Help! There's Only One of Me!

I am currently offering professional development to teachers. At a session last Friday, we broke into small groups to discuss quotes about classroom practices such as using mentor text and teaching argument writing. The discussions were lively and the feedback forms showed that participants liked the small group strategy we employed, with the three facilitators each being discussion leaders. However, one participant left us a question in the parking lot, a poster where questions written on Post-its can be "parked" so the questions don't meander around in your brain.

The question asked how can the activity be duplicated in a classroom where there is only one facilitator, the teacher? My response--

There are ways to nurture students so they can also become facilitators of small group discussions. You might begin by modeling a small group discussion using the fishbowl strategy, in which an inner circle is surrounded by an outer circle consisting of the rest of the class. (You might participate in the inner circle during the earliest discussions, and, as students become more comfortable, you move to the outer circle.) The inner circle engages in discussion while the outer circle observes, takes notes, and, following the discussion, asks questions of the inner group. There are guidelines for the discussion including taking turns and only allowing statements that can be supported, and there are guidelines for the observation. Follow the link for complete explanations.

Assigning some of Kagan's cooperative roles (found on pp. 14:10-14:12, with a paragraph about team discussions on 14:12) is a remedy to a discussion in which one or two students do most of the talking. Assign a Gatekeeper who makes sure all participate and a Taskmaster who makes sure the discussion stays on topic. Additional roles could include Recorder, Reporter, and Encourager. The work of the recorders and reporters can be instrumental in determining the quality of the small group discussions.

We encourage teachers to write along with students, and so, too, we invite them to participate in small groups, rotating on a schedule that works for them. Students will learn to function without the constant presence of the teacher if they can count on an occasional, but regular, presence.

Take the risk of training students to be facilitators, and you'll discover the rewards of a fully-engaged classroom with students who are learning to share your passion for your subject.

Kagan, Spencer. Cooperative Learning. San Clemente, CA: Resources for Teachers, Inc., 1994. Print.

Sterling, Shirley, and Laura Tohe. "Teaching Strategies: Fishbowl." Annenberg Learner. Teaching Multicultural Literature, n.d. Web. 4 Sep 2013.