Letters from a Touchstones Teacher

Letters from a Touchstones® Teacher

This correspondence is between a teacher, Michelle, who has recently started using Touchstones programming in her classroom, and Touchstones staff. We thought you might appreciate reading about Michelle’s progress as a discussion leader and her class’s progress as discussion participants. The Touchstones Discussion Project thanks Michelle for her permission to make her story available to other teachers as encouragement!

1/23/2012
Dear Touchstones,
I attended the workshop in November, and learned a lot. I am so excited to use this in my classroom. I had our first discussion last week using Touchpebbles. Do you have any suggestions on how to get the students to take turns speaking. It was a bigger problem than I thought it would be. Thanks.
Michelle

1/23/2012
Hi Michelle,
Taking turns is something that the students will have to figure out how to do themselves. They should experience a high level of frustration when they do not take turns. So, I would suggest that before your next lesson that you give them a list of things that may or may not have been a part of their last discussion: raising hands, interrupting each other, listening to each other, taking turns speaking, etc. Have them vote (show of hands) on whether or not they thought each behavior had occurred. After each vote, ask them if the behavior (or lack of it) caused problems. Ask your students to talk about those problems and to propose solutions. By increasing your students’ awareness of their behaviors, you will help them to self-regulate. Make the metacognition associated with this part of the Touchstones’ class a fun one and one that includes everyone’s perspectives, particularly those who didn’t speak during the discussion. And most importantly, have the class come to agreement about three goals that it sets for itself for improvement. Then you choose the one that you think is most important for them to focus on first. You can spend an entire Touchstones class on this alone and include a writing assignment that asks your students to write short paragraphs about what they plan to do differently in their Touchstones classes. The more that they have a chance to think about how and why this class is different, the more responsibility they will start taking in terms of their own engagement.

I hope this helps. Good luck!
Touchstones

1/23/2012
Dear Touchstones,
That is great! Thanks. We did discuss some last week about how they thought it went. They did notice that everyone was talking at once. They also mentioned that when their peers were talking, everyone was talking. However, when I was talking no one else was. We discussed this too. I knew this would be one of the more difficult parts to these discussions, but I didn’t realize how difficult. We conduct our next discussion on Thursday. I will let you know how it goes.
Thanks.
Michelle

1/23/2012
Hi Michelle,
You’re on the right track. Just keep encouraging them to reflect on and modify their own behavior. And, let them suffer when they aren’t following the ground rules. Surely some bossy student will try to organize a better effort among them! And the more they are frustrated by themselves, the faster they will come around. This requires patience on your part but it will pay off.

Also, don’t hesitate to use small groups to develop strategies for taking turns. Just keep in mind that any systematic approach will need to be dismantled quickly so that it doesn’t hinder the development of genuine discussion, which should not be a regulated interaction but instead should be a natural flow among the group.

Looking forward to hearing more soon!
Touchstones

1/27/2012
Dear Touchstones,
Ok. So, we completed week 2. We reviewed the ground rules and I asked them which one they thought we should work on improving. They all said “don’t speak when some one else is”. I told them to really focus on this as they discussed in their small group. As I walked around and sat in, they were definitely trying. Once we came to whole group, it became chaotic again. However, they were not as loudly disorganized as last week, and we had several different students participate and respond to another’s comments. There was still a lot of talking at once and side conversations. I am surprised, but I did notice a difference from last week. There were even two students that told others to stop talking. At the end we took five minutes to talk about how it went (with hand raising this time. 
Thanks
Michelle

1/27/2012
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for sending the update! That definitely sounds like progress to me, so keep doing what you’re doing. The fact that some of the students are telling each other to be quiet is a real sign that they are starting to self-govern. It won’t happen over night, but it will happen.

Keep using a very direct and hands-on approach for a couple more sessions and see where you are. Ask your students to score themselves as better or worse after each class and to offer a specific example. Also ask who in the class is frustrated and why. You may even want to ask your class to describe what a really good discussion would look like before you begin any Touchstones work next time. Get them to think and outline what they think would be good and then see what they do with it.

Are there students who are deliberately interfering or is there just a lot of enthusiasm and desire to speak?

Have a great weekend!
Touchstones

2/2/2012
Dear Touchstones,
O.k. so it is week 3 in my third grade class. Wow!!!!!! Today we had a run of 6 people talking without interruption. PROGRESS AT LAST! There were also a few students who were telling others to stop talking. Towards the end after one student shared his opinion, another student (instead of giving his opinion) question the other’s statement. Woooohoooo!!!!!!!!!!!! Our focus is still on not interrupting, but I liked what I saw today. Any other suggestions u have would be great. 
Michelle

2/2/2012
Hi Michelle,
This is GREAT news! Congratulations. I would say that you should stick to the path that you’re on—clearly you’re on the right one! You’re seeing progress already and that’s wonderful. I’m sure that you provide encouragement for your students, but a verbal “nice job” at the end of class and a nod toward your “problem” students if they are improving may reinforce their hard work.

