right or wrong way to do it October 15, 2004
Posted by Andy Roberts in : learning , trackbackAn interesting lesson today as a year 5 teacher asked me to demonstrate spreadsheet modelling. The intention was to recap columns, rows and formulae using a times table model. I used questioning in order to try and maintain the attention of those at the back. To make a series of constants I explained the use of “Fill special - increment by 1″ then I asked how we might be able to get the computer to calculate the 7 times table. The idea was to use a formula such as ( =C3 * 7 ) but the little boy I asked had an alternative solution “highlight, calculate, fill special, start from 7 increment by 7″. So I followed his instructions, and we eaxamined the results. The answers were correct. “yes, well done!” The class teacher looked at me slightly alarmed “is that the way you meant ?”
OK, let’s freeze the action there.
The demonstration hadn’t gone according to plan, the offical lesson objective may not be exactly achieved but there was no way I was going to tell that bright young spark he was wrong. I’ve been thinking recently about how questioning often gets reduced to “guess what the teacher is thinking” and also about how the nature of modern software means that there is nearly always more than one way to arrive at the desired results.
I decided on the spur of the moment to go with the flow and send the class to their computers and use Huang’s technique to make their times tables. They set about the task. After a bit, the class teacher left the room, returning later. She wanted to show them how to use formulae, so I had to show her first, and then that was covered in a rare mid-lesson plenary, great. The point being that we couldn’t really say “this is why this method is better” because with the simple example being used, it isn’t.
So we learned how two techniques can both work. I was pleased with the decision I made, the effect it had on the lesson, the learning and the teacher. I wouldn’t have had that confidence in action a short while while ago.
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