Early in my teaching life, I used to get upset when kids would bring their work saying they have "finished". Now I know why. Because most often, when you looked at their work, it is far from finished. It is poorly done and not enough efforts was put-in. In fact that is why it got over so early. So I came to dread this word - Finish.
One day when a child said "I am finished", I joked and asked, "Are you from Finland ? then why are you saying I am Finish". I send the child back to edit his work. But they are smart kids. This prank worked for a some time, then another kid submitted his half-done work and said "I am done". Well I then asked "Are you from Denmark ? then why are you saying I am Done ?" and I send him back. I began to ask, 'Are you Indian or not ?'
It is important that children see their work as not "done" when it could be improved, till the period bell rings. Too often children don't re-visit their own work. Their first thought is their last thought. They even think it is unfair to ask them to revise. We teachers are equally happy to just get submissions done. But while checking the notebooks or papers, we wonder, 'why, he/she could have done better'.
Calling children - Finish and Done was my way to send them back to review their own writing. Then one day, a kid in the class said, we should instead say Improve ! for we are Indians. I couldn't have said it better.
Now in my class, kids are reluctant to say 'finish', because others send them back saying don't be Finish be Indian. Some even say 'we are improving' when they are done and stare at their work, touching it here and there. So this has gone into the meme that - to be Indian means to Improve !
PS : No offense intended to Fins or Danes.
One day when a child said "I am finished", I joked and asked, "Are you from Finland ? then why are you saying I am Finish". I send the child back to edit his work. But they are smart kids. This prank worked for a some time, then another kid submitted his half-done work and said "I am done". Well I then asked "Are you from Denmark ? then why are you saying I am Done ?" and I send him back. I began to ask, 'Are you Indian or not ?'
It is important that children see their work as not "done" when it could be improved, till the period bell rings. Too often children don't re-visit their own work. Their first thought is their last thought. They even think it is unfair to ask them to revise. We teachers are equally happy to just get submissions done. But while checking the notebooks or papers, we wonder, 'why, he/she could have done better'.
Calling children - Finish and Done was my way to send them back to review their own writing. Then one day, a kid in the class said, we should instead say Improve ! for we are Indians. I couldn't have said it better.
Now in my class, kids are reluctant to say 'finish', because others send them back saying don't be Finish be Indian. Some even say 'we are improving' when they are done and stare at their work, touching it here and there. So this has gone into the meme that - to be Indian means to Improve !
PS : No offense intended to Fins or Danes.
These kids are so lucky to have you around, Pradeep da!
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