As teachers attempt to do help students self evaluate their own progress on a new or review concept in class, one method that might work is the comfort and confidence approach. With three different stations preset up in the room, students are asked to select their comfort and confidence level after an introductory lesson. For example, an English teacher may give a brief three minute lesson about the difference between active and passive voice. Presented with a 10 question practice exercise, the students then move to one of three spaces in the room:
- Green. This space in the room is for students who already understand the concept. From past experience or from the brief lesson, these students are confident that they understand the assignment and are literally signaling that they can do the 10 question practice exercise without any further teacher assistance.
- Yellow. This area of the room, as indicated by the middle color on a traditional traffic stop light, is for students are in the middle. They kind of get the concept, but still may have some questions. By moving to the center of the room, they are communicating that they could benefit from further assistance from either the teacher or a student who has confidently placed themselves in the green zone.
- Red. Students who move to this area of the classroom have not yet mastered the concept. This is the area of the room where the teacher moves to as well. Offering more examples to explain the concept, the teacher can meet with individual students who have signaled that they need this guidance.
Pedicatic Clinics Offer Various Levels of Care
Teachers, of course, are not the only adults who have the task of assessing their young charges. Pediatric clinics across the country are also known for seeing patients for various levels of care. Everything from well child visits to doctors appointments that require x-rays and other more complicated diagnosis needs, pediatric clinics are a common stop for many parents and grandparents. And while few things are more scary than a sick infant in the middle of the night, it is comforting to know that today’s pediatric clinics often have after hour nurse phone lines that can help parents know whether they need to go to an after hours location or if they can wait to make an appointment during regular office hours.
Not every health condition, however, is as simple as the bold colors that are shown on a traffic light. Instead, there are exact observations that are typically needed to make sure that every patient receives the level of care that is required. For this reason, most visits to see a doctor at one of many pediatric clinics begins with a health assessment that is typically conducted by a nurse, a med student, or other well trained professional. As the nation continues to deal with the fact that there are more and more people with access to health care, of course, getting the appointments that you need can become more and more difficult.
Among the many reasons why parents want to make sure the they have a great relationship with the doctors and nurses at their own pediatric clinics is so they can understand answers to some very important questions. At the top of the list for many parents today is the apparent controversy around childhood immunizations. Without the guidance of a well trained and informed doctor, in fact, parents can fall victim to non scientific information that can put a child, and an entire family, at risk.
In 2016, 91.1% of U.S. children between ages 12 and 17 were vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). Today, anti cancers risk put many other families at risk when they continue to cling to unfounded information about the dangers of routine vaccinations and immunizations. In addition to understanding what kinds of shots are needed, local pediatric doctors also help parents determine when a child has a simple cold that needs to be allowed to run its course, and when there are other health care steps needed.
The rate of colds triples in the winter, so it should come as no surprise that as the weather begins to turn and more students are back in the classroom, a pediatric visit may be in your future.