Working through problems with the class can provide students with a valuable learning experience. Below are a few pointers to help students get the most from this common tutorial activity.
Display the original problem if possible.
It’s important to model the entire problem-solving process, which begins with interpreting the text and supporting visual elements of the original problem. Displaying the original problem helps you to authentically reproduce the student experience of solving that problem.
Drawing a line on the board helps make sure you don’t write behind the overhead screen.
In some classrooms, when the projector screen is down, it covers part of the board. It’s important to know what parts of the board aren’t visible to students and to make sure you don’t write things there. It’s easy to inadvertently write in a blind spot, so making a reference line to keep yourself from writing where students won’t be able to see it is a good practice. It’s also a good idea to be on the lookout for other visual barriers in the classroom so that you can make sure all students have a good view of what you’re doing.
Identify the problem by writing the problem or page number on the board.
This seemingly simple step helps ensure that students who come in late or otherwise miss the introduction can still figure out what you’re working on.
Give a summary of the problem and what the question is asking.
As part of modelling problem solving, talk through the general and specific details of the problem and what the solution will involve.
Check for student understanding of the problem.
Once you’ve described the problem, ask a question that will reveal to you whether students understand the nature of the problem. For example, instead of asking students whether they understand the problem, ask them something specific about the problem such as “What will happen in this system when the weight is released?” The answer given will help you gauge whether the students have understood your summary and will also allow other students to compare their own thinking against that of their classmates.
Ask students for next steps.
Asking students to provide next steps can help foster student engagement with the activity. It can also help reveal gaps in student understanding.
Make neat diagrams with clear labels.
Your diagrams need to model the expectations for student work. As with all board work, your free body diagrams should be clear and legible; think of your board work as a visible representation of the effort and care you put into leading tutorials! If you aren’t naturally artistic or neat, take some steps to improve your board work. This could include practising drawing the diagram on the board before the tutorial and viewing your sketch from different seats in the room to make sure everyone will be able to see it.
Ask for student input.
As you work through the problem, continue asking students for input. This helps you gauge how well students are following along and can also increase student engagement. Keep asking at different points in the problem-solving activity. To encourage different students to reply, try standing in different areas of the room and looking toward different students.
Include related formulas.
This is a good practice for students when solving problems, so it’s good to model this behaviour when modelling problem solving.
Restate responses so everyone can hear.
When a student responds to a prompt, make sure you repeat what they’ve said. This helps you confirm your understanding of what the student meant and also ensures that the other students hear all their classmates’ responses, even the quiet ones.
Don’t worry about missteps; just correct and move on.
Everybody makes mistakes. When you realize, in front of the whole class, that you’ve made a mistake, simply correct it and move on. We ask students to accept their own mistakes as part of the learning process, so show yourself some kindness while modelling that acceptance for your students.