Pass the Buck
Students sitting in a circle, build on earlier comments to construct the group’s understanding of a particular topic or concept. Pass the Buck is a whole class discussion structure which requires that students listen carefully to others and synthesize and summarize the information offered by the group. The teacher can either direct the discussion calling on specific students to respond, or after the discussion has begun, allow students to “pass the buck” to a classmate of their choice.
Implementation
1. Carefully review the idea, situation, concept, event, or condition that you want to use as the focus for discussion.
2. Select a topic and present it to the class as a clear focus for discussion.
Classroom Management
1. Write the question or statement so that it can be seen by all students. This could take the form of a writing prompt or Sentence Stem.<?xml:namespace prefix =" o" ns =" "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"" />
2. Give students the opportunity to record three things that they know about the topic.
3. Select students to serve as the Recorders and Summarizers of key ideas and central issues.
4. Review the rules for Pass the Buck:
A. What has been said by another student cannot be repeated. However, it can be referenced, as in “I agree with what Maria said about President Obama’s views on the economy, but I don’t think that…”
B. Feel free to comment on what a classmate says, but not to criticize.
C. Focus on the views expressed and not the person expressing them.
D. It is permissible to pass, but only one time.
E. When you are not speaking, you must be listening.
5. Randomly select a student to begin the discussion.
6. Call on the next student for comment or allow the preceding student to “pass the buck” to a fellow student of their choice.
7. After the Pass the Buck discussion has reached its course, talk about any student misconceptions that surfaced during the discussion or obvious gaps in understanding.
8. Suggested Formative Assessment: What’s Still Confusing Me
