CLASS

CARDS
How to Put Your Class in the Palm of Your Hand
2 Class Cards

The best teacher

is not necessarily the one
who possesses the most knowledge,
but the one who most effectively
enables his students to believe in
their ability to learn.

—anonymous
 Introduction 3

Table of Contents

About This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Chapter 1: Getting Started

What Type of Cards Work Best?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Making Your Set of Class Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
When Your Set of Class Cards is Complete. . . . . 17
Adding New Cards to Your Deck. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Bottom Line. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
For the Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Chapter 2: Making It Work

Visualizing Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Introducing Class Cards to Your Students. . . . . . 24
Stating Your Expectations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Response Awareness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Time Out! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Win-Win (You-Students) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
“I Don’t Know Yet.”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Encouraging Student Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Use Positive Reinforcement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Be Patient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Don’t Always Use the Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Develop Active Listening. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Try Repetitive Responses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Call on Everyone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Take “Silent Answers” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Call the Names of Absent Students. . . . . . . . . . . 39
Keep the Cards Visible. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Make it Fun Whenever Possible. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
What Can You Expect?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Developmental Corollary #1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Developmental Corollary #2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
4 Class Cards

Table of Contents

Chapter 3: Card Tricks

Group Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Center Stage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Beat the Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
First Name Bingo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Speed Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Tournament Seeding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Extra Decks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Extra Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Use the Jokers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Errands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Record Keepers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Red Hands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
A Note for the Sub. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Stretching Exercises. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
 Introduction 5

About This Book

Class Cards is a teaching tool from the New Management system of student manage-
ment, motivation, and engagement. This system is a refreshingly new and incredibly
effective approach to the challenges educators face in today’s classrooms. Initially
developed in 1981, New Management has since undergone years of classroom-tested
refining and improvement. A simple yet efficient system, New Management is easy to
learn and fun to use.

Since 1987, I have been sharing New Management’s innovative teaching techniques
with thousands of educators. The overwhelming consensus is:

New Management works.

From first year teachers to seasoned veterans, from the primary grades to the university
level, New Management is enabling educators to teach more effectively and manage
more efficiently. At the same time, it’s empowering them to make fairness, firmness,
and consistency an everyday reality.

New Management offers benefits for students, too. Teachers who use the New Manage-
ment system provide their students with significant opportunities to become more re-
sponsible, productive, and involved. In fact, an increase in the level of student involve-
ment and participation is one of the reasons teachers using New Management say their
paper working tasks go down while student motivation goes up. And when students
and teachers are really working together, the potential for growth is without limits.

So, in an effort to reach even more educators, I decided to produce a series of teach-
ers’ guides. Because of its tremendous popularity, Class Cards was selected as the first
technique from the New Management system to be offered in a written format. This
teaching tool, like the New Management system itself, is simple and effective. Class
Cards will not only raise your level of classroom control, but lower your level of stress:
not a bad combination.

To begin with, picture yourself in class. You’ve just asked a question and you’d like one
of your students to answer. Now then, which student should you call on to respond?

Should you call on one of the five or six eager hand wavers? How about asking that
underachiever hiding out in the back of the room? Or maybe you should select one of
the many students living in the Land of Semi-Involvement.
6 Class Cards

And while you’re pondering this choice, don’t forget about being fair. Are you giving
everyone an equal chance to participate, or does the lion’s share of these response op-
portunities go to just a chosen few?

Come along, now; make a decision. The class is beginning to get restless. What are you
going to do? (Don’t answer out loud. This is just a book. I can’t hear you.)

Sound familiar? If you’re like most of us, you find yourself engaged in this time-con-
suming, stress-inducing procedure a hundred times a day. Isn’t there a better way?

Fortunately, there is.

Visualize a deck of playing cards†. On the face of each card you have written the name
of one of your students. (If, for instance, you have thirty students in your second grade
class or thirty sophomores in your fifth period algebra class, you’d end up with thirty
cards in your deck.) And now, to decide which student is going to respond to the ques-
tion you’ve asked, just draw a card and call a name. It’s that simple.

Using a deck of Class Cards to call on students during class discussions and learning
activities will bring about a dramatic improvement in the quality of education in your
room. You’ll not only experience a positive change in your morale and performance,
you’ll witness a definite change in your students, as well.

Almost immediately you’ll feel a major reduction in your level of stress. Among other
things, this reduction in stress will translate into a sense of renewed energy. Released
from the tedium of picking and choosing students to respond, you’ll be free to concen-
trate on the direction, flow, and content of your lessons. As one grateful educator put
it: “Class Cards was a much needed shot in a very tired arm.”

Student motivation will be the next area to undergo a positive change. Due to the
surprising randomness of the cards being drawn and the names being called, a deck of
Class Cards will generate a wonderful air of anticipation. You’ll soon find your students
looking at class discussions in a new and exciting way. Teacher-student interactions will
almost seem like a game show to them. With a nearly endless variety of “card tricks”
available, you’ll have the entire class in the palm of your hand, so to speak.

Finally, and perhaps most significantly, Class Cards will help you establish an equal
opportunity learning environment. By promoting, and then maintaining, total class
involvement, Class Cards will provide you with the power to maximize the growth and
development of each and every student. From the overachievers to the underachievers,
from the hand wavers to the seemingly handless, this dynamic teaching tool will boost
your interactive effectiveness on a daily basis. With no conscious effort on your part,

† Secondary teachers should visualize a set of 3 X 5 index cards. I’ll briefly explain why in the first chapter and then
describe a powerful variation of Class Cards, called Record Keepers, on page 56.
 Introduction 7

you’ll have the ability to interact with your students in a manner which is fair, firm,
and consistent: the hallmark of an effective educator.

This book was written to help you get started. By showing you how a set of Class
Cards has met my needs, you’ll discover how to meet your own. A technique which is
completely open-ended, Class Cards is nearly boundless in its wide range of classroom
applications.

Within a few months, you’ll be coming up with your own ideas for utilizing the pow-
er of this wonderfully simple tool. The more you use it, the better it will get. And the
better it gets, the more you’ll use it. Class Cards will become an indispensable aid for
years to come.

Before too long you’ll be asking yourself, “How did I ever teach without my cards?”
Having used Class Cards for so many years now, I know I’d be lost without mine.

May they work as well for you and your students.

8 Class Cards
 Chapter 1: Getting Started 9

Chapter 1

Getting Started

Making It Work

Card Tricks
10 Class Cards

Who dares to teach

must never cease to learn.

—John Cotton Dana

 Chapter 1

Getting Started

O ther than the desire to try a new idea with your students, the only things you
will need in order to get started are:

a set of cards

a permanent ink felt tip pen (a Sharpie® fine point works great)

a class roster or seating chart

Sharpie pen®

Seating chart or
class roster

Deck of playing cards or

Fig. 1-1 3 X 5 index cards
Adding a
prefix to the
number is
an easy way
for team
teachers
to identify
their core
students.

What Type of Cards Work Best?

Having used Class Cards for many years now, it’s become apparent that some types
of cards work better than others. And the more I’ve shared my thoughts about Class
Cards during seminars, the more I’ve come to realize that the type of card you choose
has a lot to do with whether you teach at the elementary level or the secondary level.
12 Class Cards

The first set of Class Cards I saw being used by Gladys Berner was made from a pack of
plain 3 X 5 index cards. However, after using this technique for a year or so, I realized
that a deck of jumbo-faced playing cards was actually a better way to go.

Since I was working with just one group of students, I only needed to buy one deck
for the entire school year. Also, I loved the sound of the deck when I shuffled it. Had
I been teaching at a middle school and facing five or six different groups of students
during the school day, I would have probably continued to use plain index cards. Index
cards are cheap. (Free from the supply room?) And although I would have lost the
sound of the shuffling, I definitely would have saved a few bucks.

So, let’s take a look at the two different types of cards and see what they have to offer.

Playing Cards
Using actual playing cards will provide you with several distinct advantages.
 Chapter 1: Getting Started 13

In fact, the only imaginable drawback to using a deck of playing cards for making your
set of Class Cards is the remote possibility that some people might be overly sensitive to
the “gambling aspect” of these cards. Their focus would be upon the cards themselves
and not the interactive tool inherent within.

For example, look at the four cards shown below.

Fig. 1-2
Most people
will see
these cards
as they were
meant to
be seen: a
technique
for treating
all students
fairly.

Although you are clearly seeing Ben, Emily, Alison, and Peter, someone else might be
focusing on the 7, 8, 9, and 10 of spades.

If this situation were to present itself, you could always spend a couple of bucks and
order a set of blank-faced playing cards from one of the companies that produce them.
Or maybe you could use a set of animal rummy cards or some such children’s game set.

Granted, this would require a bit of extra effort; nonetheless, it might just be worth
your time. Class Cards is such a great idea that you won’t want anything to slow you
down nor will you want anyone to keep you from using it.

Reality: I’ve been using a set of Class Cards for over twenty-five years. Not once has
anyone said anything that wasn’t positive and supportive.

Index Cards
Not to be outdone by playing cards, index cards offer their own set of advantages. Two
14 Class Cards

of them are shared by playing cards but two of them are unique and worth noting.

