Prove It!

Looking for a way to add accountability and depth to your students' learning? Consider the idea of accountability partners.

2nd grade teacher, Barb Irwin, shared with us how she incorporates accountability, conversation, and fun to the end of her literacy block. After students have had a chance to engage in independent work, they meet with their accountability partner to share. They tell their partner what "Wildly Important Goal" they worked on during independent reading and their partner responds with the directive, "Prove it!" To this, the student responds with what they specifically did during independent reading to meet their goal. Then, the students swap roles and the other child shares what they worked on and "proves it." 

For example, if a student's Wildly Important Goal is "Retell: Include Sequence of Main Events," when the student is asked to "Prove it!" they briefly give a retell, thus proving the skill to the accountability partner. Or, if a student has a goal of "Tune Into Interesting Words," when asked to "Prove it" they would share an interesting word that was found and any investigation they did on the word's meaning. 

Barb also shared that her school is a Leader In Me school and having a Wildly Important Goal to work on from the CAFE Menu dovetails with Leader In Me, nicely. Children enjoy the chance to "prove" their work and engage in conversation with a friend. 

Thanks for sharing, Barb!