The culture of teaching demands that you correct every wrong answer for every student for every assignment AND ensure they understand what they did wrong.
It’s on you.
This is, of course, time-consuming. It’s also stressful and frustrating given that most students don’t seem to care one way or the other.
Furthermore, and most critically, because it comes from you and thus is forced upon them, it doesn’t stick. They don’t learn from their wrong answers.
If it’s corrected homework, for example, that you return to them, it’s unlikely they’ll even look at it.
In other words, you’re wasting time on something that doesn’t move the needle on academic skill, motivation, or ownership.
In fact, it does the opposite. When students aren’t required to have skin in the game, then it doesn’t matter to them. This isn’t their fault. It’s human nature.
So what’s the solution?
Stop doing it. No, this doesn’t mean that you won’t provide answers. But the corrections and thinking through mistakes must come from them. Otherwise, you’re just wasting time.
They can check their own work. They can ask questions. They can request explanation, guidance, or direction. In fact, this is an essential part of learning and being a successful student.
It’s also a way of providing feedback to the teacher, who must provide the steps and skills for them to be successful.
But won’t students just sit there?
If you don’t change the culture of responsibility in your classroom, then yes, they’ll just sit there. But making this change isn’t difficult, and the results can be life-changing for students.
Here at SCM, we believe strongly in the power of shifting responsibility for listening, learning, and behaving over to students in toto. Anything and everything they can do for themselves—which initially takes detailed teaching from you—you must require them to do.
The more weight on their shoulders, the more purpose and motivation they have and the better they do. Therefore, the more you’re able to give them, defined by how well you prepare them, the more they’ll eagerly take on.
In regard to assigned work, they must correct it. They must figure out their mistakes. They must ask for clarification.
If you’re doing your job setting and pushing hard your expectations, and teaching the precise skills and content needed to be successful, then this is a quick and efficient process.
The methods through which you review finished work, be it in partners or answers simply displayed on a smart board, will have to wait for a future article.
But the responsibility must be continually pushed back on them.
“How did you arrive at your answer?”
“Why do you think you got it wrong?”
“Go back and look through your work.”
“Redo the problem and prove it.”
“Circle where you went wrong.”
“Show me where your mistake was.”
“Check it again, then again.”
They must do it.
Otherwise, they won’t pay attention to your lessons. They won’t take responsibility for their learning. They won’t develop grit or ownership or want-to.
They just won’t care.
So you must shift, shift, and shift some more. Every day.
Setting students up for success with great lessons is your responsibility. Doing the work, which includes correcting, dissecting, and learning from their mistakes, is theirs.
PS – Check out my new book Unstressed: How to Teach Without Worry, Fear, and Anxiety.
Also, if you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! Click here and begin receiving classroom management articles like this one in your email box every week.
I recently used a scavenger hunt finding slope. I went from problem to problem and every student who had a question didn’t have the 4 page notes packet i told them to use. I had them bring the notes to me and I would highlight the words that matched the problem they were working. Some kids had a slow start. But the activity set the majority with a far better understanding after all the dust settled. A to student admitted she didn’t understand two days ago, now it all made sense. WIN! IT WORKS!
I teach 6-8 remedial math. I make a practice of giving them the answers in the beginning. Once they work the problem, they can see instantly if they did something wrong & seek to find why. They know from day one that their grade comes from the work they must show to get credit. It was a game changer once I started doing this. I strongly recommend it. I agree that they only look at the grade on the returned work & throw it away. Very few ever ask how they missed something.
So, provide the correct answer or just mark it wrong?
I think this is an excellent idea! Way easier for the teacher and way better for the students. Win-win all around!
Hi Mike! I’ve been a subscriber since 2012 and I want to start by thanking you for saving my desire to stay in teaching, especially through your new book, Unstressed. It has totally given me a new attitude and outlook and I feel that my students are calmer and more cooperative. As for the topic of correcting mistakes, I just tell them, “watch punctuation,” or “What should be capitalized here?’
Mike, could you please reflect on your expertise and insight and write an article on this topic: The same three or four kids asking to leave for the restroom every day – they’re back within reasonable time, they’re not disruptive nor falling behind in their work, but I have the vibe that they may be taking somewhat advantage. Maybe I’m reading too much into it. I feel awkward saying “no”. What is your insight on this scenario? Thank you so much for your time, Andrew H.
Failure is not the option nor an option value integrity to get to wisdom.
Michael says it exactly how it should be done. As a sub, in math, for example, if the students are stuck or rusty, I sometimes like to work thru a problem on the board, as a sample—or have a student go to the board and do the problem—and maybe briefly review some fundamentals—and then give the ball to the students. Note that there must be zero tolerance for cellphones or playing video games on chrome books while class is in session. This is a serious problem that increasingly is allowed by teachers and weak admins., greatly hindering the learning process.