Other than the sweet reality of index cards being readily available, the biggest advan-
tage to using index cards is the fact that you’ll be able to maintain a simple assessment
of how your students are responding during lessons and discussions. I’ve used this
simple strategy for years to help get the most out of my students. (See Record Keepers,
page 48.)

Making Your Set of Class Cards

Elementary Teachers
Using a permanent ink felt tip marker, write a student’s name on the face of a playing
card. [Fig. 1-3] You should probably write the name at both ends so that it will be
 Chapter 1: Getting Started 15

readable no matter which end of the card turns up. Keep writing names until you have
one card for each student.

Fig. 1-3
Having the
name on
both ends
of the card
will make
it easier to
read, which
will make
your set of
Class Cards
easier use.

Secondary Teachers
In an effort to send a message that you will be expecting the active participation of your
students throughout the year, it would be a good idea to enlist their help in creating a
set of Class Cards.

As you read through the explanation below, imagine yourself demonstrating each step
either on the whiteboard or with an overhead projector. Another option would be to
make an oversized card to write on as an aide for the more visual learners in your room.

Mr. Morris
Addressing the class:
I’m going to be using a simple teaching technique this year that is designed to help
everyone become a better student. It has to do with using a set of index cards with
the names of students written on them. I’m going to need one card from each of you.
Please have someone from your (row/table/team) come see me for your cards.

Give each representative a set of cards and pause while they are being disseminated.

Thirty minutes later when calm has been restored:†

Turn your card so that it is in portrait mode. At the top of your card, print your first
name.

Helpful: So that you don’t blow a gasket during this seemingly simple
process, have a supply of extra cards available for students who fill out the
card in landscape mode. (Whenever I’ve had teachers fill out a card—
during a seminar or workshop—there has always been one or two who
somehow missed the portrait mode request and ended up producing a
sideways card.) If it were to happen in your room, just calmly hand the
student another card.

† Just kidding. It shouldn’t take more than a minute or two.

16 Class Cards

Pausing briefly for them to realize I was serious:

Below your first name please print your last name.

So far, so good. You have their first and last names and could choose to wrap up the
process by having the cards returned to you.

Fig. 1-4
Although
you could
ask for more
information,
first and last
name would
be enough
to create
a set of
Class Cards.

Or, you could take a moment to gather a bit more information. Having them write
something of a more personal nature just below their last names would send a simple
message about your interest in their lives. (Reality: the relationship you have with your
students is one of the biggest contributors to their academic success. Just make sure
that what you’re asking for is neither threatening nor too personal.

Beyond first and last name:

1. What grade do you think you’ll earn in this class?
2. What are your plans for the future?
3. What are you really good at?

It doesn’t have to be much. You just want to get the ball rolling in the right direction.

What grade do you think

you will earn in this class?

Who was your favorite

Fig. 1-5 teacher last year? Why?
You never
know when
a little bit of
information
will enable
you to add
to your
relationship
with your
students.
 Chapter 1: Getting Started 17

When Your Set of Class Cards is Complete

Elementary Teachers
When you’ve finished making your set of cards, put the pen you used and the extra
cards in a place that is safe and out of the way. This will enable you to easily get your
hands on them whenever you need to make a new card to add to your original set.

Fig. 1-6
Your card
kit: the
permanent
ink felt tip
pen and the
extra cards
in their
original box.

Secondary Teachers
After everyone’s index card has been collected, give them to a student. Ask the student
to write the period number on the back of each card. This will not only create a bit of
student involvement but will also help you to keep the separate sets of cards organized.
Win-Win.

Adding New Cards to Your Deck

Elementary Teachers
Filling out a card for a newly enrolling student is one of the first things we do as a class
when someone officially checks in. It has proven to be such a great ice breaker that
we’ve incorporated it into our welcoming routine for new students.

New Student Introduction Procedure:

1. First, we stop all activities and turn our attention to our newest student.

2. While our new class member is introducing himself, I’ll reach into my top desk
drawer and grab the extra cards and pen.

3. I’ll write the student’s name on a new card.

4. After the card has been made, we’ll make a ceremony of adding it to all of the
others. (The class can always be counted on to provide a brief explanation about
the significance of the cards.)

5. After assigning a partner to the student for the duration of the day, we’ll resume
our temporarily interrupted activities.
18 Class Cards

Secondary Teachers
Since most secondary students—especially newly enrolled students—do not like to be
the center of attention, I recommend that you have a student help the new enrollee in
filling out the index card. And to be fair, you could select the student helper by ran-
domly drawing one of the cards from your set. This card, if given to the helper, would
act as a reference tool in the event the helper couldn’t remember what information was
needed on the card.

The Bottom Line

The Teacher Wins

Accept the fact that new students are a part of our lives as teachers. And whenever you
do receive a new student, you’re going to want to add a new card to your set. By having
extra cards on hand, you’ll be preparing yourself for success by making the process
manageable.

So, keep the extra cards—and Sharpie© pen, elementary teachers—in a special place.
Having your card kit handy will reduce your level of stress, which will make it easier for
you to smile at those new students as they enter your room.

The New Student Wins

Filling out a card as soon as possible—which is more likely when the materials you
need are stored in your desk—will help to create an environment in which new stu-
dents feel as if they are a part of the class from the minute they walk into the room.
And the first time a new student’s card comes up and his name is called, that sense of
belonging will become a reality.

For the Record

The next two chapters of this little book contain ideas about: 1) how to get the most
out of your Class Cards; and 2) how to have fun using your cards. You’ll find a number
of examples of my interactions with students complete with simulated dialogues and
actual insights. These examples, which are somewhat elementary in their orientation,
are not meant to discourage anyone teaching at the secondary level. They are just a
by-product of my thirty-one years of teaching at the elementary level. It’s what I lived;
therefore; it’s what I know best.

Something else I know: teaching is teaching. Regardless of your situation—whether

you teach kindergarteners or high school seniors; whether you work with one group all
day or multiple groups for portions of the day—we’re all in the same business. We pres-
ent content. We engage students in the learning process. We assess progress. We touch
lives in big ways and small. It’s incredibly demanding but hugely rewarding.

My hope is that you can learn from my experience and be able to add to your own.
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 19

Chapter 2

Getting Started

Making It Work

Card Tricks
20 Class Cards

What we want to see

is the child in pursuit of knowledge,
and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.

—George Bernard Shaw

 Chapter 2

Making It Work

M
aking a set of Class Cards is just the first part of your admirable quest to
improve both the quality and equity of the interactions you have with your students.
Putting those cards to work for maximum effect is the next.

The ideas presented in this chapter—gleaned from all of my years of using Class
Cards—are offered to get you thinking about not only the possibilities and potentials
but also what you’ll be up against as you attempt to employ a new teaching technique.

Visualizing Success
The practice of seeing yourself do something before actually attempting to do it has
been used with incredible success in business and professional sports. Since visualizing
works in those areas, I felt it could work in the classroom as well. And so, for the past
several years, I have been including visualization techniques in my daily teaching.

Here’s a situation that could use a bit of visualization:

Imagine that you are about to ask your students to work

outside on the grass near your classroom. They’ll be working
in cooperative learning groups on a social studies activity. In
your mind, you can clearly see what it is you expect them to
do. All you have to do is verbally direct them to that end.

Teacher
Addressing students:
I’d like you all to go outside and sit on the grass with your team. We’re going to do a
special social studies activity.

At first glance, this request appears to be reasonable and clearly stated. Unfortunately,
though, it will most likely produce chaos and confusion. The chaos will be the result of
22 Class Cards

the Play Premise at work. As we know, students operate on the principle that just about
anything can be turned into an opportunity for fun and games.

The confusion will stem from a lack of clarity because the stated request does little to
create a workable mental image of the action to be performed. In fact, of all the words
spoken in the teacher’s directions to the students, the only things the students actually
heard and visualized were:

Blah blah blah blahhhh de blah OUTSIDE de blah GRASS blah de blah
de blah. Blah blah-blah de blah-de-blah blah blahlala.

Too often with students, our words—as they hear them—don’t always mean what we
intend them to mean.

Teacher says: Student interprets:

outside Loud, unstructured fun!

Fig. 2-1
A partial
student
grass Let’s wrestle and push!
glossary
of teacher
language.

Thus, you shouldn’t be too surprised to find your students cavorting about with gleeful
abandon when you finally join them outside. They’re merely being kids.

Let’s experiment with some visualization and see if we might be able to create in their
minds an actual image of what we want them to do.

Mr. Morris
Speaking to his students:
Close your eyes for a moment. Listen to my words as they describe something we are
all going to do. Imagine that everyone in class is getting up and calmly sliding chairs
under the desks. Students are then walking outside to the grassy area. When they get
outside, they find their teammates and sit together on the grass. You can probably
picture yourself sitting with your own team. As you look around, you can see the
other teams sitting together—almost like little islands in a green sea. And now, here
comes Mr. Morris with a special social studies activity.

Slight pause for the image to set.

That’s what I’d like you to do now. Open your eyes, and let’s make it happen.
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 23

Think of how much more successful these students will be merely because I took thirty
seconds to paint a clear picture of what they are supposed to do. Visualization works.

