Clock tool - teaching tip

[simongreen]

Here's a useful tip about the Clock tool,

When doing mock exams put a question on a page. Set the clock to count down and then set it to turn the page. This is a very good way of showing students how long they should take to answer each question.

(thanks to David Bunting for this tip!)

Any more clock tips?

Simon

[Westlake]

Set a task then start the countdown clock. Challenge fast workers to justify their answer, and think about their first (impulsive) answer in more depth.
Slower workers are 'protected' by the clock which gives them sufficient time to complete the task rather than giving up when they see some hands shoot up immediately after the teacher has given the task. This fosters a more inclusive environment in the classroom.
Once the time is up, all students can contribute to the discussion.
This works well with a Focus Circle type of activity where different combinations are placed in the circle for the activity.
Hilary

[Westlake]

Activity Circus - use the countdown clock (set on Repeat, with a sound prompt as the Action) to manage the time for a number of activities during a period.
Students can see the remaining time for a task, everybody knows when it is time to move to the next activity AND all the time periods are equal.
I always used to slip behind time and the last activity was usually severely shortened..
Hilary

[simongreen]

Thanks for these excellent ideas, Hilary.

Yes, the Clock tool is an ideal way to let everyone know exactly how long is left for an activity - including the teachers!

Hopefully, it can add a bit of pace to a task, which could help to keep students focussed.

[Dug]

This has come up elsewhere.
It can be useful to get the clock to play a sound when it reaches 0 such as the theme tune for countdown or Mission Impossible.

[LisaD]

I saw a high school art teacher in Forsyth County use the count-down clock when the students were doing hands-on art.

She set the timer so that it went off 10 minutes prior to the end of class. At that time, the timer sounded and I THINK it went to a new page where it told the kids to clean up their stuff and get ready to change classes.

She said it was a great classroom management tool because it freed her up to be working with the individual students instead of worrying about the time!

Lisa

[52550]

I agree!!![clap]

[5159]

Thank you for the great idea for the teaching tip.

[kathleen]

One teacher in Connecticut who is new to the ActivClassroom uses the countdown clock and tickertape as a combination to assign a warm up activity for the 7th grade math class. The problems are posted on the ActivBoard with directions across the top of the screen as a tickertape. The clock counts down to mark the end of the warm up time. It is a great way to have students come in and engage in the lesson.

[mrsb]

I use the clock in different ways: If we are taking a quiz or test I set the time and have it count down. When time is up, the page goes to the next blank page after the buzzer sounds. I use the same method when I place notes on the board to be copied into notebooks. When the students have a partner or group activity, they are told in advance how much time they have to complete it, and the clock is placed on the board so that I don't need to verbally remind them. It's also handy when we do game show/team formats to review notes or skills. Each team has a few seconds to answer the question posted on the board, and then the buzzer sounds. The students have really been managing themselves better when it comes to staying on task because the clock is visible.