…but in its messiness, it was beautiful because it was theirs.

Awkward silence. In some classes–many seconds at a time–we found awkward silence. And I didn’t blink. Eventually, they did. And, then, they started talking, started learning. And I just listened.

To be fair to my kids, it may have been a bit premature on the first day of the new semester with new classroom communities and different dynamics, but on a whim yesterday, I decided to try something different, seeking–as ever–to give my kids ownership over their learning. They led their own discussion, and not only for the content, but also for the experience of considering discussion dynamics–the latter being my greater goal.

This was basically the process. Individually, the kids prepared in advance by responding to questions and statements on the anticipation/discussion guide I gave them yesterday. Then, I informed them that they would engage in their own class discussion and that I would only be keeping time and taking notes. I would not participate. Before getting started though, I asked the class to share what they thought were elements of a good class discussion, listing their responses on the top of my notes and then reading back their ideas.

Then we got started. I gave them twelve minutes (all we had time for). Made one rule: they could not raise their hands; they had to find polite entry points into the conversation. I sat among them with my note pad, identifying opportunities for feedback. Otherwise, I did not participate.

No, I just watched their beautiful mess unfold. Well, okay, it was better than messy in many instances, but it was messy–no doubt there, but in its messiness, it was beautiful because it was theirs.

Here’s some of the beauty I witnessed.

• awkward silence–I like to think that there’s thinking going on.
• leaders emerging–surprising leaders. Interesting who will step up–and won’t–when the situation calls.
• eye contact
• disagreement
• use of names in response
• tracking and connecting
• self-regulating
• group-regulating
• deep dives into ideas
• active listening
• voice projection
• seeking clarification
• providing examples
• laughter–I laughed out loud many times. Kids are fun.

Of course, there was plenty of mess, too, which can simply be characterized as the opposite from what’s above. Of course, it was messy. They’re human. And being human is messy. And I want my kids to recognize, consider, and deal with the messiness of human communication. So, at the end, I asked them to share what went well and what needs work. Then, I shared my feedback, which in many respects mirrored the things the kids offered in their evaluation. We ended with the agreement that we would do better next time, and that is all–as many know–I ask for.

Of course, I know there are–and I have used–discussion protocols and approaches like Socratic Seminars, and while I think they are effective, they feel a bit contrived to me, so I wanted to try something that was a little more organic. So, we did, and as we did we learned, and we created an anchor for finding better. And trust me, though there were some shiny moments in each of my classes, there are many betters to find as we move forward through our beautiful, messy landscape.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…sharing our initial 50-word responses to the question, Who Am I?

…identifying and using parallel structures in our own writing.

…reflecting in our Journey Journals.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Tuesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.