"Speed Dating" Instructional Strategy

"Speed Dating" Instructional Strategy

Last week I was going into different classrooms conducting some informal observations, and also seeing if any teachers needed some assistance or were doing some engaging activities in their classrooms. One of the classrooms I entered (3rd grade) was collaborating in a really cool instructional discussion/strategy.

The teacher (Jessica Lewis) was conducting a "speed dating" instructional strategy whereas the students from one side of the desk/table would rotate through class partners that remained seated on their side of the desk/table.

They would collaboratively work on a mathematical problem, discuss, come to a consensus on the answer and present to the class. After each problem, one partner from each desk/table would stand up, rotate to the next desk/table, take a seat, and begin the next problem with a new partner.

This speed dating strategy was a great way in having students collaborate with other students in the classroom. It also got the students moving, engaged, communicating, and collaborating with many partners throughout the activity. It was a blast watching the students laugh and problem solving with each new partner they came to.

Right after I created this blog post, my co-worker, Chelsea Best, told me about an awesome article talking about this same great strategy, but this article focuses in on hosting a book speed dating in middle or high school ELA... Check it out below:

-How to Host Book Speed Dating In Middle or High School ELA

(From the amazing, Miss G (@writeonwmissg) note: check out her Instagram... it's AMAZING!

Do you need even more instructional strategies? Check out one of my recent blog posts:

-49 Instructional Strategies You Can Implement Right Now!