Continue to visualize success by picturing yourself in front of your class engaged in a

lesson. You have your set of Class Cards in your hand. You also have everyone’s undi-
vided attention. You’re feeling relaxed, productive, and in control. Your students are
thinking and responding to your lesson. Everyone—from high achiever to low—is
right with you: thinking, learning, growing. That’s quite a picture!

You won’t believe how easily a lesson can flow when you know exactly who to call upon
for a response. With all of the decisions we have to make each and every day, this deci-
sion-free tool will be a real stress reducer.

Fig. 2-2
Visualize be-
ing relaxed,
productive,
and in
control.

And regardless of how individual students actually respond when called on, using your
Class Cards on a regular basis will ensure, with no conscious effort on your part, that
everyone in your class is being given an equal opportunity to participate in the learning
process.

Sound like fun? You bet it is! Granted, it’s going to take a bit of time for your students
to adjust to the demands these cards will place upon their level of classroom awareness.
It’s a learned behavior, and you’ll be learning right along with them. Within a month
or two, though, you and your class will be well on your way to attaining a true equal
opportunity learning environment.
24 Class Cards

Note: Don’t skim over the words “a month or two” in the preceding sen-
tence too quickly. We’re talking four to eight weeks before this technique
really begins to work well. That’s a lot of time. Nonetheless, education
is a process, and it’s important to keep long-range goals in mind. By
introducing teaching practices slowly, and then allowing sufficient time
for these techniques to become comfortable and natural extensions of
your daily interactions, you’ll be setting the stage for a successful year.
Six weeks may seem like a long time; but, it pales in comparison to the
amount of time you’ll be spending with your students from the first day
in September through the last day of school in June.

So, be patient, take your time, and focus on the positive. Think about
how great it will be when you and your Class Cards are really cookin’.

Visualizing success is just one of the steps toward overall success. In fact, our class mot-
to is: “See it happen, make it happen.” If you see yourself using Class Cards successfully,
you’ll be helping to make Class Cards work successfully.

Fig. 2-3
This sign,
which hangs
in our class-
room, helps
to remind
students
about the
power of
visualizing.

Introducing Class Cards to Your Students

So far, a quick review shows that you’ve got your cards in your hand and you’ve already
done some visualizing. At this point, you’re saying to yourself, “Now what?”

First of all, pick an appropriate time to introduce Class Cards to your students. Make
your description of this tool—and the reasons behind its use—both positive and
supportive. Students might be inclined to suspect the worst, being the skeptical little
people they sometimes are. Reassure them that Class Cards is a fair and fun technique
for realizing everyone’s highest potential.

Make sure that your students see these cards as they are meant to be seen: an incredibly
powerful tool for maximizing the growth and development of all students.
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 25

The following list contains a few of the points I emphasize when I introduce Class
Cards to each new class.

Class Cards are fair.

Everyone gets a chance to participate. No one will have that “left
out” feeling.

Class Cards help students become more responsible.

Due to the fact that the teacher will no longer be calling upon
just the students who raise a hand, everyone will learn to pay
attention to what is going on in class.

Class Cards are fun.

The suspense and drama of whose card will be drawn next will
lend a wonderful air of anticipation and excitement to your dis-
cussions and lessons, leaving them begging for more.†

Caution: They might not believe you on this point just yet. It will
take a few fun interactions with the cards before they’ll be truly
convinced. See Chapter Three: Card Tricks for some suggestions
about having a good time with your cards.

Class Cards help students become better responders.

The added wait time you can incorporate into your ques-
tion-and-answer sessions will have a dramatic impact upon the
quality of responses they will begin to generate.

Regardless of what you say by way of an introduction to the Class Cards technique, the
awareness your students will develop is going to require actual use of your Class Cards.
A brief introduction, though, will certainly help to ensure that no one is taken by sur-
prise.

Stating Your Expectations

Your students have now been introduced to your Class Cards, and you have provided
them with many reasons for their use. They’ve actually seen the cards with their names
on them. (Well, the secondary students have seen their cards since they helped to create
them. The elementary students would probably enjoy a quick glimpse of their cards.)

† I’ve been sharing the Class Cards strategy with teachers for over thirty years. And for most of those years I’ve heard
the same comment over and over: “My students love the cards!”
26 Class Cards

The time has now come to explain very clearly the students’ roles and to answer some
important questions.
What part do the students play?
What are their obligations?
What is it you expect of them?

Let your students know that they will be expected to develop answers to your questions
as you present them. State your expectations clearly and concisely. Make them a class
pledge.

You could even make a sign that reflects your basic expectations.

Fig. 2-4
Here’s
another
classroom
sign. This
one gently
reminds
students to
be ready to
respond.

Nonetheless, you shouldn’t expect your students to suddenly sit up and get involved
in discussions and lessons merely because you happen to have a deck of cards in your
hand. For many students, this new interactive technique of yours will be a major depar-
ture from what has been a very comfortable life of non-involvement.

I believe that poor mental attitudes in students are partially due to the years of con-
ditioning they’ve received at the hands of their teachers. As long as there have been
teachers and students, the game has been: “Raise your hand if you wish to participate
and respond.” Conversely, students who keep their hands down expect to be left out of
the lesson.

Since they are not expecting to be called upon, they do not prepare a response other
than the time-honored:

Why did you call on me? I didn’t have my hand up.

Now that you won’t always be calling on students according to who has a hand up,
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 27

you’ll want to encourage them to develop the art of being prepared to respond to all of
your questions and comments.

The attitude of readiness that you will want to nurture can be communicated to your
class in many different ways.

Here are four possibilities:

Teacher
Addressing students:

Begin figuring out the answer to my question as soon as I present it.

Please don’t wait until I call your name to start thinking.

Come up with an answer every time you hear a question.

Be prepared to respond before you hear your name called.

Actually, there’s one phrase I use more than all of the others.

Mr. Morris
Shuffling the cards as students ponder the question just asked.
Have an answer ready, please.

Realistically speaking, the attainment of this “be prepared” attitude is going to be an

on-going—yet worthy—project. Eventually, though, with the repetitive practice that
Class Cards will provide for your class and the positive reinforcement you’ll give them
for their efforts, your students will begin to sit up and get involved in lessons merely
because you have a deck of cards in your hand. Just be sure to state your expectations
clearly and then “be prepared” to help everyone live up to them.

Response Awareness
For the record, response opportunities come in many forms encompassing everything
from taking a turn at oral reading to sharing opinions; from choosing sides for a game
to “Point to where we are in the book.” The spectrum runs from make-believe to
self-evaluation and back again.

So, whenever you see me refer to student responses, please don’t limit your awareness
to situations in which a student is answering a direct question. That might be the case
some of the time; however, there’s a whole world of response opportunities just waiting
to be used.
28 Class Cards

Time Out!
Even with the most thorough introduction of Class Cards and numerous attempts
at communicating the fine art of response readiness, randomly selecting students to
respond might still find them unprepared at first.

If—when calling someone’s name—you can see that the student doesn’t have an answer
ready or is now scrambling to find out where you are in the book, take a moment to
deal with the situation. Although we want to emphasize the positive, don’t be afraid
to call “Time Out!” when you see that a student needs a verbal reminder about your
expectations regarding involvement and preparedness.

Mr. Morris
Addressing Calvin:
Excuse me. You should have
had an answer ready to share.
Please stay with us.

After making these comments, I usually set aside Calvin’s card as a reminder to check
on him in a few minutes. When called upon the second time, he should be able to
demonstrate that he’s now keeping up with the lesson.

I find that I have to do this kind of gentle reinforcing for the first few weeks of card
use. It’s just another way of letting them know how serious I am about my expectations
regarding awareness, responsibility, and self-discipline.

Note: From my experience, I’ve found that for every corrective “Time Out!” there have
been ten “thank you’s,” three “well said’s,” and a dozen non-verbal signs recognizing
students who were ready to respond.
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 29

Win-Win (You-Students)
I’m going to call a Time Out! right now and share a brief word about the power of your
Class Cards.

With the cards in hand, you’ll be placing yourself in a position of increased power as a
teacher. This will be an enhancement of your existing power as primary educator and
adult figure. It’s a power we sometimes underestimate.

By using Class Cards, you’ll not only have every student within your grasp, you’ll also
have the ability to spotlight any one of them. And let’s face it, some of them have not
been under this spotlight for some time now. I’m referring to the underachievers, the
disrupters, the shy and soft-spoken—the ones who have trained their teachers, through
a variety of manipulative techniques, that it is not rewarding to call upon them.

Go easy on these students at first. Although you don’t want to compromise your edu-
cational principles nor undermine your expectations of student preparedness, you do
want to be careful to not abuse your authority.

You’ll want to make sure that you’re using the cards for calling upon students as op-
posed to picking on students.

You’ll want to ensure that you’re not using the cards to find out which students aren’t
prepared, but to encourage them all to be ready to respond; not to find out who isn’t
paying attention, but to nurture and develop attentiveness by instilling the self-disci-
pline necessary for such a skill.

Use your cards as the teaching-learning device they were meant to be and not the disci-
plinary weapon they could all too easily become.

With your set of cards, you’ll be in control. It’s guaranteed. You’ll have the freedom
to call on your students without the interference of stress-inducing decision-making.
You’ll have a teaching technique which not only promotes student self-awareness and
self-discipline but continues to reinforce it as well.

You’ll have the entire class in the palm of your hand.

