Lately, I stood on the entrance of my classroom, giving directions for an project. After I requested for questions, a scholar raised his hand to ask one thing that I’d already gone over. Earlier than I might reply, a pal of his shouted out, “She already answered that! That’s a yellow card!”
I’d heard bits and items of the yellow card technique one of many lecturers on my staff had applied in her classroom. However to listen to a scholar apply the system within the context of one other class additional piqued my curiosity. In any case, the necessity to repeat instructions is likely one of the banes of any trainer’s existence. And people day by day questions? The “what time is lunch?” or “where do I turn this in?” They will make even the calmest trainer’s blood boil. I wanted to take a more in-depth have a look at yellow playing cards.
The origin of the yellow card
In speaking to seventh grade language arts trainer Christina Herrick, I realized about how and why she started utilizing yellow playing cards in her classroom. In reflecting on her motivations for the system, Christina shares, “I noticed that students were relying on me to solve problems that I knew they could solve themselves. For example, finding supplies, identifying which resources they can use, what to do next, etcetera.”
Did you end up nodding in settlement? These are fairly typical questions within the center faculty classroom—however that doesn’t make them any extra welcome. Quite than reside with the annoyance, Christina took issues into her personal fingers. Enter: the yellow card.
Giving out yellow playing cards
A yellow card, I came upon, was nothing greater than a bit of yellow scrap paper given to a scholar who requested a query that they had the assets to reply on their very own. “I started by ‘yellow carding’ students on a one-on-one basis,” Christina shared. Her script for delivering a yellow card was alongside the strains of, “I am giving you this yellow card because I know you can solve this on your own. What resource could you use to help you solve it?”
That’s it. There’s no documentation of who has earned yellow playing cards, accumulation of yellow playing cards to earn a bigger consequence, or communication to households. And in contrast to the extremely controversial clip chart, there is no such thing as a public show of yellow playing cards. Asking an answerable query is the only motive for a yellow card. It isn’t supposed to handle different behaviors, be used as a punitive measure, or used with college students with IEPs or 504s associated to government functioning. Christina emphasizes the significance of scholars realizing yellow playing cards should not a punishment. She shared that when college students have been capable of finding the reply to their query, she “followed it up with LOTS of positive praise!”
As soon as the system was in place, Christina started to provide yellow playing cards non-verbally. The paper spoke for itself, and college students knew they have been chargeable for discovering the reply themselves.
Do yellow playing cards actually work?
So, does this method work? And will it truly result in a discount in college students asking redundant questions in your classroom?
Each Christina and her college students have seen a constructive change within the classroom for the reason that implementation of yellow playing cards. And whereas the occasional already-answered query nonetheless pops up, Christina stories they’ve considerably declined. She stories that college students “are much more reflective and try to solve their own problems before asking for help, raising their hands, or approaching me. They don’t want yellow cards and try to avoid them at all costs! The biggest impact has been the metacognitive reflection students are pausing to use before asking questions. They are asking themselves, ‘can I solve this myself?’ before instantly asking!”
Getting college students concerned
After seeing the constructive response to yellow playing cards, Christina tweaked the system to advertise scholar involvement. In some class intervals, she has handed off the duty of issuing yellow playing cards to college students. Whereas this would possibly create a priority of abuse of energy, Christina stories this isn’t the case.
“After a month or so,” she shares, “some students became ‘yellow card’ officers and would hand out yellow cards to students who needed them. Others became ‘teaching assistants’ who were students identified as GREAT experts to help solve problems.”
The scholars entrusted with this duty take it critically. It additionally means they’re particularly attentive throughout instructions and nicely versed in classroom routines and procedures. For college students who need the coveted job of yellow card officer or educating assistant, they have to first reveal their competency in following instructions and adhering to expectations.
In the event you determine with the wrestle of managing redundant questions out of your center schoolers, or are on the lookout for a method to encourage self-sufficiency, yellow playing cards might need a spot in your classroom!