We live in an age where people listen to speak, instead of listening to understand. The art of conversation has been reduced to 140 characters, or an inciting post on Facebook. Face-to-face conversation has taken on the culture of scanning the headline and then throwing out our two cents with no regard or consideration for what others are saying.
Knowledge building circles teach the art of conversation. They train us to listen to what the speaker is saying, to consider the point of view, to ponder our own thoughts and to indicate silently agreement, disagreement, a point to add or a tangent to make. It teaches the speaker to thoughtfully pass the invisible baton to someone who has thoughtfully decided to extend the conversation. It aligns with the simile I carry that a conversation should be like a long walk, each word moving us a step forward; we may not arrive at the intended destination, but we are constantly moving forward, not stopping to run in little circles of argument. Sharing what we have learned is a quick way to get a lot of knowledge to the entire class. Not everyone has to read and learn every topic every time. The best collaborators come together excited to share about successes and failures in hopes to inspire future learning and success. Using a knowledge-building circle to share learnings provides the opportunity to convey those learnings and also teaches active listening and effective speaking. The circle starts with one or two questions to guide the conversation. The teacher gives students a moment to think about those questions themselves, then a minute or two to share thoughts aloud with a partner. Then the circle is ready to begin. Someone starts. As they speak, listeners use silent gestures to voice their opinion: an extended thumb and finger that shakes in front of the chest means “I agree.” A “thumbs down” means I disagree. A “thumbs up” means I have something to add to that thought. An arm outstretched into the circles means I want to take this in a new direction. The speaker then chooses someone to speak next, with preference given to the “thumbs up” so that that thought or idea can be built upon. After thumbs up, thumbs down voices take a turn to debate or oppose the idea. When the thought is complete, an outstretched arm may take the conversation in a new direction. If the circle is about sharing new knowledge, the teacher can record thoughts on a chart paper under the headings of the questions. If the circle gets off topic, or there is a lull, the teacher may choose to summarize the thoughts so far to keep the knowledge fresh in the students’ minds. Keep in mind that the cycles of topics might be very short – one point, one “I agree” and students may be ready to move on. Building knowledge on a new topic will likely be short and sweet and might reveal new areas to explore. Using a circle to reflect on learning in the middle or at the end of an inquiry might lead to longer cycles as participants are able to apply what they have learned to new contexts or connect it to themselves or the world around them. Successful circles need practice; the one I observed is six months into the year so students were familiar with the process. When first introducing circles, it would be prudent to remember that teaching new content and new skills simultaneously can overload students. Start with a familiar topic so students can get used to the format before you apply it to new learning.
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Terri-AnnPersonal reflections on project-based learning. Archives
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