Video: Experts take over Jigsaw experience at Richards

This video, the last and likely the best of our series, profiling the "Jigsaw" experience -- a form of Socratic seminar -- led by teacher Joyce Cruse in her Advanced Placement U.S. History classes at Richards High School illustrates the intensity with which students must prepare for this day.

They must read a number of background articles to become familiar with a topic.  They also read an “expert” article in which they bear responsibility for educating classmates on a particular facet of an event or issue.    

“They’re expected to complete an analysis of their Expert article by summarizing main ideas and identifying key issues,” Cruse said.

Students then create discussion questions for their jigsaw group. 

“The day of the jigsaw, students meet with the other ‘experts’ who read their same article and they discuss the key ideas,” Cruse said.

Cruse then splits her class into jigsaw groups. 

“Every student in the group is an expert on a different facet of a topic.  This jigsaw was on Reconstruction after the Civil War,” she said.

Despite the demands, students enjoy this approach to learning.

“They have the opportunity to be both learner and teacher. This strategy also prepares students for the AP exam because the final product is a response to an actual AP exam essay question.  Everything we do in class is to prepare students to learn and to be ready for the AP US History exam in May,” Cruse said. 

Just prior to the exam, students they will take up to four practice exams.  Cruse also will host review sessions after school, evenings, and weekends.