Converting ‘Fast Finishers’ Into Self-Directed Learners
<p>“I’m done, what’s next?” In every classroom, a handful of students will finish the work at warp speed. While the rest of the class is still mid-task, teachers must quickly pivot to keep the fast finishers busy, without missing an instructional beat.</p>
<p>Former K-12 teacher Todd Finley argues this challenge presents a golden opportunity. “Instead of asking the question: ‘How do I keep fast finishers busy?’ the question should be: ‘Am I providing them with activities that are really meaningful?’” he says.</p>
<p>In this episode of School of Practice, Finley, a professor of English education at East Carolina University, shares flexible, low-prep strategies for keeping speed racers engaged in meaningful work that’s immersive and challenging. Plus: Logistical tips for busy classrooms, and pointers for aligning tasks to classroom objectives.</p>
<p>Related resources:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.edutopia.org/article/fast-finishers-school-keeping-students-any-grade-engaged">Your Student Finished Early—Now What?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://teachwithouttears.com/early-finisher-activities-your-students-will-love/">Early Finisher Activities Your Students Will Love</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/39/39/7722">The Representation of Semantic Information Across Human Cerebral Cortex During Listening Versus Reading Is Invariant to Stimulus Modality</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.edutopia.org/article/we-drastically-underestimate-importance-brain-breaks/">We Drastically Underestimate the Importance of Brain Breaks</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.routledge.com/Classroom-Cheat-Codes-Effective-Teaching-Strategies-to-Power-Up-Engagement/Finley/p/book/9781041045557?srsltid=AfmBOooS2sO2K9wWd306H8P9pOZdk9xuVs1EqgB2WLayah4DL-pUAU_G">Classroom Cheat Codes: Effective Teaching Strategies to Power-Up Engagement</a></li>
</ul>
