A Day in the Life of a Khan Academy Student
1. Student walks into the room, checks the projector for their assignment for the day. Possible assignments? Independent laptop/computer (they are given the number), small group with computer (still given computer number), and small group no laptop. Student takes out the computer and goes to their seat. If they are assigned to independent laptop, they get to choose their seat.
2. Students assigned to independent laptop work log onto the KA portal, check their goals for the week, and get to work on those goals. Unless asked to move into small-group with the teacher for PBL explorations or targeted interventions, they will work on KA for the entirety of the class.
3. Students assigned to small-group with laptops are typically put into this group for peer coaching or teacher-led interventions. In general, a mini-lesson will be given by the teacher or a leading student, and then practice problems generated by KA – usually with the scaffolded help of manipulatives or other resources – will be used until teacher or peer coach has determined that they’re ready to move back to independent work. Depending on the student’s progress, they may or may not be taking back the scaffolds with them. Students will then stay on KA for the rest of the class unless asked to move back for more interventions or PBL explorations.
4. Students assigned to small group without laptops are for PBL explorations. The teacher will usually introduce the problem/conflict and then either stay or leave the students to solve depending on the group and students contained therein. Usually PBL explorations take up about half of the class, although may extend over multiple class periods. Once that is finished, students retrieve a laptop and work on KA for the remainder of class.
5. At the end of my 72 minute period, usually with about 4 minutes left, I strategically dismiss students to replace their laptops back into the cart and then return to their seats. I prefer to have them put them away so that I can keep track of which computer each student is using and to hold them accountable for any computer misbehavior that ends up happening (prying off keys, leaving music player open, etc). It also provides about 10 minutes of charge time in between each class for the computers to charge, which helps them make it the entire day without needing a power cord plugged in all the time.
During all of this, my location is fluid. I may be with a PBL group, I may be doing targeted small-group intervention, I may be working on an individual intervention at a student’s seat (I like to carry around a chair just for this purpose), or I may be checking student data mid-class to assess progress toward student goals and check to see if any students are struggling and need assistance.
Any questions? Anything I missed and you’re curious about?
