Teacher-Student Interactions
Peter recreated dialogs that occurred during a class brainstorm.
The first presents the challenge of teasing out ideas from a reluctant contributor
and the second, the risk of influencing a student unintentionally.

Dialog 1: Engaging the Reluctant Contributor

Context: It's September 2 and we're brainstorming: What kinds of information might help you meet the Global challenge? I'm trying to get ALL students to contribute at least one idea to answer the question. I've worked my way around the room, and Roberto is one of the last remaining. I call on him, and he says he doesn't have any ideas that haven't been suggested already. I give him my pat answer for such responses: "Okay, think about it. I'll come back to you."

I take a few more suggestions, then call on Roberto again, ("You'll find I don't let you off the hook that easily") but he still has no ideas. "You'll have to come up with something; we won't be able to leave until you do." This is only the 2nd day of class, so he probably isn't sure if I'm joking or not. I call on him one more time, but still he has nothing. He's the only one in class remaining, and about 4 or 5 others are trying to feed him ideas. I set the students on a brief writing task (collecting ideas from the brainstorm that they'd like to adopt as their own) and swing by Roberto's desk.

Peter: You can't think of anything? Roberto: No
Peter: Let's take a look at your paper (which they'd been using to record ideas of their own, then to collect ideas from their group...sure enough, his few ideas had already been listed.)
Okay, let's think about this, then. What question are you trying to answer. Roberto: (shrugs)

Peter: Well, what is the project all about? (the first part of the slip of paper, that they'd filled out and shared with their group earlier. I've also read Roberto's over his shoulder and know he's got it down. Roberto: We're supposed to research a country. Peter: Why? Roberto: It's the project.

Peter: But what do you want to find out about the country? Roberto: Anything. Peter: You mean, you need to find out what color their money is and who all their presidents have been? Roberto: (shrugs) Peter: What problem are you trying to solve? Roberto: The company wants to put a factory there. Peter: Where? Roberto: In my country. Peter: Just yours? Roberto: No, in one of ours (indicating the class.)

Peter: Right, so what do you think they need to know about your country to make that decision? Roberto: (shrugs) Peter: Let's look at it this way. Imagine I'm the CEO, the head guy at MOI (the fictional multinational corporation) and I'm looking at all these countries. I'm only going to put a factory in one of them. Just one. What do you think I need to know to make my decision. Roberto: Maybe how many people are there in the country.

Peter: The population. Right. That would help. If there aren't enough people, I won't have enough workers. But that's already up on our brainstorm list. What about those people, though. What kind of people would I want working for me? Roberto: Good ones. Good workers. Peter: Good. What kind of workers are "good" workers? Roberto: They can do the job. Hard workers. Smart. Peter: Great. Now, how can I tell if a country has lots of smart workers. Roberto: You know. How smart they are. Can they do the job. Peter: Can I give them a test? Roberto: Sure. Peter: The whole country? All these countries? Roberto: No. But you can tell. Peter: How? What might tell me that your country has lots of good workers, smart workers, who could do the job? Roberto: (shrugs)

Peter: How about this? What if I gave all my workers a manual that showed them how to work the machines and what to do? If I just gave them the directions, handed them to the workers, and said come to work tomorrow ready to go to work. Would that work? Roberto: Yeah. Sometimes. Peter: Only sometimes. Yeah, I think you're right. When wouldn't it work? Roberto: Well if they didn't speak the language. Or maybe if they couldn't read.

Peter: Great. Those are two good ideas. Language and literacy, the ability to read. And you can find out both when you do your research. Roberto: So reading is one? Peter: Sure. Don't you think so. Isn't a high literacy rate, having lots of people able to read, going to make it easier for me to put my factory there and get it going? Roberto: Yeah. So reading is one? Peter: Sure. And language. Let's get them up there on the brainstorm.

Conclusion: I pull the class back to the brainstorm list, asking for more ideas, and call on Roberto, who suggests reading.

Dialog 2: Confidence in One's Own Ideas

Context: Same class and students are in their groups, trying to come up with ideas on their own (before the brainstorming session above) Leonel & Amy are in the same group (with 2 others) and Amy's on the right track. Reading over her shoulder I see she has about 4 or 5 ideas and is moving along. Leonel has none. They'll be sharing in a few minutes, but I've set a goal of at least 3 solo ideas for each member of the group before they share. Leonel needs help.

Peter: How's it going here, Leonel. You don't have anything down, yet. Can you come up with something? Leonel: I can't think of anything. Peter: Okay. Well, what are you supposed to be writing down? Leonel: Reasons for putting the factory in a country. Peter: Right. Well, no ideas at all? Leonel: No.

Peter: Well, imagine for a minute that I'm the guy in charge of MOI. What would I want to know about your country to make that decision. Leonel: It's on the equator (his country is Ecuador) Peter: Okay, yes, but how does that help me make my decision. Leonel: If it's on the equator it would be hot. Peter: And do I want a place that's hot? Leonel: If you like hot places. Peter: Right. Okay, let's look at it this way. You have Ecuador, and Phillip (a group mate) has Brazil. Tell me, do you like to go mountain climbing? Leonel: No, not big mountains. Peter: What about the beach? Would you rather climb a mountain or go to a beach? Leonel: A beach, probably.

Peter: Okay, then I'd say you should go to Brazil, because they have lots of beaches to choose from. And what about climate? Do you like it hot or cold outside. Leonel: More hot. Peter: Okay, then I'd say you should choose Brazil again, and stay away from the mountains, because even though Ecuador is on the equator, it's very mountainous so it stays pretty cold in most of the country. Then, let see, imagine you had to fly there, and the plane ticket to Ecuador cost ten dollars and the one to Brazil cost 10 thousand. Which would you visit? Leonel: Ecuador (Out of the corner of my eye I see Amy, who has stopped writing and has been listening, begin to erase her answers)

Peter: Amy, what's wrong. Amy: I was doing it wrong. Peter: No you weren't. Tell me one of your answers. Amy: I put down "how many people." Peter: But that's a good one. Amy: I thought we were supposed to put down reasons for a company to come to our country, not for a vacation. Peter: You are. Leonel and I were talking about those because I wanted him to think about why he'd make a choice one way and not the other. Amy: Oh. Peter: Those were just examples. Keep doing what you were doing. Amy: Oh. (Begins to rewrite her answers) Peter: Okay, so Leonel... it's almost time to share ideas anyway. See what you can get in the next minute or so, and then share with your group.

Conclusion: He eventually came up with three before sharing with his group. The first was "population."