Mike Schmoker, educational "guru" and author of Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning (a good book, by the way), recognizes that not all kids pay attention in class. He advocates calling on random students when asking questions rather than only those with raised hands. Why? If students know you're only going to call on students with raised hands, they know they can daydream - as long as they don't raise their hand, they're safe.
To help ensure that you call on students fairly AND randomly, use a random name picker. I've been using the name picker from Classtools.net. It's free and incredibly easy to use. Simply select "Random Name Picker" from the right side, enter your names (one per line), and save. It's that easy.
To help ensure that you call on students fairly AND randomly, use a random name picker. I've been using the name picker from Classtools.net. It's free and incredibly easy to use. Simply select "Random Name Picker" from the right side, enter your names (one per line), and save. It's that easy.
If you save it as a webpage (html file), you can save it directly to your desktop and use it as often as needed.
Click the disk to save it, or the gear to embed the Name Picker.
Click the disk to save it, or the gear to embed the Name Picker.
With the "fruit machine" version, you have the option of temporarily removing a student. This is a great option for absences. I also use the Name Picker to choose readers, and when someone has read three times, I remove their name.
My students' favorite Name Picker is the "typewriter" mode. They like to guess the names as each letter appears. While students enjoy this mode, teachers cannot remove names. If you have many absent students, opt for the Fruit Machine mode instead. It is, however, only one click to switch modes.
And did I mention it's all free? It's a great way to choose students in class - and it's fair. Give it a try and see what you think!
And did I mention it's all free? It's a great way to choose students in class - and it's fair. Give it a try and see what you think!