You know that exasperating thing that happens where you call on a student and they give the same answer that has just been said?
Me: What are some things we see in the sky?
Student #1: The sun!
Student #2: Planes.
Student #3: The sun!
Me: Someone already said that. Do you have another idea?
Student #3: Oh… um. PLANES!
Me: …
Or when they ask you a question that you’ve literally just answered:
Me: …So keep your fancy phones and digital cameras at HOME. Do NOT bring them to the field trip, because I don’t want to risk them dropping into the ocean! Yes, Gareth?
Student: So for the field trip, can I bring my mom’s iPhone to take pictures?
Me: …
Well, I know why they do that. And I have the solution to it.
Poor listeners vs. extremely focused participants
They do it because they were NOT LISTENING. And they were not listening because they were too busy raising their hands! I mean, raising hands is a good thing, right? If anything, raising hands is usually an indicator of engagement and involvement in a classroom. However, most kids are not advanced enough multitaskers to both listen to other people talk and at the same time keep track of what it is they’re raising their hands to say.
If you really think about it, teachers, you will recognize this is true… because we all do this. Even when we raise our hands to publicly offer an answer, we usually try to keep our answer and wording clear and coherent in our heads so we don’t sound ridiculous when we get called on, right? Well, kids do the same thing!
When kids are ready to volunteer an answer, they raise their hands because that’s what you have trained them to do. While their hands are up, they’re desperately clinging onto their words so that, when they’re called on, they will remember what to say. It’s very embarrassing to have a teacher call on you and then to draw a blank and have to say, “I… er… uh… I forgot what I was going to say…”
That’s totally understandable. So instead of embarrassing themselves, they focus on their own thought and more or less don’t hear what anybody else is saying. This is often why students miss the answers their classmates just gave, or ask a question that you just answered. They are also frequently missing out on valuable ideas and contributions from others, even (and especially?) if it’s different from what they were going to say.
Great. So what are we to do? …Train them to stop raising their hands??
Wait… what?? So… to raise hands or not?
BOTH! Students should raise their hands when they want to answer, and put them down as soon as you call on someone else. When I first taught it to my students, our conversation actually went something like this:
Me: So I’m going to introduce a new thing to the class right now. First of all, you guys are really great about raising hands– THANK YOU. I really appreciate it. Why do you think it’s important to raise hands? (15 hands go up. I call on one student. The other 14 hands stay up.)
Tim: So that everybody gets a chance to speak if they want.
Me: Yup, that’s one reason. Another?
Jenny: So that we’re not all shouting at the same time!
Me: Good point. Another?
Greg: So that we’re not all shouting at the same time!
Me: … Hmmmmmmm… can anybody tell me what was a littttttle bit off about that response?
Wendy: Somebody already said that.
Me: Ah. Yes. Someone already said that exact same answer. Greg, did you notice that Jenny had just said the same thing you said?
Greg: Uhh… no.
Me: I didn’t think so. And, class, this is exactly what I want to talk about. I can tell you why Greg didn’t hear what Jenny said. It’s because he was too busy raising his hand. You see, this funny thing happens when we raise our hands– WE STOP LISTENING. No, seriously! When we raise our hands to answer a question, we’re all busy focusing on our answer, thinking about what we’re going to say and repeating it to ourselves over and over again so that when the teacher calls on us, we don’t forget and sound silly! Am I right?
(Kids are giggling by now, because I’m acting it out and they totally recognize it in their own experiences.)
I mean, it’s great that you are raising your hand and participating! But it becomes a problem when you’re not listening to anybody else speak– including me! Because even though some of you don’t think this really happens, it does. People stop listening when they are raising their hands! Watch this. (I lean in close to them like I’m telling a secret) During this whole entire time that I’ve been talking, I’ve noticed that Chris has still had his hand up. The whole time. I’m going to call on him, and I bet you he hasn’t heard a SINGLE WORD I just said about how people don’t listen well when they’re raising their hands. Why? Yes. Because he has been busy raising HIS hand and thinking about HIS response! Let’s see if he has been listening… (I turn to the child, who is exhausted with holding his hand up and waiting) Yes, Chris?
Chris: You should raise your hand so you don’t blurt out your answer and stop other kids from thinking! …GEEZ! I’ve been raising my hand forEVER!
(The whole class bursts into laughter as he answers the question I asked several minutes ago. He clearly did not hear the whole spiel I just gave on how people don’t listen well when raising hands. Case in point. Chris is completely oblivious.)
Me: Chris… thank you for your answer, and thank you for raising your hand. First of all, I appreciate that you raised your hand SO PATIENTLY this whole time. However, want to know something? The whole time you were raising your hand, you weren’t listening to me at all. Want to know how I know?
I proceeded to fill him in on the conversation he missed, which not only offered an explanation (and a chance to review the whole concept with the whole class again), but also provided a stunningly compelling example– to him and to everyone else.
He had great intentions, and I recognized that. However, I need my students to be able to listen to me and others during class conversations. I need them to be able to participate by speaking, but also by listening. So then I lay down a new procedure:
Me: So from now on, here’s the new drill. You still need to raise your hands to be called on. HowEVER, as soon as I call on someone, PUT YOUR HAND DOWN AND LISTEN. (I demonstrate as I speak.) After they finish their answer, then whip your hand back up and hope that I call on you!
Let’s practice that a few times. I’ll start with an easy one. I want everyone to practice along, putting your hands down the second I call on someone else. Here we go: What’s your last name? (All hands in the air. I pick one. All hands drop.)
Student: Nordstrom! (All hands back up in the air)
Me: Thank you… Britney! (All hands down)
Britney: Saunders! (All hands back up)
We do this a few times, then I try more complex questions until I’m sure they’ve got the hang of it. It becomes the new norm, and when students forget, I simply remind them until it becomes second nature.
Note: If the opportunity presents itself for you to make an example out of a kid the same way I did with “Chris” (which it oftentimes does), be sure to select a child who can take a joke. If the child is usually shy or easily embarrassed, don’t pick them! Pick someone who enjoys the spotlight and can laugh at themselves. If you’re not sure about it, then just skip the “real life example” part and move straight on to rehearsal/training.
It’s really that simple. The very act of putting their hands down somehow magically opens up their “listening ears,” and they hear what their classmates are saying before raising their hands again! I originally thought that they would just continue to think their own thoughts and continue to miss what others said–only with their hands down–but it’s not true! After introducing this new procedure, I rarely ever got repeat answers, and I rarely had the problem of kids asking questions I just answered. The simple act of putting their hands down really did help them listen better!
So last week, we talked about the importance of raising hands. This week, it’s about putting them back down. Who ever knew I’d have so much to say about such a commonplace classroom procedure?? …And I’m not even done. Coming soon: Don’t call on the student… or reasons why you’ll want to ignore that raised hand.
12 responses to “Put Your Hands Down”
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You have some really fantastic ideas for classroom teaching and discipline (including at home). I really like the way you explain them clearly, including a script for what you say and how you deliver it. This blog is such a great resource for teachers and parents and would be a valuable asset on your resume. Keep it up, please – I love your posts!
Thanks, Aussie Teacher! I appreciate all of those sentiments! I will do my best! =D