Thinking Out Loud: Hands Down Classrooms

This week one of my ECT's was reflecting with me that they want their A Level English lessons to be more seminar style, more free flow of discussion to break the students' reliance on the right and wrong answers.

She had been trying to do this since the start of the year, but with no real impact. I saw a lightbulb go off for her as I explained that she needed to break a habit of their (educational) lifetime. Since reception, or maybe even nursery, our children are trained to put their hand up before they can speak. If they shout out, they are reprimanded and reminded of the social etiquette that is expected. To suddenly tell a group of polite, socially conforming 16 year olds that they no longer need to put their hand up is a significant behavioural change. I reassured her that just because it isn't working yet, doesn't mean it won't, but she will need to continue to develop the culture of her lessons to support this style of lesson.

I know that the true idea of a Cold Calling classroom is to create a culture where students don't put their hands up at all. That all students know that questions will be pushed around the room and anyone can be asked at any time - but how many of us are really doing this?

I am also exploring the notion that my classroom is not inquisitive enough... is our cautious right/wrong culture part of the problem?

Do you have seminar style lessons in your teaching?

Do you have a true cold calling environment?

What are the key elements to this way of teaching?