Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 14 Instructional Methods 323 For example, a teacher may ask students to take out a piece of paper and write about what they have just learned in their own words. A teacher can also use reflective responses at the beginning of a lesson to capture a learner’s attention. In this way, reflective responses can give a teacher a sense of where the students are in their learning. They can then build on what students already know. Reflective responses offer students the opportu- nity to be thoughtful and insightful and can be either written or spoken. Figure 14.15 offers some tips for writing reflective responses. Labs Labs offer students the opportunity to work with materials, ideas, people, or processes to solve a given problem. For example, kindergartners may plant seeds to experiment with the effects of sunlight and water—or the lack of them—on growth. Middle school students may experiment with the effects of discrimination through a con- trolled environment that takes away privileges of some members. Basically, there are two types of labs used by teachers. A productive lab focuses on producing an end product. For example, a middle school stu- dent may produce a children’s book written in ele- mentary Spanish, or a third grader may produce a replica of the solar system. A high school student in a culinary program may produce three kinds of appetizers. Another type of lab, the experimental lab, uses a formal process to research a problem. This type of lab is common in scientific experiments (Figure 14.16). The teacher gives students a problem and they must find an answer through experimentation. Because they are experiment- ing, specific results are not always a guarantee. The question, “What will happen if…” motivates learners in experimental labs. Labs require careful planning. Teachers act as planners and organizers, as well as managers, during the lab activity. Clear instructions are essential. It takes practice to accurately estimate the amount of time students will need to com- plete a lab activity. In experimental labs, safety may be a concern. Teachers must consider stu- dents, equipment, and facilities along with established rules. Although labs can be expen- sive in terms of time, materials, and resources, they can provide excellent opportunities for learning. Tips for Writing Reflective Responses ■ Carefully read the question or response guidelines. Note any required specifications, such as length requests. ■ Define your audience or reader. ■ Read, watch, or experience the prompt you are to reflect on. ■ Jot down notes on your personal experiences, feelings, and response to the prompt. ■ Organize your initial thoughts into a personal response. This could include your emotions, experiences, opinions, beliefs, and values that reflect or contrast with the prompt. Remember, this response should reflect you, not someone else. It should be from your personal perspective. ■ Justify your responses or develop your ideas by giving examples from your life, or sometimes the content presented in class materials. ■ Review and evaluate for clarity. Figure 14.15 Students learn to think deeply when writing reflective responses, which allows the teacher to assess their level of learning. HASLOO/iStock/Getty Images Figure 14.16 In experimental labs, students work together to research a problem and find an answer through experimentation.