At this point in time, you are already winning. Now, it’s up to you to make sure that
your students become winners. Win-Win means everyone is feeling successful with your
Class Cards: you and your students.

By focusing on the second Win (Students), you’ll be adding immeasurably to the first
Win (You).

See it happen, make it happen.

 30 Class Cards

“I Don’t Know Yet.”

One sure-fire way to promote student success is to allow your students the opportunity
to tell you that they don’t know the answer to a question. This is especially important
for your underachievers. Having a way out when called upon helps to increase student
involvement. And, in a pedagogical sense, allowing your students to respond with this
type of statement will help to create that all important low affective filter: a learning
environment of reduced anxiety which leads to increased achievement.

Although it’s good to have high goals and expectations for your students, it’s equal-
ly important to remain realistic about their range of abilities. How adept are they at
processing information, developing appropriate responses, and stating answers in front
of the class? † Be realistic in your expectations. Remember that even adults have fears,
some of which are depicted in the chart shown below.

Fig. 2-5
Three com-
mon adult
fears and
the percent-
age of adults
who suffer
from these
fears.

Note: Each
drop of
perspiration
represents
15 million
people.
Source: Claudette DeCourley, Phobia Free

Some students are going to need more time to come up with a successful response,
whereas others are going to require some prompting. And since we’re being complete-
ly realistic about the matter, we might as well accept this fact: some students are just
going to need actual practice with the art of response in order to become successful,
confident responders.

† Here’s something to keep in mind: Just because a responding student isn’t standing in front of the class doesn’t
mean he isn’t speaking before a group of people. The fear of speaking in front of a large group of people is very
common in adults, let alone children. Do you ever wonder how all of those adults got to be so phobic in the first
place?
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 31

So, allow them the opportunity to say that they don’t know what’s going on, if that
happens to be the case. At least you’ve been given a response. And if you’re going to
allow them to respond in this way (a definite Win-Win), you might as well maximize
the opportunity.

Instruct your students who don’t know an answer to respond with a simple statement:

“I don’t know yet.”

This subtle variation on the time-honored “I don’t know” can have a far-reaching effect
on the learning climate within your classroom.

By adding the word yet, the student is subconsciously affirming that he plans to know
the answer shortly. He is going to figure out what the answer is at some point in the lesson.
The word “yet” gives learning a more active and immediate sense. The idea that learn-
ing and understanding occur on a continuing basis sends a strong message to all of
your students, not just the one responding.

Suggestion: When a student responds with “I don’t know yet,” you might want to set
his card aside. This will remind you to call on him later in the lesson. Before calling on
this student again, try to make sure that he has had a chance to learn and understand
what it was he didn’t know in the first place. With a bit of practice (and patience), you
can turn every “I don’t know yet” situation into a positive learning opportunity.

Fig. 2-6
A card set
aside is a
reminder to
get back to
the student
(Jerome)
after a
couple
of other
students
have been
called upon.

In a nutshell: “I don’t know” is the past. “I don’t know yet” is the future.
32 Class Cards

Encouraging Student Support

In the first edition of Class Cards, I made the following statement:

“Student support of your Class Cards, although not

absolutely necessary in order for them to be used
with success, will really boost their value.”
I take it back. I was wrong. You’ll want your students to enjoy this technique.

Student support will not only increase your desire to use your Class Cards but will add
immeasurably to their overall effectiveness. Fortunately, there are many methods for
developing and maintaining student interest, support, and acceptance.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Even though we are already doing this to a great extent when we embrace a Win-Win
philosophy, I want to make sure that we all keep in mind how powerful a positive mind
set can be. For some students, being treated in a positive manner makes all the differ-
ence in the world.

Be Patient with Students Who Continue to Raise Hands

It took a bit of time, at first, for some of my students to break their automatic habit of
raising a hand in response to my questions. To help recondition them, I simply held up
the cards and said,

He’s got the cards.

Within a week or two, I had students who were softly saying it for me as I showed the
deck in my hand to the few die-hard hand wavers.

Fig. 2-7
Just show
them the
deck you’re
using as a
signal to
lower their
hands.
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 33

Don’t Always Use the Cards During Your Interactions

Give them a rest every now and then by allowing students to raise their hands to volun-
teer responses. This will become especially important as your students become more suc-
cessful responders and, thus, begin to develop a desire to share their thoughts more often.

This duality of interaction of cards versus raised hands could pose a challenge for your
students, though. When do I raise my hand? When should I wait to be called upon?
How will I know what is appropriate?

In an effort to address these student concerns and avoid any undo confusion, I’ve taken
to using sign language. Sign language is simple to use and easy to understand.†

When I’d like students to raise a hand to contribute a voluntary response, I’ll raise my
own hand and form the letter “v” for volunteer. (I usually put down the deck of cards or
hide it behind my back). This gesture gives the green light to hand raising.

Fig. 2-8
This sign
means
that I’d like
someone
to raise a
hand and
volunteer an
answer.

Sometimes, during discussions or lessons, I’d like a group response. The sign for a spon-
taneous oral answer is the same “v” sign, but I’ll hold it next to my ear. This lets them
know that it’s okay to “blurt out” an answer.

General rule: Blurting out an answer

when I haven’t signed for a group
Fig. 2-9
This sign response is dealt with in a simple, yet
means that
it’s okay to effective way. See Red Hands, page 58,
say your
answer out
for the procedure we use.
loud.

† To find out how you can use simple gestures in your classroom, take a look at Tools & Toys: Fifty Fun Ways to
Love Your Class. Using classroom gestures is just one of the fifty ideas you’ll find.
 34 Class Cards

Develop Active Listening

Students need to understand that not all wisdom and knowledge come from just the
teacher. Other students can often be fountains of knowledge during discussions. Unfor-
tunately, they usually don’t pay attention to one another. They’re either focused on you,
themselves, or nothing at all. So, to help reinforce the fine art of listening, I’ll call on
someone to repeat a response just given by a student.

A Bit of Background
It should be explained here that I don’t engage in “echoing.” That is,
I do not repeat student responses so that everyone can hear what one
student had just said. I understand the motivation behind this practice:
some students don’t speak loudly enough for everyone to hear and, as
concerned teachers, we are merely repeating pertinent information.

Good intentions notwithstanding, echoing can be damaging in the long

run.† I do enough speaking as it is without repeating what the students
are saying. Another down-side is that the students who are not speaking
with enough volume will never develop this important skill if they know
the teacher will rebroadcast their statements for them.

One last thought has to do with respect. If a student shares information

or thoughts or critical thinking that is worthy of my echoing, the stu-
dent himself should be the one to restate it. Otherwise, I’ll just end up
reinforcing the perception that the important stuff will come from my
mouth, which, in its own circular way, produces poor listening skills.

Years ago, when I first began to call upon students to repeat what another student had
just said, a lot of them responded with, “I didn’t hear what he said.” In fact, I heard this
so often that I decided to do something about it. My solution was:

Fig. 2-10
Providing
students
with a
simple
procedure
for handling
situations
in which
they did not
hear what
another
student had
just said will
really help to
promote and
encourage
active
listening.

† For a more thorough investigation of what I feel are the damaging aspects of echoing and ideas on how reap
the benefits of not echoing, read chapter two of Eight Great Ideas: Simple Ways to Transform Your Teaching. It’s
called Confessions of a Former Echoer and deals with this issue in more depth.
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 35

It’s a simple procedure that reinforces the concept of students being responsible for
their own education. (It is also beneficial for the soft-spoken members of your class
who need to improve their speaking skills.) Now that students will no longer be able
to sing that same old tune of “I didn’t hear what he said,” they will eventually become
more attentive and active listeners.

Reality: If I were a student in class, and I didn’t clearly hear what Calvin has just said, I
would say, “Echo” because I never know when Mr. Morris is going to ask me to repeat
Calvin’s spoken words.

Try Repetitive Responses

As educators, we generally stop taking responses to a question as soon as we hear or
see the correct answer. It’s another one of those time-honored teaching traditions that
needs to be reexamined. Here’s an example from a social studies lesson that shows how
it normally goes:

Mr. Morris
Can someone tell me what city is the capital of California? Charmaine?

Charmaine
Los Angeles?

Mr. Morris
No, not Los Angeles. Dino?

Dino
San Francisco?

Mr. Morris
Nooooo. Luke?

Luke
Sacramento?

Mr. Morris
Right! Now then, what goes on in the state capital? Why is it important? Alex?

The correct answer sometimes flies right past many of our students. They didn’t really
have the chance to focus on it and see it clearly in their own minds.

I’m not sure why we typically move on to the next point of discussion once a question
has been answered. It could be due to the training we received as students. Since our
own teachers interacted with us in this manner, maybe we’ve been conditioned to per-
petuate this practice. Or, maybe it’s a matter of expediency. Who knows?
36 Class Cards

Repetitive responses that allow more than one student to provide a correct response to
the same question will provide added impact to the actual answer and, ultimately, the
learning process.

Here’s an example of the way I do it now:

Mr. Morris
What is the capital of California?
Drawing a card.
Charmaine?

Charmaine
Los Angeles?

Mr. Morris
Thank you.
Drawing another card.
Luke?

Luke
Sacramento?

