See One, Do One, Teach One

Should teaching follow a medical model?

SODOTO (See One, Do One, Teach One) is an apprenticeship model of teaching and learning skills through direct observation of a task, hands-on practical experience performing the task and then teaching the task to another person.

In the late nineteenth century, William Stewart Halsted deployed the see one, do one, teach one method to train students in Johns Hopkins University’s surgical residency programme.

This seeing, doing and teaching methodology is traditionally associated with surgery but it could be a system for teachers to use in their classrooms with colleagues and pupils.

When we demonstrate something in class then it is imperative that pupils get to ‘have a go’ too otherwise they are just spectators. Although that isn’t always practical, most times it is.

Pupils need that experience and to increase their independence further they need to test what they know by teaching someone else. They can then see whether they know what they think they know especially when they start to get questions from their peers!

Acquiring increasing amounts of independence early-doors is essential and in classrooms this fortunately isn’t a life and death situation.

This three step prescription also works for teachers in training or for colleagues teaching a new area they are less confident in or have no experience in.

Bottom-line: whatever you are learning you need to have ownership and that means getting hands-on and having a go.

Does SODOTO cut it for you?