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Ask three before me poster (free printable)

Four steps for a student who is stuck: think and reread, look around the room, ask three classmates, then ask the teacher. Edit the words and post it near your desk.

Printed on the sheet. Leave it empty to write by hand.
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Ask Three Before Me, page 1Ask Three Before Me1Think and rereadRead the directions again andtry it2Look around theroomCheck the board, the charts andyour notes3Ask threeclassmatesQuietly, one at a time4Then ask meShow me what you have tried

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About this sheet

When twenty-five students need help at the same moment, a line forms at the teacher's desk, and the students at the back of the line are not working. This poster gives them a path of four things to do first. It begins with the cheapest, trying again and rereading, moves to looking at the walls for an anchor chart, and only then to a classmate, three if need be, before the teacher. The icons show each step at a glance. The point is not to shut the door on questions but to make sure that a question reaching you is a real one, and that students have the habit of solving problems with the resources around them.

Grades: 1 to 6. Best in: August, September.

How to use it

  1. Edit the four steps if you like, and decide what counts as a classmate to ask in your room: the table, a helper, or anyone who is free.
  2. Print and post the poster beside your desk and near the independent work area, and teach the steps with a role play.
  3. When a student comes to you first, point to the poster and ask which step they are on. Praise any step they already tried.

Five ideas for class

  1. Role play it with a student who is stuck on a worksheet, and have the class call out each step in order as you walk through them.
  2. Name some classroom experts at the start of each unit, students who can be asked about a particular skill, so asking a classmate has somewhere to go.
  3. Teach what a good question sounds like: show me what you tried is better than I don't get it. Post a few examples of both.
  4. Keep a Stuck? card on each desk for students to flip when they are on the third step, so you know who needs a visit without a line.
  5. Thank the student who answered a question: help given is a skill worth noticing in front of the class.

Related

Questions

Will students stop asking me questions?

No, and they should not. The poster helps them try the quickest options first, so the questions you get are more useful. Make it clear that a real need is always welcome.

Does it work for young children?

For kindergarten and first grade, try two steps instead of four: look around, ask a friend, then the teacher. Edit the lines to two.

What if a classmate gives the answer?

Teach the difference between helping and telling. A helper says what they did and lets the other student finish the work.

How do I save it as a PDF?

Choose Print, then pick “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints: the page around it is hidden. You can also save a sheet as a PNG image under the preview.

Can I print it in black and white?

Yes. Switch to Black and white beside the sheet: fills turn white and lines turn black, so it saves ink and photocopies cleanly.

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