Promoting the Power of Pause

Angie Hall

High School Math

Lee County

What’s the Problem?

• Many students struggle to understand and retain information.
• Using notes as a resource does not come naturally to most students.
• Students believe they “can’t do math.”

Survey Says…

Fall 2023 Class Survey Results

Why is the problem a problem?

• Rushing instruction in order to “cover” topics
• Incorrect assumptions about what students already know or how quickly they will grasp a concept
• Lack of focused opportunity to stop and reflect on learning

There’s a Tool for That

THE POWER OF PAUSE

Cornerstone 4: Developing a Culture of Thinking and Learning

Tools for a Successful School Year ©2016 by Silver Strong & Associates

Why This Tool?

• Versatility
• Ease of Implementation
• Habit Development

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Power of Pause – “A tool that highlights the power of simple

pauses to promote thinking and learning.”

(Silver, Perini, & Boutz (2016) Tools for a Successful School Year, pg. 98 Silver Strong and Associates.)

The Big Question

How will utilizing the Power of Pause affect students’ confidence in the classroom and perception of their own learning?

Methodology

• Introduce January 2024
• Implement in all Geometry classes January-March
• Collect student reflections, survey responses, and observation notes
• “In what ways has pausing made you a better learner?”  
• “In what ways has pausing increased your confidence as a math student?”

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Expectations

• students who are confident that they CAN learn math
• increased retention and understanding

Implementation Examples

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Implementation Examples

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Implementation Examples

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Implementation Examples

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Implementation Examples

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Well…how did it go?

• Broad Spectrum – well
• Specific Goals – not as well

Quantitative Results

1.  When my math teacher asks a question or gives a problem to the whole class, I try to figure out the answer. 

2.  When my math teacher asks a question or gives a problem to the whole class, I assume I can answer correctly.

3.  When my math teacher asks a question or gives me a problem to solve, I stop, think about it, and give my best effort trying to figure it out. 

4.  When my teacher gives notes to teach a lesson, I assume I will be able to look back at the notes and use them to help me solve a problem later.

5.  When my teacher is teaching a lesson, I feel like I can easily let her know if I am lost or she needs to slow down.

• Survey Scale: Never, Sometimes, Most of the Time, All the Time
• Survey showed no significant improvement.

Quantitative Results

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91% of students responded that using “The Power of Pause” would benefit future classes.

Qualitative Results

Student Question: What is the Power of Pause?

THINK FIRST!

Qualitative Results

Student Question: In what ways has the Power of Pause made you a better

learner?

REDUCE

IMPULSIVITY!

BENEFIT FROM SILENCE!

Qualitative Results

Student Question: Do you think you will use the Power of Pause in the future?

VERSATILITY!

Observation Notes

• Generally positive response and high participation rate to each type of formal pause
• Noticed opportunities to pause frequently, planned and unplanned…even found ourselves pausing during tennis practice
• One student described their use of “pause” in an unprompted written response on an assignment

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From Me:

Observation Notes

• Saw students “processing” before answering
• Noticed that students felt they were in control and had ownership of their responses and roles in discussion
• Plans to use it in her own classroom because of the way it increased student willingness to engage

From My Resource Teacher:

Observation Notes

• Liked that it took away the competition aspect of trying to get a quick answer
• Has already used it in her own classroom to help students dig deeper, think more broadly, and reduce impulsivity
• Saw how it could be used in a variety of settings, including helping teens deal with their emotions

From My Co-Teacher:

Next Steps

• Introduce the Power of Pause immediately in future classes and teach students to use it regularly, formally and informally
• Narrow the focus of pauses to 3-4 specific benefits
• Apply the Power of Pause myself! Allow for frequent check ins and opportunities to think and reflect before rushing on to a new topic or problem
• Share the tool and its impact with peers during my next coaching opportunity

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Thank You!

The Deeper Learning Coaching Academy has been one of the most beneficial series of trainings that I have ever been a part of. I am excited to add even more of the tools to my collection of “go to” strategies, and I look forward to sharing them with others. I appreciate the opportunity to take a leadership role in this area. It’s always fun to share something that works!

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