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Drops
in the Bucket may be used in different ways depending
on your teaching style and classroom organization. Used
as the first assignment of the day, they assure a successful
and orderly start. They are great in learning centers,
as independent seatwork, or for cooperative learning teams.
Parents love them as homework! Drops in the Bucket
are also wonderful daily assessment tools.
Getting Started
FIRST DAY: Explain how practicing a little each day, every
day, strengthens any skill or habit until it is mastered.
Just as a bucket fills and runs over with just one drop
at a time falling into it, people become skillful with
short frequent practice sessions. This works for physical
skills, sports, music, technology, and job skills. It
works for math, reading, spelling, and writing! It even
works for the really important character skills such as
courtesy, honesty, courage, and kindness. Discuss this
drops-in-the-bucket concept of acquiring skills with your
class. Then to solidify the lesson, have each student
draw a picture that illustrates mastering a skill by using
the power of repeated, spaced practice.
SECOND DAY: Tell students how Math Drops
in the Bucket will help them become masters of math
through frequent short reviews. Distribute copies or show
a transparency of lesson 1. Explain and demonstrate how
to do each part of the lesson. Even though you are reviewing,
thoroughly reteach each skill and have children explain
the thinking processes they use to get the answers. To
conclude the lesson, direct students to independently
write the answers and turn in their papers. Follow this
procedure for three to five days until you are certain
that your students know what to do and how to do it.
Students will soon become familiar with
the directions and be able to work independently. Reinforce
their eagerness to work on their own. Teach the meaning
of the word independent. Give examples. Have the students
give examples of things they can do independently this
year that they couldn’t do independently a year
ago. Doing tasks independently proves that they are growing
up. Tell them that they are doing so well that they may
now do their Drops in the Bucket independently each day.
Display the names of students who have gotten perfect
papers. They may act as consultants to any student who
asks for assistance. Part of independence is taking the
responsibility to find and use help when you need it.
Want more perfect papers? Any student who
gets a perfect paper earns the privilege for the next
day of skipping the day’s Drop. Instead,
the student may wear an assistant teacher button and give
help when it is requested by a classmate. While others
are doing the Drop, the student may use the Frog
Classroom Learning Games or other enrichment activities.
Each-One-Teach-One! Every child loves to
play school if he gets to be the teacher! After all students
have completed the day’s lesson and turned in their
papers, use an overhead projector to display a copy of
the day’s Drops in the Bucket lesson without
the answers. Remind the class that teaching is not just
telling the answers; teaching means helping others see
how to find the answers. Ten student “teachers”
teach one skill each, standing at the front by the screen,
using a pointer and their best teaching style. There are
two rules for Each-One-Teach-One. (1) “Teachers”
may call only on those who courteously raise their hands.
(2) “Students” must point their hands, nose,
knees and toes toward the teacher. This puts them in a
posture for focused attention.
Each-one-teach-one takes only about
ten minutes and brings many benefits. It is fun, increases
cooperative spirit, reinforces learning, and provides
an opportunity for students to build important communication
skills. Just before or after doing Each-One-Teach-One,
give examples from family and career situations of the
value and importance of being able to teach or explain
calmly and clearly. Take the role of “student”
occasionally to ask questions which prompt the “teacher”
to explain well. Then stand back and watch your students
teach! You may even learn something about your own teaching
style as your students imitate you!
Mini-Groups! While the class works independently
on Drops in the Bucket, the teacher can work
for a few minutes with small groups of students or individuals
who need additional instruction in one of the skill areas.
Meet with the same students and work on the same skill
for three to five days for three to five minutes each
day.
Systematic Reinforcement Programs! Students earn
one point for each section of Drops completed
without error. (No partial credits are given.) Use the
points as part of a systematic reinforcement program for
individuals, or strive for a composite class goal. For
young children, set a goal that students will reach within
a week. Older children’s goals can take several weeks
to achieve. When the class goal is achieved, you could
have a 20-minute celebration with simple refreshments
and fun math games. You might invite the principal, the
PE teacher, or some other favorite adult to be a guest
at the celebration.
Warp Speed Ahead! Always begin with Drops
in the Bucket at the student’s independent level.
If in doubt about the level, start with the easier level.
As your class develops confidence, tell them that they
are doing so well that you will let them go twice as fast
as normal for one week. Students do two pages per day–perhaps
even numbered Drops in school, odd numbered Drops
at home. At the end of the week you may allow them to
continue traveling at warp speed for another week! The
practice and joy they experience at the lower level (along
with your good teaching) will prepare them for success
at the next level of Drops.
Test Preparation! Schedule Drops in
the Bucket for use in your class every day during
the weeks which precede standardized testing dates to
give confidence and prepare students.
Individualized Educational Plans! Include
Drops in the Bucket in individualized educational
plans beginning at each student’s independent level.
In individualized classrooms with enthusiastic students,
a perfect paper entitles the student to an opportunity
to leap ahead by doing two Drops the next day.
If either or both of those are perfect, he may do two
pages again, but never more than two pages per day. This
allows an enthusiastic student the opportunity to move
at a quicker pace. |
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