Mr. Morris
Thanks, Luke.
Another card is drawn.
Alex, what do you think?

Alex
I think it’s Sacramento.

Another student (who didn’t hear Alex’s response)

Echo.

Alex
A little louder than before:
I think it’s Sacramento.

Mr. Morris
I appreciate it when you guys ask each other to repeat answers you didn’t hear.
Drawing another card.
Jason? The capital of California?

Jason
After a lengthy pause:
I don’t know yet.
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 37

Mr. Morris
All right.
Setting Jason’s card aside and drawing another one.
Lourena? What do you think?

Lourena
Los Angeles.

Mr. Morris
Thank you, Lourena.
Drawing the next card.
Sarah?

Sarah
Sacramento.

Mr. Morris
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. If you said or thought ‘Sacramento,’ you’re correct.
Now then, what goes on in the state capital? Why is it so important?
Picking up Jason’s card again.
Jason, what was the name of our state capital?

Jason
Sacramento.

Mr. Morris
Thanks. So, what kinds of things happen in Sacramento?

There are three distinct advantages to calling upon many students for the same response
even though the correct answer has already been given.

The first advantage is that you take your focus off of who is responding and place it on
the concept being developed. Instead of praising the first student to supply the correct
response, you allow multiple correct responses and enable many students to share and
reinforce their knowledge.

The second advantage stems from the fact that you’re not validating answers as you
hear them. (My own responses are rather simple. “Thank you,” “Uh-huh,” or a nod
of my head is all they need.) Then, after receiving many responses—some right, some
wrong—you can let them know what the correct response was. This simple shift leads
to the third advantage: a safe learning environment.

By calling on several students for the answer to one question and reserving the valida-
tion for the end, you’ll foster a setting in which it becomes safer for students to share
their thoughts.
 38 Class Cards

The Old School standard, in which the teacher moved on to the next question after
hearing the correct response, created an environment in which students became some-
what hesitant to offer a response. Their fear was that everyone in class would know
that the answer was wrong because the teacher kept asking the same question. Had the
answer been correct, the teacher would have moved on to the next question.

This sounds innocuous, I know, but certain students—insecure, timid, or underachiev-

ing—might refrain from giving an answer for fear of being wrong. However, by taking
multiple responses to the same question, you’re making it safer for students to respond
without fear of their answer being immediately branded “wrong” in front of their peers.

Try letting many students supply the correct response and see what happens. I think
you’ll like the results.

Call on Everyone
Depending upon the importance of what is being covered in the lesson, I sometimes
want each student to respond. It only takes a minute or two and is a quick way of
assessing the exact extent of student knowledge.

First, I’ll ask the question. Then, I’ll start going through the deck. As the students
respond, I’ll put the cards in piles according to their answer. After the last student
has had a chance to respond, I’ll pick up the stack of cards representing the correct
response and verbally reinforce the answer.

“True” “False”

Fig. 2-11
It’s fun to go
through the
entire deck “I don’t
and allow know yet.”
each student
to answer
the same
question.

Suggestion: Total class responses work especially well with either/or, true/false, or multi-
ple choice questions.

Take “Silent Answers”

According to the research†, additional wait time, or the length of time between your
question and the first response, is beneficial to all of your students, but especially
underachievers. With increased wait time, you’ll experience increases in the length of

† The research, Wait Time: Slowing Down May Be a Way of Speeding Up!, was conducted by Mary Budd Rowe, a
science education professor at Stanford University.
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 39

student responses, a heightened sense of confidence in the responses being offered, and
more student-to-student interaction.

So, don’t feel you need to rush through your question/answer sessions. Allow them
time to think and ponder. And to help prevent things from bogging down and frus-
trating the students who process information more quickly, try one of my favorite Let’s
Keep It Lively strategies: silent answers.

Mr. Morris
Having asked a question and wanting to allow some thinking time but also seeing
many students eagerly waiting to offer an answer:
I’ll take silent answers.

Students who wish to respond will raise a “v” hand. (I usually see at least a half dozen
hands raised up high.) As I point at students, they mouth the answer which I then
lip read. A nod, a wink, or a smile will let them know that their response was correct.
After taking a number of these silent answers, I’ll then use my Class Cards and call on
students for oral responses.

Aside from the entertainment value of watching my students try to mouth the words,
taking silent answers has proven to be a very effective method for maintaining total
class involvement while providing more time for students to develop a response.

Note: Silent answers work best when the response only requires a word or two. Trying
to read lip an entire sentence might be a bit taxing.

Call the Names of Absent Students

There will be times when you’ll draw the card of someone who is absent. Do you skip
over that name or set the card aside for the remainder of the day?

Skipping over the card might be misconstrued by the students as an act of unfairness†
on your part. Although you’ll be clear as to why you are moving Jerome’s card to the
bottom of the deck—he’s absent—some of your students might think that the card you
just passed over was theirs. Compounding the whole thing is the issue of making sure
that the card of the absent student you had set aside actually gets returned to the deck
at the start of the next school day.

Experience has taught me that children are extremely sensitive about

being excluded from the set of Class Cards. In fact, a friend of mine
told me about one of her underachievers who, when speaking to her
privately, began to cry about the fact that his card wasn’t in the deck
with the others. Sure enough, when she checked, the card was somehow
missing. Maybe you should do a brief roll call once a month to check
the contents of your deck.

† Chapter one of Eight Great Ideas is called Core Principles. In it I identify six key ingredients of being an effective
teacher. Core Principle #3 is: You are fair, firm, and consistent.
40 Class Cards

To deal with the cards of absent students, I came up with this idea: The first student to
raise his hand and ask, “May I take Jerome’s place?” will be allowed to respond. This
playful variation will not only give everyone an extra chance at participating, but will
prevent the card of the absent student from becoming a nuisance.

Reality: They’re not always paying that much attention to the flow of the cards. If you
want to skip a card, feel free. Just be mindful of the classroom lawyers who may be
lurking in the wings waiting to pounce on some perceived indignity.

Keep the Cards Visible

Just about everything I’ve mentioned so far in this chapter could be done with the deck
in your hand and the cards of called upon students being placed on the bottom of the
deck. However, I actually prefer to keep the already drawn cards visible on my desk.
This easy-to-do strategy is one of the keys to my success with Class Cards.

Fig. 2-12
Not only can
I see who
has already
been called
upon, I’m
reminded
to get back
to Len who Question
is still trying
to figure #2
out the
answer to Question “I don’t Question Question
the second
question of
#1 know yet. #3 #4
the math
review we
were doing.

The main reason I do this is to teach, and then reinforce, this classroom reality:

Even though your card has already been drawn and you’ve
already responded, you are still required to follow the lesson,
discussion, or interaction. Always be prepared to respond.

Putting cards back in the deck would not enable me to impart this all important con-
cept. Leaving them out in view, however, allows me to easily assess individual attentive-
ness.

Mr. Morris
Looking at the cards of students who had already been called upon:
What do you think about what Jenny just said, Marco?

It’s a simple technique that has enabled me to make sure that students are staying with
the lesson even though they’d responded previously.
 Chapter 2: Making It Work 41

Make It Fun Whenever Possible

Having a good time with the cards (yet another form of positive reinforcement) goes
a long way in earning student support, participation, and attention. According to Bill
Glasser, author of “The Quality School Teacher,” there are five basic student needs that
must be met on a regular basis in order for your students to become involved in the
learning process. Fun is one of them. You’ll find ideas in the next chapter, Card Tricks,
that deal specifically with promoting the fun side of your Class Cards.

These simple strategies, plus the ones you’ll soon be coming up with on your own, will lend
credence to your initial claims that your set of Class Cards is going to enable students
to grow and develop educationally in a new and exciting way. By keeping your interac-
tions fresh and upbeat, you’ll be encouraging your students to stay active and involved.
After all, learning requires enthusiasm.

What Can You Expect?

From the very start you can expect great things. Almost immediately, as has already
been mentioned, you’ll feel a reduction in your level of stress. This is due to the fact
that stress is caused by a feeling of not being in control of a situation. With your Class
Cards in hand, you’ll begin to experience a degree of classroom control you might not
have thought possible. Both of these factors—the increase in control and the resulting
decrease in your level of stress—will have a significant impact on your effectiveness as
an educator.

At the same time, you’ll see a wonderful student transformation. With just a bit of
practice and experience, they will develop the habit of paying attention and being
prepared, which will dramatically enhance their overall motivation and involvement.
As you already know, students who are motivated and involved are students who are
learning, growing, and developing.

That’s a lot to expect from a deck of cards. Nonetheless, twenty-five years of Class
Cards experience has convinced me that you can look forward to even more benefits.
After three to four months of regular card use, you’ll begin to observe two rather subtle
changes in your students.

Developmental Corollary #1
Due to the students’ heightened awareness of the possibility of being called on to
respond at any moment, more and more of them will develop the ability to know when
they don’t have enough information to provide a correct response. They become sensi-
tive to, and concerned about, situations in which they are just not understanding what-
ever concept is being taught or discussed. Along with this awareness comes an incentive
to seek help before the lesson progresses any further (or their cards are drawn!).
42 Class Cards

Consequently, you’ll see more and more of your students asking for either further ex-
planations of the concept or additional examples to illustrate its application. No longer
will they wait until you find out they aren’t mastering certain skills. They will do it for
you. Your students will actually become self-diagnosing: a skill that will contribute to
the success of your lessons and the ultimate, overall academic progress of your class.

