Blog

Strategies for Getting Students to Complete Work

1. Provide a Specific To-Do List

The key word here is SPECIFIC! Giving details will help students be able to reference what they are supposed to do.

One of the main reasons students do not start working right away is because they forget what they are supposed to be doing. Having a To-Do list or “Exit Directions” allows them to have something to refer back to.

Here is an example of the one I use in my classroom:

You can hear more about this in my podcast “Solving for the Undefined”. Or read about them in the show notes:

Episode 4: Five Ideas to Increase Student Engagement

Episode 6: Unique Strategies for Classroom Management

2. Use Your Visuals, Not Your Words

You’ve worked so hard on the visuals of your To-Do List. Don’t spoil it by answering, “What are we doing?”

When a student inevitably asks this question, refer them to the To-Do List. Simply turn your body and point to the directions. Pro-Tip: Use an open palm facing away from you. This action reduces the accusatory feeling of “Well, duh, it’s right here!”

You will have to teach your students to use the To-Do List. Don’t just randomly put it on the screen and not even mention it. Specifically walk through all the information on there and then tell students to begin working. 

You can hear more about this in my podcast “Solving for the Undefined”. Or read about them in the show notes:

Episode 4: Five Ideas to Increase Student Engagement

Episode 6: Unique Strategies for Classroom Management

3. Use Key Phrases

My favorite new phrase is “It seems like you are struggling to get started.” This idea comes from Chris Vos in his book Never Split the Difference. While this book is about how to use the FBI negotiation tactics he learned in business, I applied them to teaching! A lot of teaching is getting students to do things, right?

The best types of questions to ask are the open-ended ones rather than yes or no answers. Other phrases you can use are “How can I help you?” or “What’s the first step?” rather than “Do you know what you are doing?”

Miss Kuiper

Recent Posts

How Guided Notes Have Failed Our Students

Guided notes strive to help students better learn and participate in math class. But what…

1 month ago

The Importance of “When Done” Tasks for Fast Finishers

For me, one of the most dreaded questions from a student is “What do I…

2 months ago

80. Erase Apathy by using Whiteboards in your Math Class

Did you know that whiteboards can increase student participation and reduce math anxiety? Check out…

2 months ago

79. Upgrade Turn and Talk to Musical Partners

Have you done a “turn and talk” with your students? How did it go? Getting…

2 months ago

78. One Minute Hack to Get Students Prepared for Class

The number of students prepared for class when the bell rings dwindles as the school…

2 months ago

77. Skip Traditional Math Warmups and Do This Instead

Traditional math warmups can waste precious time. Making the switch to these math adjacent tasks…

3 months ago