Resisting the pull to do tasks for students who can do them independently, even when they ask.
At a glance
When: A student offloads a task you know they can do.
Remember: Helping a capable student trains dependence. Warm and firm; the goal is them doing it, not speed.
What strong practice looks like — and why.
The scenario you saw
A student you support has started asking you to do tasks for them that you know they're capable of completing independently. What do you do?
Before you read on — what would you do here? Picture your move, then reveal how strong practice handles it.
You redirect warmly but firmly — "I know you can start this one. I'll be right here." — and you wait. Watching them do it is the point, not doing it faster.
Why this works
When a capable student starts handing you tasks they can do, the kind-seeming move — just help, keep it positive — quietly trains dependence. Your job is their independence, so you hold the expectation warmly but firmly ('I know you can start this — I'll be right here') and then you wait, which is the hard part. Even modeling part of it can tip into doing too much; the goal is to watch them do it, not to get it done faster. Warmth and high expectations aren't opposites — staying right there is what makes the expectation feel safe.
What to look for
Recall is where it sticks — a few quick scenarios.
Reading is useful, but recall is where it sticks. Three short scenarios, low-stakes, no scoring — about 3 minutes. You can stop any time.
Start the practice set →Short on time? Start with the first one.
You support a student in inclusion — and one of the best things you can do is get out of the way and let a peer take over.
IRIS Center (Vanderbilt)
Evidence-based overview of prompt hierarchies and systematic fading — the core skill for building student independence.