“Could you do a sample, please?”

Over the years I’ve learned that students are more inclined to ask for clarification if
they have a safe, predictable way in which to ask. Unfortunately, most students don’t
know how to ask. They keep using the same old tired “I don’t get it!” Since this has
always struck me as a cry of frustration more than a quest for knowledge, I decided to
provide them with better language.

Mr. Morris
From now on, whenever you feel like saying “I don’t get it,” ask me to do a sample.

The beauty of this question is that it sends me a clear message. What I hear is, “Hey,
Mr. Morris. Stop talking and start showing.” This then leads me into thinking of
alternate ways to present the same concept. Maybe I need to draw a picture or create a
written sample to display. It might be that I ask for students to demonstrate what I just
said or have them model the expected outcome. Whatever I come up with is usually
more visual/kinesthetic than verbal.

The other benefit of this simple request is how safe it is. “Could you do a sample?”
doesn’t mean that the student is hopelessly lost or not teachable. It doesn’t mean he
wasn’t paying attention or wasn’t trying hard. It just means that he would like the
teacher to present the concept in a different way so that he can understand what is
currently being taught.

Developmental Corollary #2
As a result of the high frequency of random opportunities Class Cards will provide
your students for responding in class, responding will soon become an acquired skill.
All of this repetitive practice, in conjunction with your continuous support, will ulti-
mately increase their confidence at responding.

In no time at all you’ll begin to see more and more students volunteering to respond.
Many of these volunteers will be students you never would have thought would volun-
teer for anything. You weren’t even sure they possessed a hand to raise let alone the con-
fidence and desire to raise it. But there they’ll be, ready to jump in and get involved…
wanting to get a firm grip on their own education…wanting to be the very best stu-
dents they can possibly be.

And all of this for the price of a deck of cards or a pack of 500 3 X 5 index cards? It’s
hard to believe that so much could be had for so little.
Chapter 3

Getting Started

Making It Work

Card Tricks
36 Class Cards

You don’t play a game

or color a picture with a child
to show your superiority.
Rather, you chose
to limit yourself so as to
facilitate the relationship.

—William Young
 Chapter 3

Card Tricks

C lass Cards will significantly improve your interactive effectiveness when used in
the basic draw-a-card-and-call-a-name mode. Nonetheless, the spice that a variety of card
techniques can add to the life of your daily educational program should not be overlooked.
A spoonful of honey, as they say, makes the medicine go down. Not that education should
be likened unto castor oil, mind you. It’s just that, in the motivational scheme of things, hav-
ing a good time is hard to beat.

Group Activities
Anytime you need to informally group your students for an activity, you could use your
Class Cards.

Need to make five groups?

Shuffle the cards and deal out five “hands.” Pick up the first pile of cards
and call out the names. Hand these cards to one of the students from that
group. This student can then make sure everyone whose name was just
called gathers together.

This quick and easy technique will get the students more involved and active while making
group management and organization easier for you.

Now that they are in their groups, how about letting the students use the cards as they inter-
act with each other?

Does the group need to assign some student tasks yet want to be fair about taking
turns and ensure that everyone has a chance to participate?

They could use the cards to help instill a sense of fairness and equity.

A student shuffles the cards and places them face down in the middle of the group. The top
card is turned over. That student performs, or takes care of, one of the group tasks.
 38 Class Cards

Cards are drawn from the pile until everyone has been given a chance to participate in some
fashion.

Want to work on communication skills but also promote active listening and ensure
that only one person is speaking at one time?

You guessed it. Use the cards.

Everyone in the group holds his/her own personal card. A student “takes the floor” by put-
ting his card face up in the middle of the group. He’s now free to speak until he picks up his
card. The next student who wishes to speak drops his card in the middle of the group and
has his say.

Suggestion: Allow your students the opportunity to work out the finer points of group card
use. For instance, let them decide what to do when two cards are dropped in the middle of
the group at the same time. What does the group do if someone wants to talk on and on? It’s
these types of problem-solving moments that can help students to become truly indepen-
dent learners.

Center Stage
There occur times when I need to have every student speak in front of the class. Oral reading
of a creative writing assignment provides a good example. To make sure that everyone gets a
chance to speak and no one is overlooked, I use my Class Cards.

1. The cards are shuffled and then three cards are turned face up in front of me.

2. The three names on these cards are announced. The remaining cards are set aside
in a pile.

3. All three students head to the front of the room where they will make their
presentations.

Fig. 3-1
After hearing
their names
called, Dang,
Van, and
Crystal head
to the front
of the
classroom
to make
their oral
presentations.
 Chapter 3: Card Tricks 39

4. The first student steps forward to present while the other two take a moment to
prepare themselves.

5. After Student One is finished reading, he places his assignment on the table in
front of him and steps back.

6. Student Two steps forward, reads, places his assignment on the table, and steps
back.

7. Finally, Student Three completes the same procedure.

When all three have finished, they return to their seats. Three new cards are drawn and
placed on top of the first three. We won’t stop until all cards have been drawn.

This strategy ensures that you will hear from everyone. It’s a fool-proof method which will
prevent you from overlooking anyone who might be trying to hide out because he hasn’t
finished the assignment. (When you introduce Center Stage, tell your students that anyone
not finished will need to stand and say “I’m not finished yet” when called upon to read.)

By the way: The steps above made it sound almost like a military maneuver what with the
stepping up and back, etc. It’s actually not that rigid. In fact, it’s rather informal with some
give and take between the presenter, the student audience, and myself. What’s nice, though,
is that we are able to concentrate on the presentations without having to worry about the
procedure of who is going to present.

Beat the Book

In a typical lesson, we usually proceed to the written product to show individual mastery of
subject material after the actual teaching/learning portion of the lesson has been concluded.
There are times, though, when I’d rather try to end the lesson on a more positive note. I’m
talking about the kind of lessons where the answers are relatively obvious, and the written
product is not essential to learning†.

By playing a round of Beat the Book, you’ll not only eliminate the busy work aspect of some
assignments, you’ll also nurture the team work concept while improving the students’ ability
to concentrate.

Here’s a scenario that illustrates the basic idea behind Beat the Book:

Mr. Morris
Addressing students at the conclusion of a simple lesson:
Well, it says in my teacher’s guide that you are now supposed to figure out whether these

† “The important stuff goes on up here,” I tell my students, as I point to my head. “Pushing a pencil isn’t always neces-
sary for learning to occur.”
40 Class Cards

ten sentences are telling sentences or question sentences. The directions say to write a T
for telling or a Q for question. But you know what? I think you guys have got this mas-
tered. So, let’s try something different. How about Beat the Book?
Fist pumping from the class as I shuffle the cards.
Let’s see. Ten sentences? All right, let’s find ten contestants.
Dealing out ten cards face down on the desk.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten! If these ten students can give us
ten correct responses, you will have shown me that you understand this lesson and we
can move on to other things.
Setting remainder of deck aside.
Any last questions before I call the first contestant?
Pausing for questions.†
Okay…Sentence #1. Is it a telling sentence or a question sentence? Please don’t
guess. We’re all counting on you. Maybe you should check the punctuation
mark.
Turning over the first card.
Marshall? Answer please?

Marshall
Telling.

Mr. Morris
You’ve got it! Tell us how you knew it was a telling sentence.

Marshall
Because I can see a period at the end of the sentence.

Mr. Morris
Way to go, Marshall. One down, nine to go. Sentence #2. Telling or question? Concen-
trate on this one.
Students are now starting to look up and smile as they find the answer.
I can tell some of you already know the answer. Here we go.
Turning over the next card.
Angela?

Angela
It’s a telling sentence.

Mr. Morris
Correct!
Mild student cheers can be heard.
On to sentence 3. Is it a telling sentence or a question sentence?

Etc., etc.
If, when called upon, a student cannot answer correctly or does not know which sentence
we’re talking about or engages in any of a number of incorrect response modes, the game

† Before too long, you’ll find students asking for clarification of the lesson or the directions of the task. They don’t want
to make a mistake and lose the game. Take advantage of these questions and reteach like crazy.
 Chapter 3: Card Tricks 41

is over. The book beat them, and they must, therefore, complete the actual written assign-
ment as detailed in the teacher’s guide.

Since I know that the class won’t be terribly thrilled with Calvin if he were to answer incor-
rectly, I always make a point of defusing what could become an unpleasant situation.

Mr. Morris
Now then, do you think he was trying to make a mistake? I don’t think so. Would you
try to mess up on purpose? No way! Hey, he did his best. So let’s go ahead and do the
written part. Remember, that’s what you were supposed to have done anyway.

Challenge: See if you can turn a lost game into an opportunity for reteaching. Discuss why
the incorrect response was given, and use it to your advantage the next time you play.

The following example shows a situation in which we learned—and profited from!—one of

our past mistakes.

Mr. Morris
Addressing the students at the end of another lesson:
Okay, let’s play Beat the Book with this assignment. Before we begin, though, can any-
one tell us why we lost the last game?

Student
Yeah, someone gave us the answer to a sentence we weren’t doing yet.

