Menu of diversified workpapers.
The menu of diversified workpapers extended over approximately six classes interspersed with explicit teaching. Some choice was extended to students in connection with which workpapers they could complete, although the highlighted sheets were compulsory. This enabled students to “get on the bus”. This is a Peter Liljedahl term my mentor teacher and other teachers in the school used following a professional development session they completed and on which after discussions with my mentor teacher, I based the menu series on.
After each lesson, I collected the workpapers, made notes or next steps hinted in red so students could progress. I would then circle around the room and offer verbal feedback and support to keep students progressing forwards through the menu. I maintained a spreadsheet to keep track of the completed workpapers and followed up with the class and with individual students when they were at risk of not completing the required must do worksheets in time.
For the most part, the sequence worked well and I would definitely do it again. I would in the future make the earlier workpapers simpler, with fewer words and I would make sure that extension students received verbal as well as written feedback even if they appeared to be confident.
