Preparation for Student-Led Discussion

Students were then asked to review each of their peer’s answers and select three to which they felt inclined to respond. Students reflected in their notebooks whether or not they agreed with a statement that a peer had written, explained their reasoning and offered another interpretation. Having prepared their remarks, each student read aloud the statement they decided to respond to and shared the ideas they generated in their notebooks. Other students in the group who addressed the same statement also shared their views. The last person to speak called on another student by name to share their responses to a different statement, and the process continued until everybody had a chance to share.

The structure of this process encouraged students to build off each other's ideas because it removed any anxieties about sharing their thoughts. Students had strong content knowledge and great ideas but initially had trouble sharing with the class. I believe this artifact demonstrates my proficiency in planning and preparation because it exemplifies my ability to prepare detailed scaffolds for students that equip them with the tools necessary to participate in complex assessments such as student-led discussions; this discussion strategy requires that all students are active speakers and active listeners. The way I chunked instructions reflects my ability to gauge student understanding and adapt my lesson planning to meet those needs.