a hurry to get through a lesson, and children may not get enough independent thinking time. When this happens, as the video described, one student tends to be the leader or provider of ideas. This year I have implemented turn and talk more than ever, and it has helped the students to think and share ideas. Adding in more think time can only enhance the results of turn and talk. I look forward to doing this more often. The more students who get to think and speak, the more ideas can be shared.

Recommended (1)

Jason Aliperti May 28, 2018 2:44pm

More time can be allocated for thinking in classrooms, and as Denise indicated, more ideas will be produced and more children will be more likely to speak and be part of the conversation.

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Materials

Think Time and Collaborative Learning Transcript

Transcripts

Think Time and Collaborative Learning Transcript
Becky Pittard: All right, then, this is going to be your think time alone.

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Think Time and Collaborative Learning Transcript
Becky Pittard: All right, then, this is going to be your think time alone. Look at those representations. What's right? What's not right about each one? Off you go!
Becky Pittard: After we've analyzed this story - and I feel that these children understand their mission with the story - then, I encourage them to use individual think time. I worry that children immediately start talking to their peers and one child does all the thinking and the other child does very little. So this individual think time gives each child time to think and reason before someone speaks to them. I think that's very important for you to... figure out your own thoughts before you turn and talk to someone else.
+++ 00:00:58.24 +++
Becky Pittard: Great ideas I see out in the classroom. Let me give you the opportunity.
Becky Pittard: After the children have individual think time, and I usually judge when to stop that because I will start seeing a lot of children who are stuck - they're not real sure what to do next. And then it's time to say, turn - if you would like - you can turn to a partner, a peer and discuss how to solve this problem and discuss your thinking. If you would like to continue working by yourself, you may do so. If you want to turn to people at your table, you may do so [laughs]. Turn and talk about it with somebody at your table and see where you are.
Student: Explain to me why you think the second one is wrong.
Student #2: Cause over here...
Becky Pittard: As the children are discussing - working peer-to-peer - and that is a grand time for me to walk around and listen to the children. To understand what they are thinking. What common misconceptions are happening in my classroom and then what are common understandings that are happening in the classroom. So that's a time for children to voice their own thinking, but it's also a time for me as teacher to gain understanding about their thinking.

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