What is the 3 Before You See me Strategy Anyway?
The 3 Before You See Me Strategy is a strategy to help students build self-confidence and resilience in the classroom. This strategy is IDEAL for students who struggle with processing directions, self-starting, and self-doubt in the classroom.
Often a student that struggles with these issues in the classroom might ask redundant or multiple questions right after the class has reviewed instructions or directions.
They may also not be able to self-start after directions have been given and may sit at their desk and insist they don’t know what to do, although they listened to the directions. This type of student might also doubt their ability to complete work or admit they lost focus during the teacher explaining directions.
Before I started using the 3 Before Me Strategy I use to struggle to help these students in my classroom. I would either go through all the directions with the class again to help the struggling student. But this resulted in wasting the time of the other students who were ready to work. Or I would work directly with the student supporting them and trying to build their confidence, but I would then have no time to help other students.
Once I started using the 3 Before You See Me Strategy I was able to give students who struggled with focus, self-confidence, or self-starting a way to help themselves before giving up or asking the teacher for help. Giving students a plan for what to do when they were feeling helpless gave them more self-confidence to take risks and engage in their work. If students still needed to see me for questions, I found they were able to articulate what they needed help with more clearly, because they had already thought through the strategy and tried to engage in the work themselves.
Here are the strategy steps I use in my classroom. I created a handout for students to keep in their binders & I also created signs to post in my classroom. If you are interested in my posters or handouts you can find them in my TPT store.
Before You See Me YOU CAN…
- I CAN re-read the agenda and objective
- I CAN re-read the directions on the hand-out or rubric
- I CAN ask a neighbor or partner for help
- Still, have a question…ask the teacher for help
These may seem like obvious steps, but helping students to reflect on simple steps they can take to access the information around them helps them find success in figuring out how to help themselves in a moment of frustration them or overwhelm.
How This Strategy Helps Students
1.Builds skills and academic resilience
2. Students reflect on personal learning style
3.Helps students to take a moment to slow down and process
4. Helps students hone the actual question they have for the teacher.
Want to Try the 3 Before Me Strategy in Your Classroom?
If you would like to try this strategy out in your classroom checkout the printables I have made to go along with this strategy.
Thanks for Reading
Happy Teaching!
Sincerely,
Jenny