Have a great rest of the week, and thanks again for keeping us posted on how things are going!
Touchstones

2/2/2012
Dear Touchstones,
Thanks. I was very frustrated the first day we did this. I was ready to give up. I thought “there is no way that they will be able to do this. They are too young and have too many behavior issues.” I am glad that I e- mailed you b/c it helped me to keep going. I continue to encourage them each time and use specific examples. They like it when I notice that someone has spurred a productive discussion segment.
I will continue to email you on Thursday’s so that I can keep you informed as well as help me digest the day’s events. 
Michelle

How We Are Perceived by Others and Learning to Know Better

Recent studies in the field of social psychology are exploring how well we intuit what others think of us. This research has tremendous value for those in education, who are constantly being judged and judging themselves. And it has special significance for our students, who are continuously assessing whether it is worthwhile to take a risk in public or if the stakes are too high. No one wants to be thought a fool by another person, never mind by an entire classroom of peers.

At the University of Chicago, social psychologist Nicholas Epley’s research offers some relief in a hyper-critical world. http://www.chicagobooth.edu/capideas/may08/1.aspx. He and others are finding evidence that we tend to judge ourselves much more harshly than others do. Our knowledge of ourselves—that internal history and dialogue—colors our self-perception and prevents us from seeing how we are perceived or understood by others. Epley’s research encourages us to continue pushing our students to develop accurate perception so they can better understand each other. Taking risks by sharing our ideas and opinions in a safe discussion environment and evaluating our work together gives us all the chance to do just that. Through authentic discussion, students and teachers have the chance to see and explore the bigger picture and to assume some of the psychological distance we need to get beyond ourselves and assume new and different perspectives.

More about television and its affects on our children…

Though the research has been out there for years, the issue of television and its place in our children’s lives continues to be a serious one regarding cognitive development. Children need regular and sustained active engagement with other humans—parents, peers, and care-givers—for optimal brain development. This segment, aired on CBS evening news on October 18, once again highlights the importance of human interaction. And while the piece focuses on the effects of television on infants and toddlers, perhaps we should be asking why the effects would be different on our young children and pre-adolescents.

Some additional information on the topic and resources for parents and educators can be found here.

Discussion can be a rewarding way to engage with your children and your students. Authentic discussion encourages active listening, sharing of ideas, and the exploration of topics in greater depth. And there is growing evidence among an already established body of data that dialogue among peers may promote cognitive growth. In their 2010 compilation of research studies on this topic, titled “Education Dialogues: Understanding and Promoting Constructive Interaction,” (available through Routledge) Karen Littleton and Christine Howe present a range of fascinating pieces on the role of dialogue as a teaching tool in the classroom. The research included in their books looks at 12 areas in which dialogue may be a crucial but underutilized instrument in our students’ cognitive development.

Visit to an Elementary School

Last Friday, May 6, 2011, I visited an elementary school in Mahopac, New York, where students in grade 3 have been working on their Touchstones discussions all year. When I arrived, I expected to observe the class and then to spend time with their teacher afterward. What I didn’t expect was to be asked to lead the discussion. But, in all things—anticipated and not—there is much to be learned. This was definitely an opportunity to put my discussion leadership skills to work!

 Before starting Lesson 17 in Touchpebbles A, the teacher and I briefly discussed some of the issues that challenge the class: dominance, talking over each other, continued silence from some students, and singular contributions that don’t build off of other things that have been said. With 23 children in the class, almost a third of who are classified as learning-disabled, some of the challenges the teacher and the class face are great. But what I found during my visit was that they are all accomplishing significant and lasting change together. Those who are hesitant to speak are beginning to trust their own voices. Those who often have difficulty staying on task are listening and thinking actively. And those who have ideas that may inspire all of us are learning that their ideas matter—even at this young age.

 In the pair work that preceded the discussion, I observed that every child was engaged and discussing the assignment with a partner. This was remarkable, considering that the pairs were arranged specifically so that students who don’t ordinarily interact with each other would have to do so. I asked them to share their work and to evaluate what was easy or difficult about it. Many students volunteered and were eager to share. Then, as I read the passage aloud, I noted that every child was following along on his or her copy of the story or listening attentively to me. Again, I was encouraged by the level of engagement shown by the students.

 As I began the discussion, it was indeed clear that dominance is a real problem for several students in this class. I began using my body language, my attention, and direct intervention to discourage the excessive responses. Interestingly, the interventions worked for all but one student who did not respond either to verbal or nonverbal cues.

