It also works well as an anticipatory activity when starting a new unit.

I like to use this activity when discussing controversial topics in my room. This gives students a non-intimidating way to share their thoughts with a peer but keeps them from having to put themselves in the vulnerable position of volunteering a response to a room full of students. The teacher proposes a question or task, the students each think on it individually, then share their thoughts with a partner before sharing out as the whole group. What I like about this is that it can be used in so many different ways. One of the most commonly known interactive learning styles is the think, pair, share the technique. No matter the grade level, kids of all ages enjoy activities that engage them in a kinesthetic way. If you feel a little lost on how to incorporate this into your classroom, look over the following ideas. As educators, we need to understand that the best way for our students to learn is to let them in on the process. Long ago are the days of the monotone lecture while students obediently take notes. Interactive learning can look very different, but no matter how it is utilized, this form of pedagogy encourages creativity, focus, and allows for immediate feedback. Interactive learning happens when students take a hands-on approach to their subject matter. This is why interactive learning is so relevant. These advances in technology are wonderful, but they make learning a challenge for kids and teenagers with extremely low motivation levels and very short attention spans. They never had to get up to change the channel on their television, wait for their sibling to get off the internet in order to make a phone call, and they will most likely never be somewhere Google maps can’t give them directions out of. Our students don’t know a world where they couldn’t get the answer to something within seconds of typing it into a device, which is never more than an arm’s width away.

Class notebook