Use Cards to Call on Students

When I realized that I was unintentionally disengaging from some students, I developed a classroom management practice that ensures equal participation and on-the-fly formative assessments. I use a deck of playing cards, each of which is marked with a student's name, to determine who will answer the next question. The deck randomizes participation and shows my students that I am not subjectively skipping them or "picking on" someone. The deck is the arbiter and it contributes to an engaged classroom culture; there is no option to pass on a question. Everyone in the class participates equally. My name goes into the deck as well to demonstrate that I am also accountable for participating in the business of learning.

Uses a discard pile to track who's been called on.