Technique #24: Pepper (a variation on Technique # 22 Cold Call)

     The majority of my implemented engagement techniques come from Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov. Technique #22 Cold Call (pp.111-123) is a great way to keep students on their toes and paying attention because they never know who might get called on. However, with Cold Call you're only getting feedback from one student.  Instead of just using Cold Call, I blend it with Technique #24 Pepper (pp. 131-134).  Pepper derives its name from the warm-up practice used in baseball where the ball is thrown and hit randomly at a fast pace.  For the little sluggers in the classroom, Pepper is when a teacher calls on several students at random, one after the other.  This allows for students who may have been Cold Called and answered incorrectly to get a chance at redemption by listening to a peer answer correctly and then answer correctly themselves.   

Technique #22: Pepper in Action:  

     When using Pepper in my classroom, five students answer the same question in fast succession.  First, I call on a student who raised their hand, then call on a student who did not raise their hand to check to see if they were also able to answer the question.  If that student is unable to answer, I call on a different person who had their hand raised, have them answer, then return to the second student to have them answer again.  Each time I ask a question, I call on at least five different students to give the answer, before the whole class answers the question chorally.  By doing this, I ensure that each student is called on at least once during the 30 minute math lesson.  Because students never know when I am going to call on them, they pay closer attention to the lesson.  By maintaining a lively pace, students have less of an opportunity to lose focus.  For example, if my low achieving students are still writing an equation and the rest of the class is finished, rather than have them sit and wait, I begin a Pepper sequence.  Hearing the number sentence repeated helps the lower students write the sentence by connecting auditory processing to visual, and those students who are finished remain engaged.