Teaching article
Time a process without turning children into competitors
Measure or discuss the duration of a process rather than ranking participants by speed.
A duration investigation can compare how a specified process works. Keep the process, timing rule and conditions clear, and avoid treating a child's finishing speed as a measure of learning or worth.
Time the agreed process under comparable conditions. Faster completion should not be treated as proof of better participation or learning.
What exactly starts and stops the timer?
Timing a paper model's standing period measures a specified test, not which learner is most capable.
Agree what starts and ends the timing. Record the process duration. Compare repeated trials thoughtfully.
Fast completion is not a general ability measure.
Were the start and finish criteria consistent? Offer a seated timer or recorder role.
Resources
- Reflection Journal Template — Use the blank reflection space for observations; write the measurement units and setup separately.
Further reading
Read next
- Read a temperature record with its unit and context
- A tie is a result; a missing response is not a preference
- Find the whole repeating unit, not just the next item
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