Mr. Morris
Well then, you might want to keep your finger right on the sentence we’re doing. That
way you won’t get lost and give an incorrect answer. Ready? Here we go!

There will be many times, though, when your class actually wins This means that all of the
questions were answered correctly. Even the underachievers contributed a few correct re-
sponses. Wow, what a morale booster for your students!

Fig. 3-2
You might
want to
keep a
simple
scoreboard
in your room
showing
the current
score.

Bonus: Just think about all of the papers you won’t have to check.
42 Class Cards

First Name Bingo

Here’s a simple little game, courtesy of Barbara Israel, ace teacher and good friend, that you
can play with your students at the beginning of the year to acquaint them with their class-
mates and to also let them see the fun side of Class Cards.

1. Start by asking everyone to make a game card. [Fig. 3-3]

2. Have them walk about the room with card and pencil in hand and
collect first names from one another.
3. Once cards have been filled, decide what type of bingo will be played.
[Four Corner; Diagonal; Longitude; and Latitude are shown in Fig. 3-4.]
4. Shuffle your cards and start reading names.
5. As students hear names, they mark out the matching ones.
6. Without too much prompting, someone will soon scream out
“BINGO!”

Fig. 3-3
This bingo
card holds
24 names.

Fig. 3-4
These are
the four
basic games
we play.
 Chapter 3: Card Tricks 43

Speed Math
This game is a quick and playful way to see how well my students are understanding math
concepts. We usually play whenever I’m giving them an activity sheet which culminates the
teaching of a specific math skill. By playing Speed Math before allowing them their thirty
minutes of independent work time, I’ll get a feel for who needs a bit of tutoring.

Speed Math materials:

✓ 8 1/2 X 11 newsprint (one per student)
✓ an activity sheet or assignment of some type
✓ your set of cards.

1. Give each student a sheet of newsprint and have them fold it twice. [Fig. 3-5.]
Tell them to keep the paper folded during the game.
2. Pass out activity sheets.
3. Determine how long your students will need to complete one problem.
4. Announce the time limit (60 seconds, for example) and that they are to solve
the problem on the newsprint and not on the actual activity sheet.
5. Give them a problem to solve—don’t start with #1; mix it up a bit—and say,
“Go!” Stop them when the time is up.
6. Using your cards, call out the names of five students. These students will then
come see you with their answer sheets. Set aside the cards of anyone who is
showing you an incomplete or incorrect answer. Call a few more names and take
oral responses. Set aside more cards if necessary.
7. Announce the correct answer.
8. Keep playing until you’ve done four or five problems.
9. Set your timer for thirty minutes and let them know that they are to complete
the assignment independently.
10. Before beginning work, call the names of the students whose cards you set aside
and meet with them for help.
11. Send these students back to work independently when they’ve shown you they
now understand the concept.

Fig. 3-5
“Fold it
once. Fold it
twice. Keep
it folded.”

Note: By having the students solve each problem in its own quadrant of the Speed Math pa-
per, you’ll be able to quickly assess their work. If they use normal scratch paper, you’ll waste a
lot of time wading through a crab nebula of calculations.
44 Class Cards

Tournament Seeding
One of our many classroom toys is a tournament ladder. Using a broad-tipped felt pen and a
ruler, I drew one on a piece of tag board. I then had it laminated so that we could write on it
with a dry erase pen—the kind of pen used on white boards.

Now, whenever we feel like having a tournament (spell-offs, multiplication flash card com-
petitions, etc.), we use the cards to randomly seed the tournament.

First, I’ll shuffle the deck and hand it to a student assistant. My assistant will then go
through the cards one at a time and fill in the slots. In a matter of minutes our tournament is
set, and we’re ready for the start of the first round.

Fig. 3-6
This
laminated
tournament
chart makes
it easy to
organize
classroom
competi-
tions.

Extra Decks
Don’t feel you have to limit yourself to just one set of cards. Make as many sets as you wish
to fill as many needs as you can.

For example, you could make a special deck of cards for calling upon students to read orally.
Although you could use your regular set of Class Cards for this purpose, research seems to
indicate that it’s not always in a child’s best interests to be forced to read aloud in front of his
peers. (This is especially true if you’re reading from English language textbooks and English
is not the primary language of some of your students.)

Why not make a volunteer deck?

 Chapter 3: Card Tricks 45

Announce to your class that you need students to read aloud. Take down names of students
who volunteer and make a set of cards with just those names. Use this deck whenever you
need students to read aloud.

I realize that not everyone will be reading. However, you will be creating a
secure and protective environment in which no one is allowed to laugh or
tease the volunteer readers about their reading skills. This helps to promote
a sense of safety: one of the five basic student needs. This base of security will
eventually foster a willingness to participate in oral reading.

Speaking from experience, I’ve found that, as time goes by, more and more
of my students ask to have their names added to the volunteer deck after
they’ve experienced the fact that the volunteer readers are treated with
respect and dignity.

Suggestion: You might not want to use the same type of cards as you used for your main
deck. With smaller groups of students, plain 3 X 5 index cards will work just great. Or, for
an easier-to-handle mini-deck, cut 4 X 6 index cards in half.

Extra Cards
Before I share some ideas for adding cards to your basic set, please exercise a bit of caution.
The extra card ideas are for later on after you and the students have had a chance to become
comfortable with your Class Cards. At first, just keep everything nice and simple.

Add Your Own Card to the Deck

Use one of the leftover cards from your kit and write your name at both ends. When your
card is drawn, say your own name and offer your response.

Fig. 3-7
Why not
call upon
yourself?

Caution: Make sure you have an answer prepared before drawing a card. You wouldn’t want
to see your own name and then grope about trying to quickly solve the three place multipli-
cation problem you were asking them to do. (Someone once said, “Teaching by example is
not just one way of teaching, it’s the only way to teach.” You can’t expect them to be pre-
pared if you’re not making the same effort yourself.)
46 Class Cards

Include Cards for Characters in Novels

A teacher shared this trick with me. She and her students were reading Sarah, Plain and
Tall as a class project. During the month when they were studying the book, she added extra
cards to the deck. The cards she added represented characters from the book. For the first
week, she added a card with Anna’s name on it. (Obviously, you would have a problem with
this variation if one of your own students were named Anna.) During the second week,
she replaced “Anna’s card” with one for Caleb. For the final two weeks she used a card with
Sarah’s name on it.

Whenever one of these extra cards was drawn and the name was called, students would raise
hands to volunteer a response. In order to be allowed to respond, though, they had to first
share some thought about that particular character.

Think about all of the information that would be shared about these characters during the
week as students volunteered to take their place.

“Where’s Waldo?”
Another teacher modification, similar to the idea about using extra cards for the main
characters in a novel, was to make a card for Waldo—the little guy with the red and white
clothes who always wants us to find him. (Is that a cry for help, or what?)

Anyway, this new card was kept in the teacher’s desk along with a small, plastic replica of
Waldo he had purchased. Then, when the students were not present, he would place Waldo
somewhere in the room so that he was visible to everyone. Once Waldo was “hidden,” his
card was added to the deck. When Waldo’s name was called during card use, the kids would
quickly scan the room for Waldo. The first one to spot him would raise a hand. When called
upon, they would point to Waldo and be allowed to respond. Very cool.

Use a Double Deck

By combining two decks, i.e., having two cards for each student, you’ll afford yourself the
opportunity of calling upon the same student twice without having to reshuffle the cards.
This would be a good technique for any students who erroneously think that they can relax
because their cards have already been drawn. And, by having one red deck and one blue
deck, you’ll be able to separate them quickly whenever you need just one deck for some
activity such as randomly placing students in informal work groups.

If the size of your class is twenty-six or less, you can accomplish the double deck idea with
just one deck of cards. All you have to do is write one set of names on the red cards—hearts
and diamonds—and a duplicate set of names on the black cards—clubs and spades. Then,
when you want just a single deck, you could have one of your students separate the cards by
suit. Hearts and diamonds would go in one pile while clubs and spades would be placed into
another pile.
 Chapter 3: Card Tricks 47

Include a Card for Each Cooperative Learning Group

We have six teams of students in our room. The teams are identified by color: red, orange,
yellow, green, blue, violet. In my deck of cards are six extra cards, one per team. When one of
the team cards appears during card use, I’ll call out the team color. That team is then allowed
to conference and decide upon an appropriate response. As they are doing this, I continue
calling upon individual students.

When the team reaches its decision, a member of the team stands and waits to be called
upon to share the team’s answer. Team cards makes for a nice informational change of pace
in that we supplement the ideas of individual students by allowing for some collaboration.

Use the Jokers

Just about every deck of playing cards comes with two jokers. You might want to include
one of them in your set of Class Cards. This card would act as a wild card and could be used
in a variety of ways.

Open Response
Make up a fake name for the wild card. “Hershel” will do as an example. Whenever the joker
comes up in the deck, call on Hershel as if he were a student. The response procedure in this
case would be the same as when you call on someone who is absent. Students wishing to
respond will raise a hand. When you pick someone, this student must first ask, “May I take
Hershel’s place?”

Student Bonus
The wild card comes up and is shown to the class. The next card is drawn, and the student
is called on to respond. A correct response earns that student some simple reward such as a
sticker, ten sunflower seeds, a standing ovation, or what have you. To keep things safe, you
could just award the prize without waiting for a response. Whatever.

