The Story of the Amoeba…
So, I walk into a science class as part of my classroom walkthroughs about 12 years ago and I ask a student what he is learning. The conversation is as follows:
Me: What are you learning?
Student #1: Copying the amoeba that is being projected on the whiteboard from the overhead.
Me: Are you copying it exactly?
Student #1: Yes.
Me: What else are you supposed to do with it.
Student #1: Nothing, just copy it.
Me: How long have you been copying it?
Student #1: About 15 minutes.
Me: What’s an amoeba?
Student #1: I don’t know.
I turn to the student next to Student #1 and he is doing a math assignment.
Me: Are you done copying the amoeba?
Student #2: Nope, I am working on my math homework.(Silence ensues for a few seconds…)
Student #2: You know what is interesting Mr. D?
Me: No, what?
Student #2: I am waiting for [Student #1] to finish and then I will copy his because it will only take about 2 minutes and…(he pauses)
Me: And?
Student #2: …and if the teacher sees me copying [Student #1]’s amoeba she will take it from me a give me an “F” for cheating.
Then he said something even more interesting…“Why is it cheating if I copy it from my friend when it is exactly the same as copying it from the board?”
…and there it is.
Copying is copying regardless of who or where it is copied from. Copying is not an instructional strategy. Copying text from a screen or white board is not note taking. There is no cognitive demand or expectation when students are asked to copy. Without challenge there is no engagement. Without engagement student achievement will suffer.
Note taking is a skill, not copying. You make notes, you don’t take them.
“You can have summarizing without note taking, but you cannot have note taking without summarizing (17,000 Classroom Visits Can’t Be Wrong).
Categories: Teaching and Learning