Active Learning Strategies for Teaching about Religion

 

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Make Extra Minutes Count!
think-write-pair-share
 

Religion: any and all

Purpose: to discuss issues covered in class session

Cognitive Skills: any or all

Learning Styles: active (when shared with others), reflective

Intelligences: intrapersonal (think & write), interpersonal (pair & share)

Use: in classroom

For: pairs, small groups

Estimated time: 5 minutes (or more as time allows and for larger groups)

Materials needed: no more than students typically have: paper and pen

 

The Activity:

  • At the end of any class session, have students think-write-pair-share their response to what they have just learned

  • Ask students to spend a minute or two reflecting on what they found:

  • most interesting

  • most confusing

  • most surprising

  • or what they thought was the most important thing covered in class

  • Have students next to each other pair up or group in threes or fours to share their responses with one another

Additionally: More specific questions can also be asked regarding various religions (see suggestions associated with religions on the "religions index")

 

Alternative possibilities: this can, of course, be used in just about any class session for just about any discipline!


Acknowledgement to Thomas Angelo and Patricia Cross (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques (Jossey-Bass ) (one minute papers/muddiest point)

Created by: Laura Ellen Shulman

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Page updated: May 22, 2004