Class Bonus
It’s the same procedure as the Student Bonus except that correct responses earn the entire
class a point. Keep track of the points in some visible way. Set a goal: twenty points earns
the class some extra recess time.

Joke Telling
Middle school teacher Carole Pollard keeps a joke book handy in class. Whenever the joker
appears, she’ll stop and read a quick joke to the class. What a nice way to keep things light
and lively.
48 Class Cards

Errands
To simplify the selection of students for special jobs—running errands, assisting the teacher,
playing messenger, etc.—and avoid showing any undue favoritism, you can easily rely upon
your Class Cards.

Method One
Pick a card at random whenever a student helper is needed.

Method Two
Pick a card at the beginning of the day. The student whose card you’ve drawn will be your
helper all day long.

For the new teachers out

there, the odd-looking card
holder shown to the left is
an old chalkboard eraser.

For all of the veterans who

recognized it right away,
smile about the fact that
we no longer have to deal
with chalk dust.
Fig. 3-8
A special
desk marker
will identify
your Helper
of the Day.

Record Keepers
A friend of mine was experiencing some difficulty with her fourth graders during their daily
health lesson. This lesson was the last one before lunch, and she felt that their attention was
lagging and needed a boost of some sort. Her solution? She came up with a simple, yet ef-
fective, variation on the basic Class Cards idea.

She first made a new set of Class Cards using unlined, green 3 X 5 index cards. (Color-cod-
ing sets of cards makes them easier to manage.) Since this deck was made with index cards,
she would be able to mark on them with a pencil. By using these new Class Cards during the
health lessons, she would have the ability to keep a simple record of how the students were
responding.†

†
Remember, responses are not always specific answers to specific questions. Imagine, for example, that the class is
reading orally from the textbook. If a student, when called on to read, begins promptly, a + would be recorded. Con-
versely, a student who is not following the lesson and does not know where to begin reading when called on would
receive a – mark on his card. Response opportunities can be as varied as the teaching strategies being employed.
 Chapter 3: Card Tricks 49

She gave these cards a try the very next day. As they moved through the health lesson, she
called on students to respond using her new Health Deck.

Positive responses received a + and were placed in one pile. The negative responses were
marked with a – and placed in a separate pile.

By the end of that day’s health lesson, everyone had had an opportunity to respond in some
way. To dismiss them for lunch, she first picked up the + pile. These students were identified
and sent to lunch. The remaining group of students, the ones who had received a – for their
responses, were in need of some type of intervention. Her dialogue might have gone some-
thing like this:

Fig. 3-9
Record
Keepers:
some in the
negative pile
and some in
the positive
pile.

Teacher
Looking through the – cards.
For some reason you were not staying with today’s health lesson. Now, I know for a fact
that the health assignment for today was on the board this morning,
Pointing to page numbers on chalkboard.
and that the vocabulary words for today were listed. And I seem to remember bringing
this to everyone’s attention this morning with the suggestion that you look it over if you
had any free time. Now then, are we going to be learning about health tomorrow?

Students
Lots of head nodding.

Teacher
Right you are. Will I be using this deck of cards...
Waving green health cards in front of group.
...to call upon students?

Students
More head nodding.
50 Class Cards

Teacher
Right again. Please pay better attention tomorrow. Any questions? Enjoy your lunch.

Regardless of what was actually said to these students, they were made to understand that
the teacher was aware of, and concerned about, their daily progress. This important realiza-
tion on the part of the students can be a key motivational factor.

Bonus: Using cards you can mark on will provide you with a record of each student’s effort
in one particular subject. Along with the muscle they’ll add to your daily interactions, a deck
of Record Keepers will act as a handy reference guide at report card time.

Secondary Teachers
Although it wouldn’t be realistic to meet with stu-
dents who received a single minus mark, you could
make an effort to speak with a student who is show-
ing consistent underachievement. A meeting at the
end of the period in which the marks on the card are
shared along with your concern will send a message
that no one gets to sleepwalk through your class.
And, for added effect, you could draw a line under
the marks and date it as a reminder that you and the
student had discussed the lack of effort.

Another recommendation would be to use a set of

cards for a designated period of time. At the end of
the time—a month, a quarter, a semester, or a grading period—give one of your students
the used cards and ask him to transfer the scores to a grade sheet. While that’s being done,
everyone else would be asked to complete a new card. Announce that everyone is starting
fresh; there’s not a single mark on any card.

Reason: You just never know when something as simple as a new deck of blank cards will
encourage a student (or five!) to turn over a new leaf and make a greater effort in class. And
if you could stop by that student’s desk to quietly point out the improvement in scores on
the new card, it would make the effort of starting a new deck well worthwhile.

Red Hands
If you’ve taught for more than a week, then you already know how annoying it is to be in the
middle of a question-answer session with your students only to have one of them blurt out
an answer. It’s a real drag on you and the other students to remind someone over and over
again to raise a hand before responding. Well, remind no more. With this little paper tool
you’ll be able to act upon your expectations of behavior and not just talk about them.
 Chapter 3: Card Tricks 51

Red Hands are cut from red construction paper using an Ellison die cutter. They are kept on
my desk. Whenever a student blurts out an answer or response when it is inappropriate to
do so, I stop everything, pick up one of the Red Hands, and extend it to the blurter. He is
then required to go over to our Counseling Center—a desk in the back of the room—where
he writes his name and the date on the hand. The hand is then dropped into a plastic con-
tainer that holds the red hands until they are processed.

Fig. 3-10
Calvin has
written his
name and
the day’s
date on the
red hand he
was given
for blurting
out an
answer.

At the end of the week, one of the students goes through the container and records the
hands on a grade sheet. The students with the most Red Hands have them stapled to Stu-
dent Bulletins (blackline master can be found on page 53) which are then sent home. It’s this
type of specific, goal-oriented communication that really gets results. We’re not saying that
Calvin is completely irresponsible. He just needs to exercise a bit more self-control.

Fig. 3-11
The red
hands
that Calvin
received
during the
week were
stapled to
this special
Student
Bulletin and
sent home.

Red Hand Recommendation: In addition to dealing with the students who received a lot
of Red Hands, you could recognize or reward everyone who did not have any hands in the
container by stapling a Green Hand to the bulletin. Or, you could check the grade sheet and
praise a student who had 8 hands last week but only 3 this week. Acknowledging the effort
that was made to reduce the number of hands will encourage them to continue exercising
self-control. As I tell my students, “I’m not looking for perfection. I’m just looking for a
good effort.”
52 Class Cards

A Note for the Sub

Here’s something you can do for the next substitute teacher who will be spending the day in
your room. Letting them know you care will help them to feel more like fellow educators
and less like hired help. And, since Class Cards will be making your days at school so much
easier, why not share the wealth?

Think about leaving a brief note attached to your deck of Class Cards that explains their
use. It doesn’t need to be novel-length; just a couple of sentences outlining the concept. (A
sample note can be found on page 54.) This brief note, along with the helpful hints the stu-
dents will want to add on their own, will be a great way to make the substitute teacher feel
right at home.

You might even want the sub to use a set of Record Keepers (page 48) and do some simple
documentation of student effort while you’re away for the day.

All in all, Class Cards can be a handy little tool no matter who happens to be using them.

Stretching Exercises
The idea I hope I’ve expressed in this last chapter is one of extension. After all, the basic idea
is relatively simple. It’s what you do with it, what you’re able to accomplish with it, that is so
important.

From the very first day you put Class Cards to work in your room, and for as long as you use
them, try to extend their application so that they continue to supply the students’ needs in
new ways. Think of additional strategies you could employ to take advantage of this refresh-
ingly simple tool.

Keep your eyes and senses open as you use your cards. Find out what works and what
doesn’t. Create your own variations to fit your own needs. Involve the students whenever
possible.

Please don’t get the feeling, though, that you have to discover new ideas right away. It will
take you a bit of time to develop your own methods. You’ll have to live with Class Cards for
awhile before new ideas will flow; nonetheless, once used, flow they will.

After twenty-five years of use, I still marvel at the simplicity, the effectiveness, and the in-
credible power of my Class Cards.
 Chapter 3: Card Tricks 53

Red Hand Bulletin Blackline Master

Here’s the artwork for making your own Red Hand Bulletins.

1. Make two xerox copies of this page.

2. Cut the copies so that each one measures 5.5 inches by 8.5 inches.
3. Lay the two cut copies on the xerox machine and copy away.
4. Cut the copies in half and put them somewhere accessible in your classroom.
54 Class Cards

A Word About Class Cards

Dear Visiting Teacher,

Welcome to our classroom. We hope you enjoy your stay

today and that the experience will be a pleasant one.

I’ve left you a teaching tool that should really help you as
you interact with the students. It’s a deck of cards with the
names of the students written on them. There is one card for
each student. I use them for all kinds of things:

✓ calling on students during lessons

✓ choosing students to answer questions
✓ taking turns during games
✓ selecting special helpers

Basically, I just shuffle the cards and then start calling upon
students as their cards appear. It’s simple, effective, and fair.
You might want to give the deck a try and see what you think.

Sincerely,

P.S. The students love it when I use the cards.