Prep Your Rep

As a math coach I'm in many classes, so it's hard to pick a favorite thing. There are so many awesome things that happen in a day, even during a single class period so how do you pick one.  I really enjoy when students collaborate and help each other. I've worked with several teachers this year to help with student collaboration using group roles and a strategy called "prep your rep".
When I walk into any of these rooms students are working together asking each other questions and solving problems together.  They have learned to help one another, share ideas and help make sure all team mates are understanding the task or problem they are working on.
Students "prep their rep" to share out. Since teachers call on students randomly all students need to be prepared to answer and share what their group discussed.  It's great to see how they work together to make sure all members of the team can give a clear articulate answer.
Of course the teacher is circulating and facilitating the class, asking student questions to push their level of thinking.  Sometimes students stumble when giving an answer as the process is still new for students to spend so much time collaborating, sharing their answers and reasoning for their answers.  As the year has gone on students have done well sharing their reasoning and are realizing that their responses and their thinking process is just as important as their answers.
Students score each other's responses based on a 4 point rubric and will later tie in the SMP's once they have spent some time share answers and building up to 4 point scores.