I do not know…

I cannot…

I do not remember…

These are all common phrases in the classroom.  I want my students to understand that it is acceptable to make mistakes and to not know the material.  They are in my class to learn.  I will have a YET BOX that will have response phrases in it.  When my students say, “I don’t know’” or “I can’t remember,” I want them to follow the phrase with the word ‘yet.’  “I don’t know yet.”  When they say yet, I will pull out my YET BOX and the student will pull out a response to the remark that they made.  I will have responses like:

…but I will look in my book

…but I will look it up online

…but I will ask a friend

…but I will ask the teacher

I believe that this technique will encourage the students to pay closer attention.  It will also activate students to explore the answer themselves.  By looking in a book or online students are gaining the information they need and will be able to report what they found to the class.  By asking for help students understand that they do not have to know everything and it is acceptable to ask for assistance.  I believe that asking the students to be active in the learning process will eliminate the opportunities for students to just say, “I don’t know.”  They will understand that I don’t know is the beginning of the learning process.