Passion- Ignite Student Sharing

In a multicultural school, Luna, Abigail, and Scarlett realized that every student's unique background and experiences were a gift. They understood that they had much to learn from their classmates who came from different cultures and backgrounds. This realization led them to:

• Honor each other's opinions

• Wait patiently for their turn to speak

• Respect the diversity of their school

• Share their experiences briefly

Answer explanation

Clear and easily understood boundaries will help to create a safe environment for students to share their diverse opinions and cultures. You must make it clear from the beginning that any form of bullying or aggressive language will not be tolerated.  Create those classroom expectations early in the year and reinforce them regularly.  Should a student fail to respect the procedures, immediate redirection should occur.  Never forget that what you permit today becomes normal tomorrow.

During a group project discussion, Charlotte, Anika, and Daniel are sharing their ideas. Anika wants to make room for others’ opinions and thoughts. What should she do to ensure her response is clear and concise?

• Wait Patiently

• Share Briefly

• Build Trust

• Write Carefully

Answer explanation

The teacher and students should make their point but not steal the spotlight. Making room for others' opinions and thoughts is key to gaining participation and learning from as many students as possible.  Take intentional steps to ensure all students have an opportunity to voice their perspectives and opinions.  You could keep a list of who has or has not shared or even limit the length of responses, maybe to only one sentence or just a few keywords.  The critical point is to involve everyone as much as possible.

During a group project, Emma, Aria, and Arjun are discussing their ideas. Emma suggests they should listen first, ask clarifying questions to learn, share their perspective and evidence, and listen again. What is Emma suggesting they should do?

• Honor Opinions

• Wait Patiently

• Respect Diversity

• Share Briefly

Answer explanation

Students can and should disagree with each other because that is where learning happens. Healthy discussions are vital to deepen understanding of important concepts. As the teacher, however, you must instruct and model how to disagree. That process is listening first, asking clarifying questions to learn, sharing your perspective and evidence, and then listening again.  Simply disagreeing without going through this process should be discouraged.

Jackson, Ethan, and Priya are in a group discussion. The teacher asks a question and instructs them to listen carefully to the question, form a response, prepare to share, and be ready to wait as other students gather their thoughts. What is the teacher asking them to do?

• Respect Diversity

• Honor Opinions

• Wait Patiently

• Write Carefully

Answer explanation

Not all students will readily participate at the same levels, and some students may be reluctant to speak. Being patient is essential, and you need to frame tasks to draw responses from your students. It may take a while for them to gain the courage to verbally reply in a discussion or even draft a response in a discussion board. But when they do volunteer to share, praise them in an authentic and relevant manner. Your classroom culture, based upon your personal philosophy and passion, is the foundational element for building student comfort and confidence to take risks. 

Aiden, Aria, and Zoe are working on a group project. They need to communicate effectively with each other. They should be careful, kind, and purposeful with what they say and write because it cannot be unsaid or unwritten. What should they primarily focus on?

• Wait Patiently

• Write Carefully

• Share Briefly

• Respect Diversity

Answer explanation

Students need to understand that they can't "unring the bell." Once they have made a verbal comment or put it in writing, that statement cannot be unheard or unread by others. Even posts that are quickly deleted from a discussion board in a course can be subject to screenshots by other students and re-posted later.

Having a frank and honest discussion with students regarding this fact is beneficial in both their academic and personal lives.  This lesson not only prepares them for proper collaboration in your classroom, but it also helps them in today's technology and the social media-rich world.