Converting ‘Fast Finishers’ Into Self-Directed Learners
· 20 min
Episode Converting ‘Fast Finishers’ Into Self-Directed Learners
“I’m done, what’s next?” In every classroom, a handful of students will finish the work at warp speed. While the rest of the class is still mid-task, teachers must quickly pivot to keep the fast finishers busy, without missing an instructional beat.
Former K-12 teacher Todd Finley argues this challenge presents a golden opportunity. “Instead of asking the question: ‘How do I keep fast finishers busy?’ the question should be: ‘Am I providing them with activities that are really meaningful?’” he says.
In this episode of School of Practice, Finley, a professor of English education at East Carolina University, shares flexible, low-prep strategies for keeping speed racers engaged in meaningful work that’s immersive and challenging. Plus: Logistical tips for busy classrooms, and pointers for aligning tasks to classroom objectives.
Related resources:
• Your Student Finished Early—Now What? • Early Finisher Activities Your Students Will Love • The Representation of Semantic Information Across Human Cerebral Cortex During Listening Versus Reading Is Invariant to Stimulus Modality • We Drastically Underestimate the Importance of Brain Breaks • Classroom Cheat Codes: Effective Teaching Strategies to Power-Up Engagement
Links in the notes 5
- https://www.edutopia.org/article/fast-finishers-school-keeping-students-any-grade-engaged
- https://teachwithouttears.com/early-finisher-activities-your-students-will-love/
- https://www.jneurosci.org/content/39/39/7722
- https://www.edutopia.org/article/we-drastically-underestimate-importance-brain-breaks/
- https://www.routledge.com/Classroom-Cheat-Codes-Effective-Teaching-Strategies-to-Power-Up-Engagement/Finley/p/book/9781041045557?srsltid=AfmBOooS2sO2K9wWd306H8P9pOZdk9xuVs1EqgB2WLayah4DL-pUAU_G
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