 At the end of the discussion, two student monitors reported back to the class on what they had observed. They noted some interrupting and they noted the level of participation. All but six students had spoken. I later learned from the teacher that all but one of those six students has a learning disability and that they sometimes do enter into the full group discussion. I also learned that one student of the five classified students never participates in the larger circle. But she was active in the pair work and had her eyes on me throughout the discussion. She never checked out of the activity.

 When the teacher and I debriefed after class, I told her how great the experience had been for me. We talked about a number of strategies that may be successful in helping the dominant students to better understand their responsibility to the entire class. We also talked about the importance for the teacher to be able to observe her students in the discussion. It was helpful to her to have me there so she had that opportunity. And it was a treat for me to lead a discussion with such an active and interested group of youngsters. I enjoyed hearing their ideas and being surprised by their insights and sense of justice. And it was heartening to hear them evaluate their discussion work and share how they feel when they are interrupted or aren’t given ample space or silence to enter the discussion.

 Whenever I visit a Touchstones class, I am impressed by the creativity and thoughtfulness the students show. There is nothing as delightful as being surprised by the interesting perspectives or ideas that they introduce. But I am always equally moved by the enthusiasm and dedication that I see in the teachers. Their work and the outcomes I see in their students reassure me that hope still rests in the future generations of our country.

Touchstones Online

Have you ever imagined giving your students the chance to try out their discussion skills with students from around the world? Having recently completed a Touchstones online discussion series using Skype, we’re excited to spread the word about Skype in the Classroom, a community designed to help teachers connect their classes. Teachers can sign up to the platform by creating a profile detaling their interests, location and the age groups that they teach.

While it may not be feasible to bring two entire classes together for a large group discussion, giving students the opportunity to share their questions or serve one another as observers might be inspiring and instructive. Perhaps on occasion representatives could be selected during small group work to form a core group from each class who could participate together using skype in a brief fishbowl format discussion. Classes could then regroup independently to continue or evaluate the discussion. And that’s just the beginning.

Has anyone used Touchstones with such a service or platform? What was your experience?

 

 

Playfulness

In Touchstones discussions, we sometimes take ourselves both too seriously and not seriously enough. It’s easy as a discussion leader to fall into the trap of over-emphasizing mastery of the text or pushing the group to focus prematurely on an idea or question. In our earnestness to help our students gain insight and understanding, we can overlook our role as the group’s conscience and facilitator of discussion-skills development. Keep in mind that Touchstones classes should always focus on the interplay between the text and the students’ experiences and opinions. Only in this way do students take responsibility for the course of the discussion and develop their intellectual curiosity. A hallmark of a true discussion as a cooperative exploration of ideas is playfulness. In a way, a Touchstones discussion is like an infinite game in which your students will learn to include all comers and to play so as not to allow the game to end.

If you’re interested in the role of play in education, consider reading A Case for Play, a recent article from The Chronicle Review in The Chronicle of Higher Education. As always, we welcome your comments and questions.

January 19, 2011

Dear Touchstones Teachers,

Last May, many of you completed an electronic survey that we sent to hear about what’s working in your Touchstones classes. Here are the results from that survey, as well as some brief commentary from us at Touchstones. As we reach out to more teachers who are committed to using Touchstones to develop critical thinking, leadership, and collaboration among their students, we invite you to respond to our posts.

And, please forward this to others whom you know share our passion for discussion in the classroom.

We hope these and future posts will help you and your students continue building your discussion leadership skills and maximize the outcomes in your classroom. Best wishes for a great second half of the school year!

Stefanie Takacs, MS.Ed.
Executive Director

Notes about the survey: Responses to questions 2, 4, 7, and 11 need to be reviewed together. In classrooms where the students do not know or adhere to the Touchstones ground rules, teachers have an excellent opportunity to remind students that the ground rules help to take the place of traditional classroom structure. Students must feel empowered to own those ground rules and to reinforce them with each other. At the same time, using Touchstones evaluation tools with your students after every third or fourth Touchstones discussion will reinforce the ground rules and the need for each student to participate in the discussion and take responsibility for the group dynamics. This ties in directly with question 7, for dominance will continue to rear its ugly head until your students accept responsibility for how they engage with each other. Discussion evaluation tools that appear in your Teacher’s Edition appendices should help you and your students to set the stage for continued progress in the development of leadership, balanced participation, and collaboration. If you do not have Touchstones’ discussion evaluation tools or worksheets, please contact us and we will provide them to you.

Helpful Tip: Remember that the goal of the Touchstones Discussion Project is to develop thinking, leadership, and collaboration among participants. When your students are encouraged to evaluate their own (and each others’) behaviors, the door is opened for them to identify areas for change and progress. Encourage your students to set goals for improvement and help them stay on track by gently reminding them of those goals at the beginning of class.