The Voices Within

Yesterday, the ears behind The Voices Within “listened.” The kids read their peers’ comments and my responses from last week’s feedback. In what now has become if not common, at least consistent, practice in 211, the kids ran the information through the So/Now-What? filter, producing posters such as those pictured above. My goal here is to get the kids to embrace their reactions to information as a key step on the path to understanding. But I don’t want their reactions to simply and only be knee-jerk responses. I want them to process and then react. For that, then, we employ the What (What is the information I just encountered?), the So-What (Why does it matter?), and the Now What (What I am going to do with it now?) approach to most of the information we encounter. I even require the kids to use this approach with their daily learning reflections. What did I learn? Why does it matter? What am I going to do with it? Of course, the bigger goal is for them to adopt it as a personal filter in their daily lives–now and later, so when they encounter information, they process, they think before they react. Wonder how many adults in our society may have benefitted from this approach last night during the debate?

Anyway, steering wide of that, I was generally pleased with the kids’ reactions. I think many discovered the value in the opportunity to have a voice, and I think, too, many found appreciation in the fact that I will listen, that their peers will listen. Sadly, some did not seem to find the value, but I have to remember that this isn’t necessarily business as usual for them, and it will take some getting used to–for all of us.

My Own Voices Within

For the first time this year, my old friend doubt surfaced unexpectedly, whispering, taunting, “You will fail.” And whether it was just Monday or the fact that some of the kids still seem reluctant to embrace 180, he found me, and I listened. I doubted. And though I eventually shrugged him off, he lingered longer than I would have liked, curbing my enthusiasm, dampening my spirit, both of which I cannot afford to be without with such a long road ahead.

Today will be better. Already is. But it threw me for a bit of a loop yesterday. Damn the doubt.

Anyway, happy Tuesday, all. Super tired today. Great class last night, but it zapped me, and I have another round tonight. Wife told me I’d get my sea legs back soon enough. Helps that she never doubts me. Helps a bunch.