No Opt Out
A sequence that begins with a student unable to answer the question should end with the student answering that question as often as possible.
Ensure that students who won’t try or can’t answer, practice getting it right.
Often, when students don’t know an answer, or don’t want to try, they quickly learn the teacher will leave them alone if they respond to a question with “I don’t know” or shrugging their shoulders. The teacher then moves on to another student. Instead, NO OPT OUT is a useful tool to get all students to the right answer, as often as possible, even if only to repeat the correct answer. For example, on day 1 to review you ask Charlie, “What is 3 times 8?” He mutters, “I don’t know” and looks away. Many teachers don’t know how to respond, and students come to use “I don’t know” to avoid work all year long. Instead, at a minimum, you can turn to another student, ask the same question, and if you get the correct answer, turn back to Charlie, “Now you tell me what is 3 times 8.” Charlie, and all of the students, have just learned that they can’t get off the hook and must do the work in your class.
(http://massp.org/downloads_massp/the_main_idea/teach_champion.pdf)
What it Looks Like - Four Ways to Do It
Often, when students don’t know an answer, or don’t want to try, they quickly learn the teacher will leave them alone if they respond to a question with “I don’t know” or shrugging their shoulders. The teacher then moves on to another student. Instead, NO OPT OUT is a useful tool to get all students to the right answer, as often as possible, even if only to repeat the correct answer. For example, on day 1 to review you ask Charlie, “What is 3 times 8?” He mutters, “I don’t know” and looks away. Many teachers don’t know how to respond, and students come to use “I don’t know” to avoid work all year long. Instead, at a minimum, you can turn to another student, ask the same question, and if you get the correct answer, turn back to Charlie, “Now you tell me what is 3 times 8.” Charlie, and all of the students, have just learned that they can’t get off the hook and must do the work in your class.
(http://massp.org/downloads_massp/the_main_idea/teach_champion.pdf)
What it Looks Like - Four Ways to Do It
- You provide the answer; the student repeats the answer.
- Another student provides the answer; the initial student repeats the answer.
- You provide a cue; your student uses it to find the answer.
- Another student provides a cue; the initial student uses it to find the answer.
Examples and Resources
Video #2 Below: Teacher Has Another Student Provide Cue:
Derek Pollak's No Opt OutWe love how rigorous Derek Pollak’s No Opt Out is in this clip. When a student struggles, he doesn’t just give her the answer but instead holds her accountable to doing some of the cognitive work. What else do you see?
Posted by Teach Like a Champion on Monday, January 7, 2013
Video #3 Below (Elementary, but still valuable for the sake of our learning):
Ms. Noel's No Opt OutAt long last here's a rough cut of that Shadell Noel No Opt Out. Video and sound are a bit muddy still but it's such a great example of the counter-intuitive nature of great teaching- high expectations make kids happy when delivered positively.
Posted by Teach Like a Champion on Tuesday, April 6, 2010