The document outlines strategies for fostering active student participation in the classroom through techniques known as Total Participation Techniques (TPTs). It encourages collaborative reflection and analysis among teachers to improve engagement by sharing responses and ranking these techniques based on their effectiveness. The content also emphasizes the importance of crafting quality prompts and maintaining a brisk classroom pace to boost self-confidence and participation among students of varying proficiency levels.

1. tinyurl.com/wasdtpt

2. Quick-Writes
1. Based on the cover of the
book, what do you think this
presentation will be about?
2. Take two minutes to collect
your thoughts and jot down a
response.
3. Find someone with whom you
have not yet spoken to today
and share your response.
Feel free to revise your notes
based on your conversation.
4. “Class” discussion

3. “Train teachers to call only on students
who raise their hands and to build on
correct responses to maintain a brisk
classroom pace. This would enhance the
self-confidence of already proficient
students and minimize class participation
and engagement among those who
enter with lower proficiency.”
– Kim Marshall,“A How-to Plan for
Widening the Gap”

4. “Think about the typical question-and-
answer session in most classrooms. We
call it ‘the beach ball scenario’
because it reminds us of a scene in
which a teacher is holding a beach
ball. She tosses it to a student, who
quickly catches the ball and tosses it
back. She then tosses it to another
student…”

6. How can I create more beach balls?

7. “Total Participation Techniques (TPTs)
are teaching techniques that allow for all
students to demonstrate, at the same time,
active participation and cognitive
engagement in the topic being studied.”

8. Ranking
1. In grade level groups, analyze the ten On-
the-Spot TPTs. Rank them from most useful to
least useful.
2. For each ranking, justify it with a brief
statement of rationale.
3. “Class” discussion
tinyurl.com/wasdtpt

9. “Student interaction will only be as
powerful as your prompts… the techniques
are a way to get the content across, not
the activity itself. The TPT is the portal, or
the pathway, not the end in itself.”

11. “Although implementing TPTs may require
that you actively remind yourself to do so, if
you stick to it, it becomes a way of thinking.”

12. “I did the same amount of planning
[when implementing TPTs]; I just did it in a
little bit of a different way.”
– Meghan Babcock, sixth grade teacher

13. Think-Pair-Share
1. How can you easily move to implementing
TPTs on a regular basis? (Reflect on your own
for 30 seconds.)
2. Pair up and discuss.
3. After pair sharing, join your pair with another
pair and continue the discussion.
4. “Class” discussion

14. 3b: Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
• Quality of questions/prompts
• Discussion techniques
• Student participation
3c: Engaging Students in Learning
• Activities and assignments
• Grouping of students
• Instructional materials and resources
• Structure and pacing

15. The 3-Sentence Wrap-Up
1. Summarize the presentation and what you
have learned in exactly three sentences.
2. Get together in groups of 4-5 and refine your
summaries.
3. After meeting with your group and refining
your summary, add on a fourth sentence that
describes how your feel about TPTs.
4. “Class” discussion.

16. One more thing…

17. Kahoot!

18. How can I create more beach balls?