Who else has the same 3 to 5 students doing ALL the participating in a lesson? This was a problem I struggled with for a long time. I tried to give wait time, encourage new voices, include think-pair-share, and a variety of other strategies. When I came across these little flip charts at ReallyGoodStuff.com, I wanted to give them a try. Students place these on their desktops with one side facing me and one side facing them. Each time an individual participates (volunteers), he/she can flip a page and change the 3 into a 2, or the 2 into a 1, or the 1 into a 0! I set a goal of reaching 0 by lunchtime. While it hasn’t been a magical tool that has everyone participating, it certainly has encouraged many more students to get involved. I have students store these away in their math folders before we head to lunch and have been able to keep them in good enough shape to reuse for 3 years. These participation flip charts really help me as a teacher make sure I am calling on a variety of students and reflecting on why others may be more reluctant. It’s a great tool!